“Picture a place,” I say, “where the echoes of old Jakarta still resonate.” That place is Rawa Terate. It is a kelurahan or ward in the Cakung district of East Jakarta. Once known as Kampung Sawah, it was a landscape of rice fields and marshes.
Rawa Terate’s history is intertwined with Jakarta’s waterways. Perahu or boats once navigated through marshes like Rawa Ujung Karawang. They passed Rawa Kura and Rawa Daon. They went through Rawa Bugis and Rawa Rotan, now Rorotan. These boats followed Sungai Tiram and Kali Blencong. They finally reached the port of Muara Sunda in Marunda.
Imagine traders traveling from Sakapura to Pulo Gadung. Their boats moved through Rawa Malang and Rawa Gatel. They docked at Pengasohan, now Pegangsaan. The traders continued on foot. Many stopped to eat at a warung. This eatery became known as Warung Jengkol in RW 02.
From Pengasohan, boats heading to Bagasasi now Bekasi, passed through Rawa Gatel. They went east towards Pulo Aren. Some stopped where people made household tools. This area became Kampung Petukangan, now Pupar RW 04.
But the landscape of Rawa Terate began to change. Factories gradually replaced the marshes and rice fields. Despite this transformation, traces of the past remain. The Benteng Gudang Peluru, a historic Dutch ammunition depot, still stands in RW 05.
Even with these changes, Rawa Terate still faces challenges. Flooding has long been a problem in Kampung Sawah. The area’s low elevation makes it prone to inundation. According to a local resident named Murni, flooding occurred even before the factories arrived.
However, the factories have brought some unexpected benefits. The presence of factories has reduced the number of snakes during floods. Before the factories, the marshes were full of snakes. Now, the remaining marshland is mainly behind the settlement near the water gate and Kali Cakung Lama.
Also, the factories have changed the flow of floodwaters. Murni notes that floodwaters are no longer as strong since the factories were built. In the past, the strong currents even caused a house to collapse.
Rawa Terate has taken steps to manage the flooding. The local government has introduced a pumping station to mitigate floods. Despite these efforts, floods remain a persistent issue. In early 2024, Kampung Sawah experienced two floods. The worst occurred on February 29, reaching 120 centimeters. The other flood, on Friday, reached 50-80 centimeters.
Rawa Terate is a place of contrasts. It is a blend of old and new. It is a place where history and progress intersect. As we leave Rawa Terate, remember its story. It is a story of change, resilience, and adaptation in the face of Jakarta’s relentless growth.