Kali Semarang, Main Artery of Commerce in Semarang

Kali Garang taken from the Jatibarang Dam in 2016. The Kali Garang was the main water sources for Kali Semarang. 

Kali Semarang was a river that divides the city of Semarang, a branch of Kali Garang (Eng: Garang River) from the west part of the city and flows to the Java Sea. The development of Semarang City was really depends on Kali Semarang, as the major commerce hub of the inner city of Semarang since centuries ago. One of the traces was the toponym of Kampung (Eng: village) along Kali Semarang which is an age marker of its vital role for commercial activities for Semarang City. One of them was Kampung Pabean which is now part of the Kecamatan Semarang Utara areas. In this Kampung, used to be the location of customs/ tax posts for the boat which passing through Kali Semarang to trades in the hinterland of ​​Semarang City. There’s a fun fact that on that time where customs post was marked by a large tree trunk that was chained and floated across the river as a barrier in the river flow. This is where the name of Boom Lama was coming from, as the word Boom in Dutch means tree, refers to the tree trunk that has a functions as the entrance gate. The name of Boom Lama still used today as the name of one of the major roads not far from its location.

Kali Semarang taken from the opposite of Dokter Djawastraat, nowadays 
Jalan Kol. Sugiono, nearby Kampung Melayu Semarang in 1900.
(Source: Leiden University Library) 

The settlements then grew following the flow of Kali Semarang such as Kampung Melayu, Pedamaran, Sumeneban, Sebandaran, Kelengan, Sekayu, Bedagan, etc. A journalist from Semarang, Liem Thian Joe who published his book titled Riwajat Semarang, back in 1933 stated that trading activities moved to the Boom Lama area after previously concentrated in Mangkang, in the western part of Semarang city today. Liem Thian Joe said that consider to have the better facilities of the Boom Lama's position as well as its closer to the downtown of Semarang. Thus the Kampung Darat  gained its name as its the location when people who firstly cames to Semarang at that time will ndarat, step their foot in land.

We have to remember that the Semarang city at that time was way smaller than the condition nowadayas. The city of Semarang on 18th century was refers to the part of the city that now called as Kawasan Kota Lama Semarang, an area which is developed from the VOC base which was established in the Sleko area in 1705. This trading post was surrounded by a defensive wall which had five bastions, which later well known as Vijfhoek fortress which means a pentagon. In 1748, due to the increasing commerce activity in Semarang, the VOC main base in Batavia, nowadays Jakarta raised the status of the leader of its trading post in Semarang into governor and its became the center of the area of the Noordoostkust (eng: North East Coast) of Java region. Vijfhoek as the main base of the VOC in Sleko then became unable to accommodate more European migrants, until later this settlement expanded rapidly. It was unknown exactly when European settlers began to organize the area outside Vijhoek as settlement but referrings to the Atlasof Mutual Heritage website, its shows that in 1787 a plan was made to expand the city defensive wall complete with urban arrangement with road networks and various facilities such as church, military barracks, health service facilities, civil service facilities, etc. Interestingly, the road network and the parcels of land were almost unchanged, compared to the current conditions with this map that comes from the past three centuries.

The Groot Boom with the boat tethered on the edge of Kali Semarang taken from the high stories of Uitkijk, ca. 1870-1910
(source: Rijksmuseum)

As the settlements grow bigger, its port as the major trading hub also grow either.  Trading activities in Kali Semarang developed a main port near the European residential area, which is located in the Sleko area, known as Groote Boom. Until now, the remnants of its glory still existed, one of them was the Watchtower to arrange the traffic in Kali Semarang, or in Dutch called as Uitkijk. Its located in the land owned by PT. State Gas (PGN) in Sleko as in the 19th centuries the land was part of the Coal fired Power Plant owned by Nederlandsch Indische Gas Maatschappij. The growth of the trade activity in the city of Semarang then strengthens its position as the main port in the central part of Java Island. Semarang may not  have vast fertile land as its located in swampy and barren land, but its port became its major power. Rural areas in the hinterlands of Central Java that rich in agricultural products are very dependent on the City of Semarang to trades their products. Plus the very prosperous kingdom region in the south, the Vorstenlanden, consist of the Yogyakarta Sultanate, Surakarta Sunanate, Praja Mangkunegaran and Praja Paku Alaman relied heavily on Semarang towards their trades activity.

