Mengulik Cengkareng, A Big Village In The Corner Of Jakarta

JAKARTA - Today, Jakarta is a Metropolitan City. However, if you look at the past, this sparkling city was actually formed from a collection of large villages that became one. Call it Kampung Cawang, Kampung Melayu, Kampung Kemang or Kampung Cengkareng. The last name has a very interesting history. Like what?

Rachmat Ruchiat's book The Origin of Place Names in Jakarta tells that Cengkareng was a village dominated by rice fields in the past. The name Cengkareng itself comes from the Sundanese language: Cikangkareng.

He explained that the word "Ci" refers to the word cai which is commonly associated with creeks, rivers or streams. Ci-Sadane, Ci-Liwung or Ci-Keas, for example. While "Kareng" in Sundanese is defined as hornbill - in Latin it is named Buceros Rhinoceros. A bird with a horned beak.

In other literacy, the word Cengkareng is said to have originated from the word "Tjankaar". In Dutch, Tjankaar means chuckle. It is not clear where the word 'ang' is added behind the word Tjangkaar. So that over time it melts - to refer to De Haan's map - to become Tjangkaarang.

Presumably, the name has stuck even before in the second half of the 18th century, when David Johan Smith, a high-ranking VOC official in Batavia, became the owner of the Cengkareng land.

Therefore, architect Michiel Romp was asked to build a two-storey rest house in Indis style known as Landhuis Tjengkareng. Unfortunately, the house fell victim to the revolution and burned down in September 1945.

After that, the land was then controlled by a Dutch company, firm brijnst en Vinju. As stated in the Almanac Regerings 1881. The land was then leased to a landlord named Tan Oen Tjong. Because the area has been proven to be a place for rice, coconut, and grass for livestock to grow.

It could be that this condition is described by Jean Gelman Taylor in his book Social Life in Batavia.

He revealed: As trading activities within the walls of the city of Batavia became more advanced, so did agricultural activities outside the walls, thanks to the cooperation between various ethnic groups and Chinese people in carrying out agricultural activities around the city, the Dutch population seemed to have little interest in it. that field.

According to the Holle map, at that time, the inhabitants of Cengkareng until the end of the 19th century still spoke Sundanese in their daily activities. This is different from other villages in Batavia, where Malay is their everyday language.

Cengkareng Now

The image of Cengkareng as a rice field area as well as a place for resting houses - a type of villa - for colonial era officials, has certainly changed considerably over time. Especially since Cengkareng has become a sub-district consisting of six sub-districts: Duri Kosambi, Rawa Buaya, Kedaung Kali Angke, Kapuk, West-East Cengkareng.

A big change was seen when the replacement airport for Kemayoran airport was built, namely Cengkareng Airport, which after being inaugurated began to use the name Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. This decision was marked by the issuance of the Presidential Instruction on October 1, 1984 regarding the transfer of the airport from Kemayoran to Cengkareng which was in effect at that time.

The airport relocation incident was also revealed by Zaenuddin HM, in his book Origins of Djakarta Tempoe Doeloe. "So, like it or not, all airlines have to start utilizing the new airport in Cengkareng right away. (So) what happens is that passengers check-in at Kemayoran Airport, board, then are taken by special bus to Cengkareng to board the plane, ”he said since the presidential instruction was issued.

When Cengkareng Airport was fully operational on April 1, 1985, airport officials felt unprepared. At that time, 21 flights were canceled. Another 33 flights were delayed. Finally, on July 5, 1985, Cengkareng Airport officially used the name Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

As a result, the presence of the airport gradually replaced the landhuis of Tjengkareng, which was once a building - which was then flattened to land - which became a symbol of Kampung Cengkareng.

Even so, the destruction of the landhuis is regrettable until recently. Not only by historians and architectural experts. Moreover, the Indonesian people are still grieving the loss of buildings that should have become buildings labeled as cultural heritage.

Now, Cengkareng has grown rapidly. Because of its speed, agricultural areas and green open spaces have almost become a bedtime fairy tale, replacing shopping centers, housing, hotels and other commercial areas.

In line with that, the problems that inhabit this area are increasing. The most popular are traffic jams, pollution and floods which often greet the residents of Cengkareng. Especially at the beginning of this year, floods have inundated several areas in Cengkareng, to the point that many motorists have entered toll roads to avoid stagnant water.

The rest, Cengkareng is still special. Special because he was strong in facing the annual floods, special because he was still enthusiastic about going through traffic every time he went to work. And it is special because it is the gateway to seeing the beauty of other Nusantara lands via CGK - the code for Soekarno-Hatta Airport.