"THE NAME OF BATAVIA"
If you take Hy 90 westward in the state of New York...you'll pass by BATAVIA...a town located between Niagara Falls/Buffalo and Rochester.
Rochester is the place where KODAK FILM and CAMERA invented...the headquarter of the EASMAN KODAK COMPANY...founded by George Eastman...producing film material in 1888. The name KODAK was so popular...he changed the name of his company in 1892 by adding "KODAK" to his last name...to capitalize a marketing advantaage.
Niagara Falls - April 3, 2009
City Hall of Batavia, NY (the left side of building)
REWINDING HISTORY RECORDS
In 1621 WEST INDISCHE COMPAGNIE was given charter by the Staeten-Generael, der Vereenighde Nederlanden...the Dutch government in Holland...a license to colonialize the new world in the West...the newly found American continent.
Ready from earlier set-up in 1602... V.O.C. [Vereenighde Oostindische Compagnie]...chartered with a 21 year monopoly to roam the East with the same purpose...raced to profit from the Orient and the Far East and the Southeast...especially the rich tropical land of Asia.
Working hand-in-hand with the British who founded East India Company in 1600...the Dutch and the Brits sailed the seven seas...roamed the land...seeking opportunities...trading was the flag of the ships...but the business lunch of divide et impera was the main course.
A governor was appointed in each company...pressuring on economy and finance were their tactics to weaken local entity at any place moored by their ships...by politicking with members of the ruling families with promise, money and weapon...so they will fight each other...and the company managed to take side and watched the destruction of local power house...then took their lands. Indeed, this type of diplomatic manouver was most successful during the colonial era.
Museum of Holland Land CompanyThe Dutch colony in North America virtually ended when the British took over the competition from West Indische Compagnie...and with the establishment of the financial center in New York city...privately, in 1780's a group of 13 Dutch investors established Holland Land Company [HLC] in Amsterdam...to purchase lands through its acting agents...in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and...of course New York.
From 1792 and on until the company's liquidation in 1846...millions of acres were acquired and the largest area is the western part of New York state until Lake Erie and Lake Onario...having titles to the land including an early settlement in Batavia, NY...in 1802 HLC chose the town as its main office due to its strategic location.
'Batavia' a Latin name given by the Romans to a German tribe...who settled in BETUWE...a land in the eastern part of Holland..near the border of present Germany. It is now part of GELDERLAND district...and the area marked "BETUWE" still stands today.
According to geography it is abundant with water from rivers...fertile orchards...lots of fruits and vegetables...the nature offers scenic beauty...inviting a visit.
A painting of Nieuw Amsterdam (in Mahanttan, NY) circa 1664. Source: en.wikipedia.org
The first Governor of West Indische Compagnie legally purchased the island of Mahattan...the size of 23 square miles = 59.5 km square...in 1626 from the local inhabitants...of whom the Westerners called..."INDIANS."
Only for a cost of a mere 60 guilders [in present value about a thousand dollars] paying in...beads+ornamental copper+glass wares+pices of colord cloth...indeed very cheap...no wonder, the Dutch was so famous for their bussiness dealings...having meal anyone with "dutch treat" lately?
The British invaded the area...the Dutch was defeated and surrendered the town...transformed as a colony of the British Empire...renamed it "NEW YORK" in 1664...in honor of Duke of York...later became King Charles II of England.
THE NAMING OF "INDONESIA"
"De Kasteel van Batavia" [The Castle of Batavia] as seen from Kali Besar Barat painted by Andries Beeckman circa 1656-58. Source: en.wikipedia.org
A fleet of 22 Dutch ships reached the Spice Islands of Maluku in 1599...then in the following years, VOC established its an inital powerbase in Banten, West Java...but the Dutch captured the city of JAYAKARTA....about 100 km east of Banten.
The city was a vital habor on the Ciliwung river controlled by Sultan of Banten as well as having the Britisih protection...however, the Dutch was stronger...the British was friend and no friend...annihilated the city...and replaced it with a new one called "BATAVIA" in 1621...the local tounge said it>>>"BETAWI" ...and the new colony was called "NEDERLANDS-INDIE" ["HINDIA-BELANDA"].
