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Betawi people

Austronesian ethnic group

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The term Betawi people emerged in the 18th century as an amalgamation of various ethnic groups into Batavia. In the modern era, people of various ethnicities, especially Sundanese people, who have long inhabited Greater Jakarta, forgetting their language and switching to Betawi, can also be called Betawi people. Although if they are related by blood, they are more like people who still speak Sundanese language in the outskirts, especially in Bekasi, Bogor, and Tangerang.

Origin and history

The Betawi are one of the most recently formed ethnic groups in Indonesia. They are a creole ethnic group, with ancestors coming from various parts of Indonesia and abroad. Before the 19th century, the self-identity of the Betawi people was not yet formed. The name Betawi is adopted from the native rendering of the term "Batavia" city which was originally named after the Batavi, an ancient Germanic tribe.

In the 17th century, after the original population had been expelled and the city of Jayakarta had been burned down, the Dutch colonial authorities began building the city of Batavia and repopulating it.

The repopulation was to strengthen the trading interests of the VOC and not endanger them. Javanese, Sundanese and other population groups with whom the VOC was at war were not allowed in the city and the surrounding areas (the Ommelanden) in the early period.

After it became apparent that it was not in the VOC's interest to establish a Dutch colony, a small top layer of Dutch administrators, a loyal mixed Christian European-Asian layer, a layer of free Asians and a large layer of slaves were chosen.

The population from the early period looked as follows:

  • Slaves imported by the VOC: From coastal areas of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Africa and various parts of Indonesia.
  • Free(d) Christian citizens from former Portuguese settlements.
  • A large group of Chinese workers who had fled to Dutch Formosa because of the war in Fujian.
  • Other Free Asians
  • Slaves in the service of Asian residents: originating from Bali, Makassar, Borneo, Bone/Buton, Timor, Sumbawa, Banten, Sukadana, Cirebon, Malabar and other regions.

After a truce with the kingdom of Mataram, Javanese and Sundanese also came to live there.

By the end of the seventeenth century, the Batavian population consisted of approximately 7% Dutch, 20% Christian Asians and mestizos, 10% Chinese, 12% Malays, Javanese and Balinese, and over 50% slaves.

One of the earliest were Balinese slaves bought from Bali and Ambonese mercenaries. Subsequently, other ethnic groups followed suit; they were Malays, Sundanese, Javanese, Minangkabaus, Buginese, and Makassar. Foreign and mixed ethnic groups were also included; such as Indos, Mardijkers, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabs, Chinese, and Indians, who were originally brought to or attracted to Batavia to work.

Originally, circa the 17th to 18th century, the dwellers of Batavia were identified according to their ethnics of origin; either Sundanese, Javanese, Malays, Ambonese, Buginese-Makassar, or Arabs and Chinese. This was shown in the Batavia census record that listed the immigrant's ethnic background of Batavian citizens. They were separated into specific ethnic-based enclaves kampungs, which is why in today's Jakarta there are some regions named after ethnic-specific names such as Kampung Melayu, Kampung Bali, Makassar, and Kampung Ambon. These ethnic groups merged and formed around the 18th to 19th centuries. It was not until the late 19th or early 20th century that the group – who would become the dwellers of Batavia, referred to themselves as "Betawi", which refers to a Creole Malay-speaking ethnic group that has a mixed culture of different influences; Malay, Javanese, Sundanese to Arabic and Chinese. The Betawi people have a culture and language distinct from the surrounding Sundanese and Javanese. The Betawis are known for their traditions in music and food.

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