Lima was also known as Negorij Lima, a name that says something about the village's origins: 'lima' means five and 'negorij' means village. Five tiny villages grew together to form a single town. The Company built a redoubt, 'Haarlem', in Negorij Lima on the northwestern coast of Ambon in 1655. The primary function of the blockhouse was to combat piracy by the Alfoer, the oldest indigenous inhabitants of Amboina and the surrounding area.