In no time VOC and Gouverneur Generaal took action to develop the colony...timewent by the rich and powerful trading house was then called Nederlandsche Oost-Indische Compagnie...exploited Java island with a plan Cultuurstelsel [Cultivation Policy] by iron hands...a strictly controlled, forceful agricultural management...making the majority of Java inhabitants just..farmers...or hard labors...or slaves...planting crops, spices and herbs mainly for European market.
They built roads and infrastructure from Anyer (Banten in the West) to Panarukan (East Java) ...connecting the island for efficent transportaion...thank God for this achievement...this road is still the major vein of Java today.
By the centuries the Netherlands were prosperous...making it a rich country...the colony now was bigger by subduing local sultanates and rules from all islands...Sumatra, Borneo [now called Kalimantan], Celebes [now called Sulawes], Maluku, Irian, Java, Bali, Lombok etc. in the East...lengthwise is the size of a distance from the states of New York to California.
The colony was relatively stable ...although there were always grumbles from local rulers and freedom fighters...here and there...race discrimination and class of society is...the choice of menu of the day.
Education was not on the priority list of the Dutch ruler...opening the lid for knowledge and reasoning are not conducive to the colonial future welfare...det is gevaarlijk...it is dangerous.
There was a hope..."It is our task, our responsibility, to enlighten the East Indies through liberal education," said Thoerbecke, the Dutch prime minister in 1849-1853 and 1862-1866.
Department van Onderwijs, Eeredients en Nijverheid [Department of Education, Religion and Industry] was formed on January 1, 1867...with certain series of regulations in the following years:
1) Standardization of all East Indies elementary schools.
2) Utilization of the regional language of Malay as the medium of instruction.
3) Prohibitions of religious instruction for bumiputera [native people] studying in government schools and also in private schools subsidized by the government.
4) Mandatory payment of tuition.
No wonder... graduates from government sponsored schools were totally ignorant of the Islamic teachings...unless they went to madrassah and other religions schools unrecognized by the government.
In 1888 a Colonial Affairs Minister was appointed from the elected Dutch Protestants political party...had a 'positive neutrality' giving a chance to Islamic formal education for the first time in colonial history...but here are some series of new regulations:
a) Schools founded on religious principles could obtain subsidies.
b) Two types of elementary schools for bumiputera:
1) Schools of the First Class (for children of the prominent class of society).
2) Schools of the Second Class (for children of the ordinary rakyat-majority of population).
c) Bumiputera children would have the opportunity to attend elementary schools for Europeans.
It is very strange...any Bumiptera child can go to Holland (with permission) to attend the best schools and university in Holland...but not in the colony of Hindia-Belanda...det is verboten.
Anyway...the first school for higher learning was opened in 1851...graduates were assitant to a doctor...Dokter Jawa [Javanese doctor]...until 1875...a formal shool of medicine was established in Batavia...Dokter Medis [Medical doctor]. First priority...the colony needed to be healthy for Holland's interest...hooray to health.
Sekolah Islam Tinggi was founded on July 8, 1945... and after the proclamation of independence...Augst 17, 1945...Republic of Indonesia set up BTRI [Badan Pendidikan Tinggi Republik Indonesia-the Institute for Higher Learning of the Republic of Indonesia] in Jakarta. NICA [Nederlandsch Indie Civil Administratie] set up Nood Universiteit...Universiti Sementara...Temporary University...on June 21, 1946 in Jakarta.
At last...after 340 years having landed their feet the earth of Indonesian earth...the first university existed in the colony...it was so late in the life of good orang Melayu...nine months later Nood Universiteit became Universiteit van Indonesie March 21, 1947.
By merging BTRI and Universitet van Indonesia...Universitas Indonesia was formally established February 2, 1950 on Jalan Salemba Raya no. 4 and 6, Jakarta...God bless to that!