The schutsluis (locks) that connected Kali Semarang and Kali Baru in 1927.

(Source: Leiden University Library)

The role of Boom Lama then shifted after the construction of the Nieuw Kanaal  also called as Kali Baru in 1872 and was completed in 1878, a response from the increasingly crowded commercial activities after the opening of the Suez Canal. Then the trade activity moved to Nieuw Haven , a new modern port  nowadays known as  Tanjung Emas Port. This canal simplifies the previously winding path of the Semarang River flow, into straight canal, right away approaching the Groote Boom position. The project was equipped with the construction of a new lighthouse and prior to adjusting the water level of the Kali Baru and Kali Semarang, a Sluis (eng: Locks) also built and equipped with a breakwater on each side.

Nieuwe Kanaal also known as Kali Baru, the new canals that also became part of Port of Tanjung Mas Semarang, taken from the top of Willem III Lighthouse in 2017.

The stories about the triumph of Kali Semarang are now no longer traceable. The increasingly dirty condition of the Kali Semarang, coupled with the decreasing water flow and width of Kali Semarang made its impossible for the boat to afloat and passing the river into the downtown. I heard from the locals in Kampung Melayu that the last time He saw boat passing through the Kali Semarang to through His Kampung was in the beginning of 1980’s decade.  Even the Uitkijk building now left in ruins as its looted by the mob during the Reformation in 1998. The locks that used to regulate the boat traffic from the Kali Baru to Kali Semarang was no longer functioning, and above it is now built a pumping house to prevent the Semarang city from the flood. It was a blessed to have the Kali Semarang in the old days but todays its seems no longer anymore as its even endangered the settlers from the flood. Flood was a serious problems in the Semarang city moreover in its northern part as its also facing the serious land subsidence problems. The last four years the government put a serious efforts to revitalized Kali Semarang by dredging and swept away the ilegal settlement on the banks of the river to keep the streams flows well. The people also persuaded not to littering into it, so now its really depends on the people of Semarang for their willingness to preserve it. Will they?

Could The VOC Consider as The Most Valuable Companies of All-Time?

infographics from visualcapitalist[dot]com, stated VOC as
The Most Valuables Company of All-Time

In the end of the year of 2017, I saw an interesting infographics in my social media feed that reminds peoples about an old company that for long time ago take a part in the colonialization process in Indonesia, the Veerenigde Oostindische Company (VOC). This infographics released by visualcapitalist[dot]com as a part of their weekly feature of “Chart of the Week”, and in Friday December 8th 2017, they put VOC as The Most Valuable Companies of All-Time. The valuation of VOC reachs 7,9 trillion, taken from Tulip Mania period which the market cap of VOC reachs 78 million Guilders, or 7,9 trillion USD in todays money. Tulip Mania itself widely considered the world’s first financial bubble. This value worth as much as the sum of 20 world’s largest companies market caps, such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Exxon Mobil, Berkshire Hathaway, Tencent, and Wells Fargo. All of them combined gets us to $7.9 trillion. Its indeed that VOC were considered as one’s of the first capitalist enterprises in the world. But maybe its not a good comparison to put VOC with these modern enterprise as this company wouldn’t succeeded without government support and it had an army and a navy it used to attack and intimidate, well its absolutely not a free trade.

VOC fleet victory over the Portuguese fleet for Banten, 1601 engraved by Bartholomeuw Dolendo (source: Rijksmuseum)

