“Big Village” is what they called Jakarta in the 1960s. Kampung Wisata reveals the many stories of Jakarta. It had more kampung than cities then. Only five cities existed. Jakarta’s kampung history was thoroughly examined. It featured at the “Toponomi Wall of Frame Betawi History Exhibition”. The exhibition was at Pasar Seni Ancol. It ran from June 14 to August 17 2018.
Kampung in Jakarta came about because of the Dutch. They brought many ethnic groups to Batavia. Abdul Chaer said this. He is a language expert. There were Bugis people in Pejaringan. Arabs lived in Pekojan. The Chinese were in Glodok.
Kampung names often reflected local characteristics or geography. Kampung Rambutan probably had many rambutan trees. Candrian added that every kampung name has meaning. It reflects local wisdom. There is always a history.
Kampung Muka and Kampung Tangki are Jakarta’s oldest kampung. They are outside Kota Batavia. Kampung Muka is now a warehouse area. Many people still live there. Kampung Tangki is now Mangga Besar. It was famous for Lokasari amusement park. Bing Slamet called Kampung Tangki “Tangkiwood”. Many artists came from there. Laila Sari and Bing Slamet were from Tangkiwood.
Pekojan is Jakarta’s original Arab village. It shows Jakarta’s ethnic diversity. Different communities created landmarks there. Back then, Jakarta was Batavia under Dutch rule. It quickly became a global trade center. Pekojan is in Tambora, West Jakarta. It neighbours Glodok’s Chinese area. The Dutch made Arabs and Muslims live in specific areas. This was the Wijkenstelsel policy. Pekojan had the most mosques then. Many still stand. Pekojan comes from the Persian word “khoja”. This was a title for merchants from West India. These Koja settled Pekojan in the 17th century. They built Al-Anshor Mosque in 1648. It is Jakarta’s oldest mosque.
Navigating to Al-Anshor requires some effort. It is on Jalan Pengukiran II. It used to be Gang Koja. It has a simple design. The original mosque has four wooden beams. It was restored in 1973 and 1985. The original style is somewhat lost. In 1744, the Koja community built Kampung Baru Mosque. It is on Jalan Bandengan Selatan. The Muslim community expanded after the 1740 Batavia Massacre. Al-Anshor Mosque was too small.
Hadrami immigrants came from South Yemen in the 18th century. They shifted the Koja community’s role. They were traders. They spread Islam. The Hadrami were descendants of Prophet Muhammad. They were rich and influential. They built An-Nawier Mosque in 1760. It has Arabic and Western styles. It has a lighthouse-like minaret. The pulpit was a gift from a Sultan of Pontianak. The mosque can hold 3000 people.
The Hadrami formed assemblies and missionary centers. Langgar Tinggi Mosque was built in 1829. It is near An Nawier. The Angke River was a trade route. Langgar Tinggi has European, Chinese and Javanese styles. It was a place for religious education. Traders stopped there. It was also a “getek” terminal. “Getek” is a bamboo raft.
Pekojan became Batavia’s Islamic center. Trading was difficult due to Dutch rule. Access to education was unequal. The Hadrami elites created Jamiatul Kheir in 1901. It improved resources through education. Members included national heroes. It inspired Indonesian freedom figures.
Ar Raudhah Shahabuddin Mosque was built for women. Most Pekojan mosques were full of men. The mosque prioritizes women for “tarawih” prayers. During Ramadan, Pekojan is best to visit. The Arabian community breaks fast together. People enjoy takjil and ginger coffee. Free iftar is at Az-Zawwiyah Mosque. It is opposite An Nawier. Both mosques are near Pasar Kambing. This is a goat market. There is also a Jembatan Kambing. This is a goat bridge across the Angke River.
Few old houses remain in Pekojan. The ethnic neighborhood system ended in 1919. The Arab community spread to other areas. The Betawi community reshaped Pekojan. Betawi-style houses were built. When exploring Pekojan, you find two temples. They are Padi Lapa Temple and Dewi Samudera Temple.
Kampung Wisata lets us see Jakarta’s ebb and flow of culture. Areas change by population. The city has diversity. Kampung Wisata shows the history that is no longer visible.