History of Painan City

PAINAN City is a city which is also the administrative capital of Pesisir Selatan District, in West Sumatera Province, Indonesia. Administratively, the City of Painan go into IV Jurai Subdistrict, and the city is crossed by Highway Traffic western Sumatera.

Painan City flanked by two streams, namely Sungai Batang Pinang Gadang and Sungai Batang Pinang Ketek. This river comes from Timbulun having as many as seven-level waterfall. Through this Timbulun, Painan City can be passed to Alahan Panjang, Solok Selatan District. This river empties into Carocok Beach and Muaro Painan Beach. Both are headed to the Teluk Painan a very quiet, because it is also flanked by the Bukit Langkisau and pincuran boga.

According to elders in Painan and surrounding areas, Painan name comes from the word 'paik' (bitter) and 'nian' (very), which means 'bitter' (bitter life in the area Painan which generally consists of swamp -swamp). Speech 'paik nian' was a greeting from the people who migrate Pesisir Selatan's south to Painan, marked from the word 'nian' (a common vocabulary and spoken by the southern and Melayu).

In the year 1523 in Painan already established a mosque, religious educational institutions in Minangkabau. In the 16th century was also, Pulau Cingkuak in Painan into an international ship port that debuted as the Port of Gold, Salido.

In 1660, the Dutch were willing to move their offices from Aceh to the city of Padang, on the grounds of location and better air. However, this desire was rejected by the ruler of Padang City, until finally they were based in Salido.

Painan Agreement in 1663, initiated by Groenewegen who opened the door for the Dutch to establish loji in Padang City, in addition to their representative offices in Tiku and Pariaman, Padang Pariaman District. For security reasons, a representative office in Padang City moved to Cingkuak Island, until in 1667 moved again to Padang City. The building was burned in 1669 and rebuilt a year later. (wikipedia.org)