VOC history started in the beginning of 17th century, when the Europeans compete each others to dominate the world trade of spices. Its began in the where the country which just get its independence from Spain, formed Amsterdam based investment syndicate, with the dreams of vast wealth and spices from South-East Asia. They made the first attempt to Indonesia lead by Cornelis De Houtman in 1595, which despite is success to reach Banten, but ended disastrously with 142 casualties even De Houtman itself. The second attempt, lead by Jacob Cornelius van Neck as Dutch persisted planned to try to break into the existing trade network on equal term in South China Sea Region and Eastern Indian Ocean which consider  as trade hot-bed.  Though Van Neck said, "Not to rob anyone of their property, but to trade uprightly with all foreign nation”. In fact, free trade gave way to reality that competition meant lower prices. In 1601 there were plenty successful trade companies in Netherlands, hence the cost of buying spices in Indonesia was going up and also there was suddenly tons of pepper in Amsterdam which meant price that could be charged for that pepper was going down, something had to be done. Then in the same year, the representatives of Zeven Provincien body met at Den Haag and all the the provinces accept the single entinty to monopolize the East Indian trade, the VOC was formed. VOC was run by seventeen-member board called Heeren XVII and these director supposedly had control over company was chartered with the power to hire its own people and also to wage war. The reason behind is reasonable which is it took years for communication from the Netherlands to reach the East Indies and another years for company to respond. 

Jalan Letjend Suprapto a major artery in Kota Lama
(Old Town) Semarang, formerly Heerenstraat
possibly named after the Heeren XVII , the VOC board.

VOC basically operated as its own sovereign nation with power to use as much violence as it needed to build and maintain its trading power. VOC also different from a lot of corporations because it was intialy funded with 6,5 million Gulden or 100 million USD in todays money. The capital was expected to fund business ventures for a long time going forward. Its long term business thinking was uniques compared to the funding strategies of EIC and it reflected the advanced financial acumen of the Dutch model generally. Thus in 1648 the Netherlands were in better financial shape than any other countries in Europe which it could seen from its  Interest rate, although its not the only one to measures of financial health and power but they're an important indicator, even today. Dutch businesses could borrow at a rate of 4% annual interest, and its pretty cheap compared to England which applied 10% rate for corporation to borrow money. Dutch debt so much cheaper that they could invest two and a half times as much in pretty much anything than the English could, like an army, a navy and obviously gave Dutch a huge head start over their rivals. 

The nature of Dutch people carrying bonds, was begin long time before as its mostly investing their money in bonds that had been issued for land reclamation project like dykes and windmil that turned land below sea level. With the low interest rate, companies healthy and its gained more and more support from the Dutch people to invest, moreover the company tended to pay people back. This kind of fractional shares allow merchants to bear greater risks by purchasing smaller percentage shares in business ventures.  Dutch business people also enthusiastically invested in future markets, guessing what the price of pepper would be six months or a year from now and they created new financial instruments that could bought and sold and merchants purchased maritime insurance which further lowered their risk. Lower risk means anyone could invest more of your capital until eventually you have completely efficient market. The better Dutch financial instruments among others made they able to seized the lions share of the trading business

The ruins of Uitkijk (lookout), a place for the harbour master arrange the
traffic of Semarang old harbour before its moved into the Nieuw Haven
(new port) in 1880's. At the same place, once stood the first colony of Dutch
people, a fort called Vijfhoek.

Another reason of VOC was so successful was government sponsorship and centralization. Government support chartered by States General and it could count on the Dutch government for financial and military support, while the centralization was depicted in the way VOC had a single Governor General managing operation in Indonesia while British EIC was more like collection of trading posts which each competing each others for a shares of the spices.  Competition may bring down prices for consumers but it also bring down profit for business. 1605 VOC realized that if it really wanted to maximize its profits, it would need a monopoly of the worlds spice trade, and to do that they would need permanent bases in Indonesia.

VOC soon reached Banda Island, the only places at that time where nutmeg is grown, a commodity that once worth more than pieces of gold as its essential for food preservation process that really a big deal during this age of explorations.  The Bandanese welcomed the Dutch because they were more laid back in terms of religion than Portuguese, but Dutch ricked them to signed the exclusieve trade aggrements with Dutch. Its happens under the ruthless militay leader Jan Pieterszoon Coen which Between 1614 and 1618, secured a clove monopoly in the Moluccas and a nutmeg monopoly in the Banda Islands. Coen brought shift in VOC policy away from straightforward trade and toward monopoly of both shipping and production of spices. He also made it clear that this trade needed to be based on military force. Coen not only made VOC dominate trade of the spices but also its production as His plan depopulate the Banda islands to replace their inhabitants with imported slaves and indentured labor under VOC control, taken thousands lives of Bandanese and forced them to flee to another island surround it.

