Banyuwangi – Every December 18, the people of Banyuwangi Regency celebrate the Banyuwangi Anniversary (Harjaba). This year, Banyuwangi Regency will celebrate its 253rd anniversary.
Quoting from banyuwangikab.go.id, the birth of Banyuwangi Regency cannot be separated from the history of Blambangan. Referring to the existing historical data, throughout the history of Blambangan, December 18, 1771, is the oldest historical event that should be commemorated as the Anniversary of Banyuwangi or Harjaba.
At that time, the Puputan Bayu War took place in Banyuwangi. However, before the peak of the war occurred, there was another event that preceded it.
The event that is also rich in heroic-patriotic actions is the attack by the Blambangan warriors under the leadership of Prince Puger (son of Wong Agung Wilis) on the VOC fortress in Banyualit in 1768. Unfortunately, the event was not recorded in full detail.
It is said that the people of Banyuwangi suffered a total defeat in the attack, while the enemy side almost did not incur any losses. In that incident, Prince Puger fell.
Meanwhile, Wong Agung Wilis was injured, captured, and exiled to Banda Island. This happened after Lateng was destroyed.
Based on existing historical data, the name Banyuwangi is inseparable from the glory of Blambangan. Since the time of Prince Tawang Alun (1655-1691) and Prince Danuningrat (1736-1763), the VOC had never been interested in entering and managing Blambangan. In fact, this continued even when Blambangan was under the protection of Bali (1763-1767).
In 1743, East Java was handed over by Pakubuwono II to the VOC, including Blambangan. The VOC felt that Blambangan already belonged to them, but it was temporarily left as a reserve that would only be managed if necessary. Even when Danuningrat requested VOC’s help to break free from Bali, VOC was still not interested in looking at Blambangan.
In 1766, the British established trade relations with Blambangan and set up their trading post (now the Inggrisan complex). The trading post was established in the small port of Banyuwangi, which at that time was also called Tirtaganda, Tirtaarum, or Toyaarum.
Since that moment, the VOC only moved to immediately seize Banyuwangi and secure all of Blambangan. After that, a war occurred for five years, from 1767 to 1772.
The VOC indeed tried to seize the entire Blambangan, but was specifically driven to capture Banyuwangi. At that time, Banyuwangi was indeed starting to develop and becoming the center of trade in Blambangan. However, at that time Banyuwangi had already been occupied by the British, so the VOC intended to seize it.
Through that historical record, it is confirmed that the birth of Banyuwangi Regency is related to the occurrence of a fierce war, the Puputan Bayu War. The peak of the war occurred on December 18, 1771.
Thus, the establishment of Banyuwangi Regency is indeed closely related to the Puputan Bayu War. From there, December 18, which marks the peak of the war, is officially commemorated as Banyuwangi’s Anniversary or Harjaba every year.
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