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Research seeks to uncover true story of legendary Betawi hero
Cultural legacy: Children play at Rumah Si Pitung (Si Pitung’s house) in Marunda, North Jakarta, on Feb
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ultural legacy: Children play at Rumah Si Pitung (Si Pitung’s house) in Marunda, North Jakarta, on Feb. 22, 2014. Rumah Si Pitung is a popular local tourist site.(JP/P.J. Leo)
Like any good ‘ol story, there are many folklore versions of the legendary Betawi figure Pitung.
Considered a hero among the Betawi people, he has been dubbed the local Robin Hood who stole riches to be shared among the poor oppressed by the Dutch during the Colonial era.
But to the Dutch, he was considered a criminal, who looted bank notes and jewelry for his own benefit.
Believed to have been born in Rawa Belong, West Jakarta, in 1870, his life is little documented, with the stories of Pitung mostly passed down by elders through the generations. Pitung is often described as a strong young Betawi man with advanced pencak silat skills and supernatural powers that protected him from physical harm.
Dutch researcher from the University of Leiden Margreet van Till said further research into the life of Pitung was necessary to get closer to the truth of the hero whose spirit continues to live on among the Betawi people.
Stories about Pitung have been handed down through an oral tradition that includes, among other mediums, the performing art known as Rancak Si Pitung. The native Betawi show involves two men wearing white koko shirts and peci (caps) singing songs about Pitung accompanied by a traditional Betawi gambang kromong orchestra.
Margreet revealed some of her discoveries about Pitung that she had gathered from historians and official documents stored at the National Archives among other locations.
Her findings include mentions of Pitung in a Dutch-language newspaper circulated in Batavia, present-day Jakarta, called Java-bode. One news article published on Oct. 16, 1893 reported that Pitung had escaped from prison and survived a gunshot wound.
“One of them shot another bullet at the lower part of Pitoeng’s back, which penetrated his body and came out of his belly again. The shot caused no harm to him,” the report read as translated into English.
“He [Pitung] declared that he would rather die than be taken to prison. He fought to his will’s end. He died at half past eight.”
Another discovery that Margreet revealed on Thursday was a government file signed by Pitung himself, an appeal for mercy to free him from prison on one occasion.
“It was signed by Pitung who used his birth-name, Salihoen,” she said during a seminar in Serang, Banten.
Margreet first gained an interest in Pitung in 1994, and has published a book titled Banditry in West Java 1869-1942.
From her research, she has entertained the idea that Pitung may have used a revolver, and did not rely solely on hand-to-hand combat, in which he was believed to be a master.
Her theory comes from the fact that Pitung lived during the 19th century when the revolver was beginning to gain popularity among bandits in many countries.
She mentioned Australian bushranger Edward “Ned” Kelly and American Old West outlaw and gunfighter Billy the Kid, who both lived in the 19th century around the same time as Pitung.
“Considering that Pitung robbed the homes of the wealthy, he must have had the ability to purchase a revolver. So it’s possible he fought not only with martial arts but also by using such a gun,” she explained, adding the disclaimer that she needed to find supporting evidence for her theory.
Stories about Pitung were featured in the movie Si Pitung that was released in 1970 and portrayed Pitung’s bravery in the fight against the Dutch colonialists. Starring legendary actor Dicky Zulkarnaen, the movie spawned two sequels released in 1971 and 1976.
Ayatullah, a researcher from the Bantenologi of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin State Islamic Institute, which hosted the event, said Pitung represented the spirit of the common people protecting and fighting for each other. The people of Banten can also relate to Pitung, as the province has jawara or heroic figures as well.
“It’s his [Pitung’s] bravery that youngsters nowadays can look up to,” he said.
Nurhasannah, who is completing a bachelor’s degree in history at a private university in Serang, Banten, said she planned to write about Pitung for her thesis. “History has always been subjective and we’ve all known about Pitung mostly from stories told by our parents. From the eyes of our own people. It’s interesting to learn insights from the Dutch people themselves,” the 21-year-old said.