The Former Stadhuis (City Hall) of Batavia, currently serves as Jakarta Historical Museum or also known as Museum Fatahillah. The building that had a similiar shape as Paleis op de Dam in Amsterdam, reminiscing the glory of Batavia as important trade hub in South-East Asia.

The monopoly of spices trade over South East Asia region made the main port of VOC, established at the razed city of Jayakarta in 1619 became the most important port in all of the South East Asia, where spices from Indonesia , Gold and cooper and silver from Japan, Tea and porcelain and Silk from China all passed thorugh to India where they were traded for cotton, which was used to by more Asian goods. Its indeed VOC successfully became money-maker for the Netherlands and its brought this young country into its Golden Age as it depicted in Rembrandt and Ver Meer paintings about all the wealth and finery of Dutch people at that time. As We could see the trace now that all of the Canals and beautiful row houses in Amsterdam, many of them were built in 17th century.

source:
- Capitalism and the Dutch East India Company: Crash Course World History 229

- Banda The Dark Forgotten Trail (2017)

Bank Mandiri Kota Lama Semarang, former "De Factorij" of Nederlandse Handel Maatschappij

The office of Nederlandse Handel Maatschappij (NHM) in Semarang in 1910. Situated in the "gate" of the Kota Lama (eng: Old Town), made it one of the most famous buildings amongst other buildings in this neighborhood. The entrance under the tower is no longer exist. (source: Leiden University Library)

Ever been to Museum Bank Mandiri, Jakarta? This former head office of Nederlandse Handel Maatschappij (NHM), in the main entrance, its written on the wall “FACTORIJ”. Here in Semarang, once I saw also in the online archives of KITLV, mentioned this word also (factorij) referings  the office of NHM in Semarang. Dutch and English has the same roots, known as the West Germanic language, so the word factorij, I wondering if its also has the same meaning as factory, but I was wrong. In the dutch languages, factorij means an establishment for traders carrying on business in a foreign country, this word also used in the old days by the British but no longer again, as in the oxford dictionary explains. 

The lobby in the 2nd floor after the
renovation finish. Seems all preserved well.

Its make sense, since the NHM actualy established in 1824 by King Willem I of the Netherlands to promote and develop trade, shipping and agriculture overseas. The NHM actually the new version of Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) that went to bankcruptcy in 1799. NHM have a responsibility to expanding existing trade, as well as financing industry and shipping mainly to East Indie (currently Indonesia), the Dutch main trade route. King Willem I of the Netherlands of course have a vision to revitalized its glorious period of trade, like under the VOC period that brought the Dutch into its Golden Age. Then in 1830, the Governor General introduced the new policy called Culuurstelsel. Cultuurstelsel meant that the indigenous people lease 20% of its land to be used for products for the export commodities. These export commodities such as indigo (dye), tea, sugar, and the most favourites at that time coffee! De Amsterdamse koffieveilingen (eng: Amsterdam Coffee Auction) were world famous as the place to get a good quality of coffee. This also later became the background for the story of Max Havelaar that criticize the practice of cultuurstelsel as the indigenous people sufferings from that policy.

As the protest continues to growth, the cultuurstelsel then abolished in 1870. This started the new phase in Dutch Indies, that is the liberation of economy. NHM then engaged in financing and banking operations. Its even later became one’s of the top big five company in Dutch Indies, together with Lindeteves-Stokvis, Borsumij, Geo Wehry and Jacobson van Den Berg. In the late of 19th centuries, almost all of the major cities in Dutch Indies have the NHM branch on it, Semarang of course one of it. 

The view from the balcony above the
main entrance towards the Societeit Brug. 
Peoples oftenly calls it as Jembatan Mberok.

