Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/325

 Contracts for hire are concluded without any formalities, since they are not far-reaching in their consequences.

A form of contract in very common use is the mawaïh. By this one party binds himself to work the rice-field of another with his own buffalo, plough etc., in consideration of receiving one-half of the crop, or to support his cattle etc., on condition that one-half the young that they produce shall become his property. Such contracts are also very common in Java.

Mawaïh is thus synonymous with meudua laba i.e. equal division of profits. Should special circumstances give rise to an agreement for division on other terms, this is no longer called mawaïh, but expressed thus for example; meugòë umòng X bagi lhèë = "to work the field of X for one-third of the crop."

Mawaïh-contracts are more especially resorted to by the owners of umòngs situated at a great distance from one another, as for instance the ulèëbalangs, who cause the umòngs which they appropriate to be cultivated in this way unless they are powerful enough to get the work done by feudal service. There are some chiefs who year after year call out the people of one gampōng to plough for them, of another to do the planting, and of a third to gather in the harvest.

He who hands over his field to be tilled under a mawaïh contract (pumawaïh) troubles himself no further about it till the crop is cut. Then he witnesses the measuring out of the padi either personally or by agent and removes the half that falls to his share.

From the above-quoted adverse view of the Achehnese in regard to the sale of rice-fields it may readily be seen that they are better managers of property, and have more comprehension of the value of accumulating capital than the Javanese. Indeed parsimony may be said to be more a national characteristic of the former people than extravagance. This does not prevent many from temporarily converting their rice-fields into money under the pressure of adversity of various kinds,