TRANSFORMATION OF CANALS IN COLONIAL BATAVIA

Abstract

This study aims to explore the changes in form and function of canals as important elements in the colonial city of Batavia. Historically, in the 17th Century, Batavia was built as the trading and colonial administrative centre for the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie VOC . The VOC was a trading company backed by the Dutch East Indies colonial government, as part of the Dutch empire. The presence of the canals in Batavia made a significant contribution to the development of the colonial and indigenous civilization in Batavia. However, the canals in colonial Batavia underwent a process of transformation, from the beginning of the 17th Century to the end of colonialization in 1949. Through investigating maps, photos, and historical texts, a morphological analysis is used within a historical research method to review the form and function of the canals and their transformation. This paper maps out and identifies the differences occurring between three periods of 1 'The Heydey of Canals' Period, 2 'The Deterrioration of Canals' Period during the VOC colonial, in the 17th century until the 18 the century, and the last, 3 'The Function Changes of Canals' Period during the Dutch Colonial State in the 19th century. During the early VOC period, Batavia had many canals that formed an urban grid and these canals were used effectively in an urban context as the entrance or the ‘front yard.’ The canals formed a compact city and had many roles, such as for defense, as a medium of segregation, as a means of transportation and as a representation of a preferred colonial lifestyle. However, in the 18th century, the canals physically deteriorated due to lack of maintenance and natural sedimentation. Socially,life along the canals was compromised with poor health conditions attributed to mosquitoes and pollution from surrounding plantations. Meanwhile, in the 19th Century, the canals of the Dutch Colonial State period were reduced in number and no longer formed a transportation grid. The role of the canals as a means of transportation was fulfilled instead by roads with various vehicles. The canals’ role was then relegated in people’s perception to the ‘back yard.’ During this time, the canals served as service areas fro waste and to contain flood waters. The canals also had many functions related to the livelihood of indigenous people in Batavia, including transportation, washing, bathing, drinking water and sanitation

Keywords

• Batavia,canal,colonial,morphology,transformation

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