The building of NHM in Semarang located in former sites of Societeit Amiticia (thats why the bridge in front of it called Societeit Brug, brug=bridge). Facing to the west with a tower that visible from one’s of the Semarang major yet important street of Bodjong (now Jalan Pemuda), made it easily recognized from distance. The building start to construct in August 2nd 1908 as its written in the plaque inside the buildings. Designed by Prof. Jacob Frederik Klinkhamer in Netherlands, then He appointed D.W. Hinse to Semarang to became the inhouse architect who as the overseer of the buildings progress. The buildings has a beautiful façade, with a row of wide expresionism style of arch shaped were dominated the view of it. The buildings now owned by Bank Mandiri, the heir of all NHM assets in the whole Indonesia after its been nationalized in 1960. Bank Mandiri  actualy merged from four different banks in July, 1999, such as Bank Bumi Daya (BBD), Bank Dagang Negara (BDN), Bank Ekspor Impor Indonesia (Bank Exim), dan Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo). All of that four banks actualy owned the assets from the foreign company nationalization policy in the late 50’s decade. Thus, made Bank Mandiri had plenty of heritage buildings, all over Indonesia. This company anyway, such a good example how the corporation should take care of its asset, which belongs to the heritage sites. Just like their asset in Semarang, this former NHM buildings, just renovated and its re-inaugurated this November, 2016.

Wish the others will follow the steps

Lasem, and The Story of Tan Sin Ko

Me and anothers participant from Semarang, in front of Klenteng Gie Yong Bio, a confucians shrines often mentioned as the "Heroes Shrines", built on 1780 as the rememmberance to the victims of 1740-1743 resistance against VOC. (photos by: Pak Agus Budi S)

Hello World!

Now I gotta shared something that I got yesterday while I was following a trip invited by Mr. Tjahjono Rahardjo, one’s of the Perkumpulan Sobokartti Committee towards Lasem! Lasem, yap the city that become the living proof of Budaya Peranakan, an acculturation between Chinese and Javanese culture, those were implemented on the style of the building, on the pattern on Batik cloth, on the wayang (Javanese puppet show) story , and so on. Together with people’s that coming from different background likes musician, writer, journalist, lecturer, and so on who were have a big attention towards the cultural and heritage preservation, together we went to Lasem, with the main objectives to preserved the burial site’s of Tan Sin Ko, or better known among Lasem people’s as Singseh.

Who is Tan Sin Ko actually? Even me don’t know exactly who is he, and why we must preserved his burial sites, and even when I arrived on the sites, I wondering, why must He’s buried alone, far from the city ? Then when I heard the explanation from Mr. Daradjadi, the author of Geger Pecinan books I got the explanation.

On the October, 1740 there’s a chinese riots over Batavia (Jakarta) which resulted the chinese massacre by VOC which become the Dutch authority in Indonesia. Tan sin Ko, participated the insurgent under the command of Khe Panjang, continued the resistance against VOC. Lack of the armament and strategy, this was finaly succeed to be expelled from Batavia, and the Khe Panjang troops were pursued into the east. On the middle of 1741, the Khe Panjang  troops entered the Kartasura, the capital city of Mataram Sultanate. Here He got the honors as Kapitan Sepanjang due to His courage to led a resistance against VOC.Here his troops was given a name as Laskar Kuning (eng: Yellow Troops) related to the skin of the Chinese people who were “yellow”.

 The map of Samarang, dated 1741, with the position of
VOC army and the enemy fugitives. In the top left corner
written, Chief commander and commanded by Gerrit Mom
(source: Het Genootschap voor het Nationaal Archief)

The Mataram Sultanate under Pakubuwono II had an ambition to released from the VOC authority. He wanted to counter the VOC power and gained the power over the land which granted to VOC by his predecessor, Amangkurat II as the grant for assist Him to suppress the Trunojoyo’s insurgencies. But the Pakubuwono II saw no chance, despite the military power of Mataram army were not too strong yet, the Mataram sultanate were bounded by the treaty of Jepara in 1677. The story goes with Pakubuwono II decision to declared war against VOC , with the Khe Panjang troops as the ally. Here Tan Sin Ko, were appointed as the commander of Laskar Kuning. On August 1^st 1742 the VOC base on Kartasura were attacked, resulted the died of Capt. Van Plasen. Soon the conflict spread over the Mataram rules, even its reached Lasem and Gresik.  The VOC sent the reinforcement from Batavia, and slowly its succeed surpressed the resistance. The main loose of the Mataram and Khe Panjang Troops were happened on a battle at Kaligawe, Semarang.

