“Lotto in English.” Lotre first appeared in the lottery’s official European version: “The Lottery Book.” I can’t recall ever having heard of a lottery game named “lottery” in its own right. “Lotto in English.” When you need to learn lotre in English, there’s the official English translation here, and other more expansive translations in French, anish and even Sundanese.
The story behind lotteries in Indonesia starts at the time of the Indonesian shire system. Hereditary wealth was passed down from father to son. Among the most powerful families in Java were the Memenangkans who, with their powerful network of caravan traders, held the first monopoly on the transport trade in Java. It was from this establishment, that the phrase “lottery without draw” came about.
Memenangkans also happened to be the most powerful political faction in Java. As such, they naturally controlled the purse strings when it came to development. This was not a problem since their wealth was unlimited, and they would not hesitate to spend it, especially when the situation called for it. One such example of this was in the case of improving rail transport in Java, which was obviously a necessity since the location was such that only the rich could live there.
In 1827, a young man named Lodjo traveled from Java to South China (modern day Yunnan) with the intention of finding a way to support his family. He was looking for a way to send his young daughter, Juana, to school in Panglao. However, the Chinese did not have much use for foreign goods, so Lodjo instead sent his only daughter, Tiahuan, to live at the royal palace as a maid. The princess became very fond of Lodjo, and the relationship between the two men flourished. Eventually, Tiahuan passed away, and Lodjo realized that he had to make a decision regarding Juana’s future, which would greatly affect his fortune in the future.
When Lodjo returned to Java, he found that the British had invaded Borneo and killed the Chinese rulers. Because of this, they were no longer in control of the region, and they offered Juana a better life, which she readily accepted. She moved to Muntilan and lived there until her death. This is where the story of Lot Rise took place.
After the Chinese were driven out of Java, Juana and her husband, Orji, moved back to Borneo. Here, they lived with the Teluk Anang, or “tee people”, who were the original inhabitants of Java. It was through the assistance of the British officer, Pvt. John Sullivan that Juana learned of Lot Rise, and even took the name of the town which was later to become Londao in honor of the British officer.