Again and again, since there are so many areas in Jakarta, we would like to share you the stories behind them. So this is the part 3 of the origins of area’s name in Jakarta. Keep reading this one!
Pluit
Since the Dutch colonialism era, Pluit was known as Fluit or De Fluit. Based on Alwi Shahab’s note, a Betawi historian, he told that in Dutch colonialism era, in 1660, there were attacked from Banten Sultanate. To make boundary, the Dutch used a broken ship to hold the attack. The ship was Het Witte Paert, a straight and long-shaped ship, or called as Fluitship. The Fluitship was also placed in Muara Angke River, to retain the Vijhoek Fort on Grogol River, the eastern of Angke River. And then the area was known as De Fluit, but it was hardly pronounced by the locals, so then the Indonesian people call it as Pluit until now.
Jatinegara
Jatinegara came from the words Jatina Nagara, means a symbol of defense from Banten Sultanate to the Dutch colonialism at that time. Jatinegara was once being the runaway place for the Banten Prince, the Prince Jayakarta. On his fought against the Dutch, he was lost and escaped to this area, then built a government here. In 1661, Cornelis Senen, a Christian religion teacher from Maluku bought all of this territory. As a teacher and a headman, he was given a Meester title by the Dutch Governor. This area was then expanded so fast when Daendels Post Road was built. Since the Japanese stood in Indonesia, the Jatinegara name then used again until now. But some people who live in this area still sometimes call this area with Meester.
Condet
Located in East Jakarta, this area has its own history. Actually, the name Condet came from a name of tree producing sweet-sour fruit. The tree grows on the side of Ciliwung River’s creek, the Ci Ondet River. Since then, the people called the trees and its fruits as Ci Ondet. And then pronounced as Condet. Unfortunately, this fruits don’t exist anymore. But another history said that the word Condet came from Abraham Van Riebeeck’s note, a General Governor of VOC. On his note, he said “Over mijn lant Paroeng Combale, Ratudjaya, Depok, Sringsing naar het hoodft van de spruijt Tji Ondet…..” which means: “through my land in Parung Combal, Ratujaya, Depok, Sringsing to Ci Ondet headwaters….” And then the word Condet came and developed.
Harmoni
Have you been wondering why this area is named Harmoni? In 1868, on the tip of Jl. Veteran and Jl. Majapahit there was a building named Societeit Harmonie or often called De Harmonie. This was the place for the Dutch’s gathering, to dance and have a party. It can be told as the well-known clubbing spot on that era. This building was built by the initiation of General Governor Reinier De Klerk, and finally inaugurated in 1868 as Societeit Harmoni. Unfortunately, this building was demolished in 1985 and now being the parking area of the State Secretariat.
Pondok Gede
This area nearby Bekasi actually comes from a big house. Yup, the house and the surroundings were known as Pondok Gede). The occupant called it as Pondok (cottage) Gede (big) because the house was literally big, built by Johanes Hooyman in 1775. And then the house was owned by Leendert Miero, a Poland-Jewish man. On a book by Adolf Heuken, “Historical Places in Jakarta”, this house showed a high-class style of residence. But unfortunately, the building had already been demolished now.