The VOC forced Pakubuwono II to choose for apologizing to the VOC thus the Mataram throne will be continued in his hand, or getting executed. The Pakubuwono II choose to back as VOC ally and betrayed the Khe Panjang troops. This decision opposed by his regent, Notokusumo who still fighting side by side with Khe Panjang. Later he took as prisoner and exiled into die into Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The Pakubuwono II with VOC actually doesn’t have much support from Mataram peoples. The regent over the Mataram rules continued the insurgencies. Then in the middle of 1742’s a meeting between Tan Sin Ko, Martapura Regent, Mangunoneng Regent and Khe Panjang was held. They declared the oath of loyalty and  appointed RM Garendi as the Sultan of Mataram with the honors as Amangkurat V who also known as Sunan Kuning. Soon the resistance started, the Kartasura falls inti the insurgent, and Pakubuwono II escaped to Ponorogo. After takin Kartasura,  Tan Sin Ko paired with RM Said, who known as Pangeran Sambernyawa later he become founder of Mangkunegara Duchy. The conflict were spread greater than before. The Tan Sin Ko with his Laskar Kuning together with RM Said decided to take the VOC base on Jepara under Capt. Geritt Mom, but unfortunately they defeated by VOC troops. Tan Sin Ko were retreated to Lasem while RM Said back to Kartasura. The bad luck comes into Tan Sin Ko in Lasem.  The VOC captured  and beheaded him. His body were buried in the forestall area, far from the Lasem city.

Like’s Tan Sin Ko, anothers insurgents were succeed to surpressed one by one. The Khe Panjang were disappeared while he retreated, no one knows exactly where he is. The Amangkurat V captured and exiled into Ceylon. RM Said continued the resistance until the reign of Pakubuwono III, until the treaty of Salatiga on 1757, where he gained privileged to rules a duchy who now known as Mangkunegara.

Tan Sin Ko graves at Desa Narukan, Lasem, while the
Chinese people held Ceng Beng ceremony. The Tombstone
were stolen during reformation riots, on 1998.
(photos by: Pak Tjahjono R)

That was the biggest resistance ever happened against the rules of VOC who ended its reign on 1799. For me its also the proof of the Chinese-Javanese cooperation, who were never as so big as this, because after this VOC applied the wijkenstelsel policy, which separated the residences in the city based on the races. Nowadays condition where between Indo-Chinese people or so-called Tionghoa and the natives were easy to provokes, getting hatred, getting suspicious, this story was must to be delivered, and realized that we are as one entity, as the people of Indonesia. Thus, Its felt so sentimental for me while that day, in front of Tan Sin Ko graves, peoples, from the different races and backgrounds, singing Indonesia Raya, our national anthem together.

Source: Perang Sepanjang 1740 – 1743, Tionghoa- Jawa lawan VOC | author : Daradjadi

Uitkijk, the watchtower of Semarang Harbor

De Uitkijk te Semarang or the harbormaster tower of Semarang, as its seen on 1870 (source: geheugenvannederland.nl)

Uitkijk (eng: look-out), that’s what the dutch called for this habourmaster tower building. Talking about Uitkijk, so its cant be separated from the Vijfhoek(eng: pentagon), a fort that built in the site that Uitkijk is erected. The Fort itself was built on the site of a simple earthen wall, built by Adriaan Speelman on 1677. Its built as the respond to the convention between VOC and Amangkurat I, the Sultan of Mataram, as the return for the VOC services to assist him suppressed the rebellion of Trunajaya, which really frustrated Amangkurat I because of this rebellion gained a lot of support among the regent and religious leader over Java Island because of Amangkurat dictatorship rules. In the convention its mentioned that VOC gained control over the north coast of Java Island, thus they need a this fort to protect their interest in Semarang.  

The ruins of Uitkijk on 2007

According to the article in Suara Merdeka newspaper, its built on 1825, the Uitkijk has a role to control the activity on the small harbor situated on Kali Semarang, which a lot of merchant loading and unloading their goods to supply the needs of the people of Semarang. And the Vijfhoek itself has largely demolished on 1741, except two bastions on the west and north, which were included in the new city wall.

