Kota 'greenmappers' capture people<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Care to get a glimpse of some of the city's most unique
\nprofessions?<\/p>\n
Many of them can found in Kota, West Jakarta. Take a stroll
\nalong the Kali Besar river and you will discover bicycle taxi
\ndrivers, a nomadic fortune teller and floating river scavengers
\nall of which are to be found in the Jakarta Kota Green Map.<\/p>\n
Without disregarding the historical character of the area
\nfounded during the Dutch colonial era, the Green Map makers have
\ndiscovered there is much more to the area than earlier thought.<\/p>\n
"The map making experience taught us that the beautiful old
\nbuildings are just a background for the people living in and
\naround them," said David Hutama, a volunteer for the community
\necological charting project, Green Map.<\/p>\n
A group of more than 20 volunteers, ranging from college
\nstudents and architects, to local religious activists, surveyed a
\nchosen area to map local physical and social features.<\/p>\n
After a six-month survey and a year delay in the making of the
\nJakarta Kota Green Map, the volunteers came out with concise
\ninformation on 134 sites that one can find in the area, including
\nthe story of the people living there.<\/p>\n
"In our surveys we discover that the revitalization of the
\narea should focus more on the people instead of reminiscing about
\nhistory through the buildings," said David.<\/p>\n
In the printed version of the map, however, one would mostly
\nfind information on the buildings, such as their architectural
\nstyle and history.<\/p>\n
But, talking to the Green Map makers proved to be more
\ninteresting as they are able to share the unique features that
\nthey found during their survey, as documented through a series of
\nphotographs displayed at the CP Biennale 2005.<\/p>\n
"By switching our perspective from looking at Kota as a mere
\nheritage area, we noticed the small treasures there, such as the
\ndaily afternoon communal cat bath at Fatahillah square or a
\ncertain typography found on stickers on the back of trucks, bajaj
\nand motorcycles," explained map maker Gita Hastarika.<\/p>\n
David added that the highlight of the project was the
\nvolunteers' own involvement in experiencing the human face of the
\ncity rather than the outcome itself. "We can see more interesting
\nthings on foot than from our vehicles," he said.<\/p>\n
Initiated in 1995 in the United States, the Green Map System
\naims at helping local residents discover ways to get involved in
\nurban ecology and to raise their environmental awareness.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, initiator Marco Kusumawijaya started the first
\ngreen map in the Kemang area in South Jakarta in February 2002
\nfor local environmental bulletin Aikon!. The Kemang Green Map was
\nthen revised to include the Kebayoran Baru area and open spaces
\nin Jakarta, a year later.<\/p>\n
An extension of the project in the capital covered the Menteng
\nheritage area and the result was published in October 2003. Other
\nGreen Map published projects were made on Jeron Beteng area in
\nYogyakarta and Bukittinggi in West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Green map projects are currently underway in Bandung in West
\nJava, Borobudur in Central Java and Bali.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Kota Green Map will be launched at the following
\nevents:<\/p>\n
* Sept.7 at the CP Open Biennale 2005, Museum Bank Indonesia, Jl.
\nPintu Besar Utara 3, Kota, West Jakarta<\/p>\n
* Sept. 18 at the Batavia Art Festival, Jakarta Historical Museum
\nFatahillah, Kota, West Jakarta<\/p>\n
* Sept. 22 at the Indonesian Heritage Conservation Congress,
\nSapta Pesona Building, Indosat, Central Jakarta<\/p>\n
* Sept. 28 at the Taman Prasasti Book Launching, Jl. Tanah Abang
\n1, Central Jakarta<\/p>\n
A green map making workshop for high school students in line
\nwith the CP Open Biennale 2005 will be held on Sept. 10 and Sept.
\n11.<\/p>",
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"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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