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Having seen that hardly anything still survives of the original functions of the imeum, it now remains for us to describe those which have arisen in its place.
The imeum is regarded by the gampōngs subject to him as a sort of acting ulèëbalang, and the latter employs him as his deputy in making known and helping to carry out his commands and decisions within his (the imeum's) jurisdiction. In some parts of the XXII Mukims which are situated too far from the headquarters of the ulèëbalang to admit of all matters of importance being subjected to his decision, the adat has assigned a measure of judicial authority to specified boards of imeums. Groups of three or four mukims are united for this purpose, and the decision of the three or four imeums has the same force as that of the ulèëbalang[1].
This is however exceptional; as a rule the imeum has just as little judicial authority as the heads of the gampōngs, but in the quality of arbitrator he can deal with questions that lie outside the reach of the village authorities, inasmuch as more than one gampōng is concerned in them. As his income depends entirely on chance profits, he naturally makes it his object to bring as many such questions as possible within his own scope, always on the pretext of acting as mediator, so that his clients may avoid the heavy fines and costs exacted by the ulèëbalang.
Under a powerful ulèëbalang the imeum is not much more than a go-between; under a weak ulèëbalang an energetic imeum can within the limits of his own jurisdiction entirely supplant his chief. Not unfrequently an imeum when called on by the ulèëbalang to come to his assistance with his followers in time of war, simply remains inactive or even categorically refuses. In times of disorder especially, such as the present, when parties are being formed by others than the traditional chiefs, considerable independence is attained by many imeums. As we have already shown, however, many of them succeeded in emancipating themselves from control in earlier times as well.
- ↑ Examples of such unions are Lam Lheuë, Lam Kraʾ, Kruëng Maʾ and Ateuëʾ; Sibrèë, Baʾét and a part of Lam Ara; another part of Lam Ara, Aneuʾ Glé and Jruëʾ.
