“Ever wonder where Jakarta’s name Petojo Utara comes from?”
Let me tell you a tale that weaves through time. It connects a Bugis warrior to Dutch factories. Our journey begins in Petojo Utara. This area holds secrets of Jakarta’s past. Petojo’s story has two versions. Locals say “Petojo” came from a Dutch ice factory. This factory stood on Suryopranoto Street in the 1920s. It was called Petojo Ijs and was Jakarta’s biggest ice producer. The name spread as the Dutch expanded. Ice factories popped up in Cilacap and Yogyakarta.
But historians offer another view. They say “Petojo” honors Aru Petuju. He was a Bugis war leader. In 1663, he gained rights to this land. Old maps marked it as “Patojoe Land”. Petuju became Petojo. This kind of name change was common in old Batavia. Think of “pancuran” turning into “pancoran”.
Before settling here, Aru Petuju allied with Arung Palaka. They resisted Sultan Hasanuddin of Gowa. After failing, they sought refuge in Batavia. Aru Palaka and the Dutch joined forces. They defeated Sultan Hasanuddin. The VOC gained control of South Sulawesi’s trade.
After Arung Palaka’s death, some of his men stayed in Batavia. They became soldiers. They fought in battles across the region. They went to Jampang, Siam, Ceylon, and Persia. They even saw action in Ternate, East Java, and Central Java.
Now, let’s talk about Petojo Enclek. Around the 1930s, it was a Dutch military barracks and cemetery. It stood apart from other areas. Beside Petojo Enclek, toward Kesehatan Street, lay Kampung Pabuaran. People from outside the area lived there.
Then there’s Petojo Sawah in Sangiran city. Later, it split into two parts. Petojo Sawah Utara ran from Tangerang Street to Ketapang Street. Petojo Sawah Selatan stretched from Tangerang Street to Tarakan Street. North of Tangerang Street was Petojo Ilir. South of it was Petojo Udik.
And what about Petojo Binatu? Its name comes from the local laundry workers. Back then, three famous laundries thrived. These were run by people from Tangerang. They were Binatu Lilang, Binatu Asli, and Binatu Baspangin. Two rivers once flowed through Petojo. These were the Palis and Cideng rivers. The Palis River ran along Kesehatan Street and AM. Sangaji Street. The Cideng River flowed from Jati Baru to Cideng. These rivers carried bamboo rafts. They traveled from Tanah Abang to Tanah Sareal.
Petojo also connects to Fort Riswijk from the VOC era. It sat west of the Krukut River. Fort Riswijk stood east of the river. These sites were linked. Kampong Petodjo housed native troops working at Fort Riswijk. Later, Petojo became known for brick making under Dutch rule. The government ran the brick factory. Workers at the factory and Fort Prins Frederik got paid by the government. Fort Riswijk wasn’t used anymore. But Fort Noordwijk remained active.
Over time, Kampong Petodjo became Petojo Selatan and Petojo Utara. These are now neighborhoods in Gambir. These villages likely formed from native troops. They supported the VOC military. They didn’t return home. Initially, these kampongs were within VOC defenses. But these walls later came down.
So, as you wander through Petojo Utara, remember its layered past. From Bugis warriors to Dutch factories, from soldiers to laundry workers, Petojo Utara has witnessed Jakarta’s evolution. It is a place where history echoes in every street.