Bukit Mertajam or dashanjiao (大山脚) in Mandarin1, is a myriad of things. It was once an agrarian village but presently it is a bustling town as well as a parliamentary constituency. However, despite its strategic significance to not only the state of Penang but also the entire Northern Malaya, the history of the town was never well studied. In Part I of this two-part series, we shall see how this village in Province Wellesley grew to become a population, economic and transport hub by the early 20th century.
Early traces of civilisation
Modern day Bukit Mertajam is without a doubt a sprawling urban centre, with expanding boundaries which have far exceeded its dated cartographical confines. However, the name of Bukit Mertajam has a more modest origin. The name that translates into “pointed hill” is believed to have originated from native references to the hill which serves as the highest outcrop in mainland Penang, although it is uncertain who first coined the term. An itinerary written in 1861 by colonial officials referred to the hill as Bukit Martajam2 while the settlement was named as Martajam village. Nevertheless, it is certain that the name predates the arrival of the British.