Sculupture of Multatuli in Singel Canal, Amsterdam Source:en.wikipedia.org
A nineteenth century Dutch writer MULTATULI...wrote in one of his books...unhappy with the calling name of "NEDERLANDS-INDIE"...in which assignment he lived in Ambon/Maluku in the eastern sea and Banten in West Java...a public servant with the Dutch government, his employer...had tasted the pleasure of RAYUAN PULAU KELAPA...THE ENTICING COCONUT ISLANDS.
MULTATULI was a pen/pseudo name of Eduard Douwes Dekker (1820-1887)...loved the land of his domicile so much...the paradise of the East...coined a name "INSULINDE"...two Latin words...'INSULA' + 'INDIAE" >>>"ISLAND OF THE EAST."
British ethnologist George Windsor Earl...traveled to Australia and South East Asia...proposed the name "INDU-NESIANS" for the inhabitants of the Archipelago of Malay...coined a Latin 'INDUS'...India...and a Greek 'NESOS'...island>>>"THE ISLANDS OF INDIA"...'archipleago' in bahasa Melayu [Indonesian and Melayu language] is NUSANTARA.
His student James Richardson Logan...lived in Singapore and Penang wrote in his book introducing "INDONESIA" in 1850 for a synonym of Indian and Malayan Archipelago...since then the name stuck into the minds of nineteenth century western intellectual world...and to today's world.
When would the people of Nusantara have a choice of their own name?...its own native name...it seems the word "Indonesia" has always the smell of India and colonial taste in it.
Ompung [the writer's grandfather from mother side] SBS Hamid Siregar migrated to Batavia from Sipirok, Tapanuli province, via Pakanbaru, Riau province, in the beginning of 1900's...he was employed by K.P.M.
The writer's mother was born in Kampung Kemayoran and enjoyed her adulthood...lived with her parents and eight siblings in Batavia..moved to Gang Belle near Jalan Pasar Baru...stayed together with other permanent residents like uncles and visitors from kampung Tapanuli...the house became a small village...my grandfater can afford it...he was a pegawai...ambtenaar...public servant... of the Royal Shipping Line. She told the writer...their lives were content and so happy.
After pensiun...retirement....some years before the Second World Ward in the Pacific Arena started in 1942...the Hamid Siregar's family returned back to Kampung Halaman [birth place] of Sipirok.
A breath of Betawi aspiration perhaps touched the writer...sprang from beloved mother...who talked and told us about 'voor de oorlog'...the calmness and sweetness of life 'before the war.'
But...the world was shaking in the West and East...a nation flying Hinomaru...the white background and red dot in the middle...the rising sun was rattling the ocean and air...with indomitable spirit of harakiri and jibaku...sacrifices for the motherland.
The Japanese came to South East Asia wearing a pretentious mask with a slogan, "The leader of Asia, the protector of Asia, the light of Asia." No one can stop them.
The gate of hell broke loose...Sunday morning...December 7, 1941..." a date which will live in infamy," President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in radio after Pearl Harbour was bombed without warning...January 2, 1942: Japan took on the American in the city of Manilla.
January 10: the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force took on the Dutch by invading East Kalimantan and North Celebes...Pontianak..etc...then, Japan took on the Britsh by attacking Singapore.
What happened with Batavia? February 9: Bombs from Mitsubishi bombers and other planes fell on the skies of Batavia...Surabaya...Malang...near midnight on Feburay 28, 1942 the Japanese war ships landed in Merak, Banten, in the tip of west Java..."Banzai, banzai!"...war cry cracked the air..."Live-forever"...berani mati...not scared of death.
They moved swiftly from the city's southern village...the army of orang Bule [Dutch forces] was defenseless and defeated easily without too much casualties...which soldaten...colonial soldier...wanted to sacrifice his/her life for his de meneer..the master?...the Dutch army surrendered the city on March 5, 1942...with it the occupation of the colony of HINDIA-BELANDA by the Japanese began.
