City urged to build Betawi art and culture village
City urged to build Betawi art and culture village
JAKARTA (JP): The Betawi (Old Jakarta) culture body has urged
the city administration to set up a Betawi art and culture
village as a bastion to preserve old Jakarta's legacy.
The body's Chairwoman, Emmi Busri, said in a hearing with
City Council Commission E for social welfare yesterday that such
a "village" was badly needed, as Betawi art and culture has begun
to vanish.
"It's our responsibility to preserve it," she said, adding
that the body is yet to prepare a detailed plan for the village.
Emmi said the administration could designate a district where
Betawi artisans would be free to hold workshops and engage in
various cultural activities.
"We want the district to have a Betawi atmosphere where
visitors can easily experience the Betawi traditional way of
life," she said. She said the idea was adopted from the artists
village in Bali.
"The village can also become a tourists' destination. Tourists
can experience the culture and food of the Betawi people," she
said
The commission's chairman, Atje Mulyadi, said it is not that
easy to find an area in Jakarta where Betawi people are still
dominant.
In 1971, the administration designated Condet in East Jakarta
as the center of the Betawi people's fruit and flora preservation
center, meaning that the area is supposed to be closed to
newcomers who want to build houses and other structures.
The program has failed, since the administration has been
inconsistent in reinforcing its own regulation to preserve
Condet. A large number of people have received official permits
to build houses there.
Atje said an area in Condet is probably suitable for the art
and cultural preservation plan. "But the administration's policy
on Condet should be made clear first. The administration must be
consistence with its decision made in 1971," he said. He said the
administration does not appear serious in its policy on Condet.
Atje said the idea to preserve Betawi art and culture is
appreciated. "The administration's political will is needed to
realize the idea," he said. (yns)