Visiting this site todays, it will be difficult because of there’s no suitable parking area, and its turned become slum area. One’s of the old person said that it has been functioned as the warehouse to kept the coal in before the reformation 1998. Then during the reformation, the people surround it looted this, they take the windows, doors, floors, stairs who were made from the finest teak woods. Then yap, the result is like what we saw nowadays, no frame, no door, no stairs, only ruins and garbage precisely.

The remain of Vijfhoek itself is still unvisible right now, but on 2009, some archeologist doing the excavation on the site near uitkijk and found the foundation of the vijfhoek wall. Constrained with the permission of the land owner (which is one’s of the state company) and the sea intrusion phenomenon called “rob” which made this excavation become harder, its stoped, and still there’s no continuity related to this excavation anymore. The excavation site are filled with the rob water, made it look like a cesspit, yuck, disgusting!

The article on Kompas daily which explained about the excavation of Vijfhoek on 2009

The History of Pecinan (Chinatown) of Semarang

Klenteng Tay Kak Sie, the oldest confucian temple in the chinatown of Semarang.
(source: commons.wikimedia.org)

The Chinese and Semarang city, have a good relation for a hundred years ago. Since, the Semarang city is the main harbour for Demak Kingdom, so many of foreign traders come to this city, like arabic, chinese, and Indian. The story of the chinese in Semarang firstly note on the history since the crew of Admiral zheng he great voyages, are brethed in Semarang due to linked the trade relations between chinese and the kingdoms in Java Island. Then they made a settlement around Simongan completed with mosque and shrine. Many people believe, this was the first chinese region in Semarang.

The Chinese English School, now is used by SMAN 5
Semarang. (source: semarang.nl)

The relationship between the Chinese and the native people was good, until they cooperate to revolts againts the dutch in 1740. Since the dutch controlling the trade in Indonesia, many chinese and native people have difficulties to trade. Then the excalation become high in the city of Batavia (Jakarta), because of was the fear in the highest ranks of the VOC (Veerenidge Ost Compagnie, the dutch trade company) prevailed for some time that the continuous uprising unemployed Chinese workers on the sugar plantations in the districts of Batavia might spread to large groups of more affluent and better-organized Chinese traders and artisans within the walls of the city.

The Chinesse start to attacking the military post of VOC, helped by the native, the Batavia become so chaos. Fear of the condition become worst, The Governor-General Adriaan Valckenier, ordered mass killing in the village outskirt of Batavia. At least 10.000 people died in Batavia. The clashes eventually spread out especially in major cities in Java Island like, Semarang, Cheribon, Surabaya, Rembang, and so on.  The rebels are retreated from Batavia, runs out to the east, and they burnt and attacked every Dutch post and plantation. Lack of organization and weapons, finaly the Dutch could defeated it. They stregthen their post and fortrees along the north coast of Java. The Dutch also separated the settlements of native and chinesse. Then,  the separation of the Chinese and the Native begun.

The chinese funeral ceremony in Candi, Semarang taken
on 1904. (source: tropenmuseum)

The Chinese people become centered in one region, called pecinan (Chinese quarter), maybe it will be looks like the concentration camp at that moment. Also in Semarang, that situated in the banks of Semarang river, now we know as pecinan (chinese quarter). The VOC controlled the pecinan of semarang with the patrol of the cavalry every nite, through the banks of the river that surrounded the neigborhood, then now we known as jalan inspeksi (eng: inspection street). The chinesse couldnt leave the neigborhood without a permission. So, the living of chinesse people in Semarang at that time just concentrated on there, so they built school, market, crematorium, and temple to support their daily. Many of them are still existed nowadays like pasar senggol(market), tay kak sie temple, . Then after the VOC bankrupt and the Indonesia directly become the colony of the Dutch in 1799, many chinese heve a good relation with the government, and the culmination was the Dutch government allowed the chinesse to residence outside the chinesse quarter in the middle of 19 century. Since that moment a lot of building in the neigborhood become abandoned or torned down.