The city hall of Batava got a new name..."JAKARTA"...the Japanese occupational government decided to rename the city immediately...other villages and towns in Indonesia soon fell to the hands of the Japanese...a statement of imperialism is no doubt felt by the Indonesian people...cruelty...confiscation of jewellry and prized possesions...were daily shows during this time.
Romusha...millions of men and women were taken away for hard labor... and sent to far places like Burma to build railroad...some joined the Japanese army becoming Giyugun...voluntary and Heiho...regular army...a nightmare lasting for the lifetime of a maize plant...three-and-half years.
Even though the Japanese occupational government announced publicly its surrender on August 22...De facto until September 19, 1945 Batavia, now Jakarta, was still under the Japanese grip...Tenno Heika [His Majesty the Emperor] Hirohito already lost his country to the Allied Forces...after two big blows: Hiroshima was levelled by atomic bomb on Monday morning August 6, 1945...three day later on Nagasaki...September 2: His Foreign Minister inked the blackened face of the Rising Sun by signing the document...The Instrument of Surrender... on USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
Another historic day...August 17, 1945...Soekarno-Hatta announced "PROKLAMASI KEMERDEKAAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA"...Proclamation of Independence Of Republic of Indonesia..."MERDEKA!...MERDEKA!...MERDEKA!"...Freedom, Freedom, Freedom!...[At that time "Allahu Akbar" in public was not in the people's practice].
Struggles continued for four more years..."Butet...di pangungsian do amangmu...ale Butet...da margurilla da mardarurat...ale Butet"...the sound bytes of a mother's emotion spilled into the air...sacrifice for time, money, wealth and spirit..."Small girl...your father is in evacuation...oh, ya Small girl...on guerilla, on emergency..oh,ya Small girl." [The beginning verses of a famous guerilla war song from Tapanuli.]
War not only againts foreigners...one, the foreigners: the Dutch and the Brits with Ghurkas...second, the Japs...unwilling to deliver basic human rights to rakyat...also against each-other...in Sumatra...Java...other islands...chaos continued....Clashes between the gangs..armies...families...were rampant..."Survival of the fittest," quoted from Charles Darwin's 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
When is the end of this misery...with political pressures from Asian friends...India and Egypt strongly suported Indonesia...the weight of justice leaned to the new country...the United Nations Security Council...guess where...NEW YORK...favored Indonesia over the Netherlands and the British Empire...voted for a CEASE FIRE...the Dutch accepted the decision on January 5, 1949.
More conferences...December 29, 1949...agreed the day of "Penyerahan Kedaulatan"...Transfer of authority to Republic of Indonesia from the Dutch government...down the tri-color flag of the Dutch: red, white and blue.
Then...up beautifully...Sang Saka Merah Putih...dwi-warna...two colors flag of Indonesia: red and white...flies until today.
The flag ceremony signalled the essence of reality for the Indonesians...it happened in the front of Istana Merdeka..Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on a bright Thurday morning...stil freshed in the writer's memory...nine years old...witnessing once-in-a-lifetime event...every body was so happy...TANAH AIRKU...NEGERI ELOK YANG AMAT KUCINTA...My beloved land and water...Beautiful country that I dearly loved.
The name 'BATAVIA' physically lived 321 years [1621-1942] for the historic city...but the spirit and emotion of Betawi could live forever...only God knows.
Oh young man and woman...the Dwi-warna flies for 60 years...the revolution is over...what about your future?...hold steadfast the guidance of religion...and don't forget your religion of Islam.
NB
K.P.M. (Koninklijke Paketvaart Matschappij) N.V. (1888-1967)...changed to PT PELNI, Indonesian shipping company.
| Pahud (2) | 1927 | built by Int. Scheepsbouw Mij. De Maas, Slikkerveer, Rotterdam | 1955 sold to John Manners & Co., Hong Kong renamed San Rafael, 1955 sold to Isabel Nav. Co., Panama not renamed, 1956 scrapped at Hong Kong. | 2,069 tons |
Penulis: Hamdun H. Hutasuhut
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