During the colonial period in western Yogyakarta, the warok—local warriors known for their strength—resisted the colonizers and hid in the forests. Two Islamic scholars, Kyai Jo Tirto and his brother Kyai Udan Mongso, joined them, teaching Islam and helping establish a settlement called Kwarakan. They later became the founders of two cemeteries, while Kyai Jo Tirto’s children continued spreading Islam in the region.
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During the colonial period, the sultan requested the help of the warok to guard the borders in several areas of western Yogyakarta, namely Kulon Progo, the border area now known as the city of Wates. It is estimated that some of these warok were located in the grumbul/alas area, which is now known as Dusun Kwarakan.
During the colonial period, warok were known as powerful individuals. They were among those who were disturbed by the arrival of the colonizers. Therefore, the warok often caused trouble for the colonizers, making them wanted by the authorities. The warok then hid in a forest where the colonizers dared not enter. Whenever any colonizer attempted to enter the forest, many did not return or were killed. At one point, two Islamic scholars (ulama) were being pursued by the colonizers. These two scholars also hid in the forest where the warok had taken refuge. The scholars were being pursued because they were spreading Islam. While in the forest, the scholars taught Islamic teachings to the warok.
After staying in the forest for some time, they cleared it and made it their residence. The scholar then named the place Kwarakan, derived from the word warok, as a reminder that the warok had arrived in the forest before the scholar.
The names of the two scholars were Kyai Jo Tirto and his younger brother, Kyai Udan Mongso. These two scholars became the founders of two cemeteries located in Dusun Kwarakan: Makam Sambi, with Kyai Jo Tirto as its founder, and Makam Kemejing, founded by Kyai Jo Tirto’s younger brother, Kyai Udan Mongso. Kyai Jo Tirto had two children, Soroito and Soronoyo, who continued his mission of spreading Islam, while Kyai Udan Mongso did not have any children.
