Exploring the capital: An experience of diversity

Exploring the capital: An experience of diversity

Michele Soeryadjaya, Grade 9/Jakarta Int'l School

During the week I spent exploring the city of Jakarta, the
capital of the world's largest archipelago, Indonesia, I have
discovered it to be a melting pot overflowing with rich culture,
traditions and, above all, diversity. From the urban to the
suburban, from the wealthy to the poor, from the old to the new
-- the city is an epitome of diversity.

Among the dull colors of other vehicles, our light blue bus
stood out in the crowd, with the exception of red bajaj whizzing
about.

An hour into the bus ride to Bekasih, West Java, where we
would be helping Habitat for Humanity build a house for the less
fortunate, the change became starkly apparent.

One by one, the cars and Metro Mini public buses started to
disappear until there were only several left on the battered
asphalt road. While this disappearance was occurring, dokar or
pedati (horse-drawn carts) and friendly pedestrians were
beginning to appear.

Looking out from the window of the bus, it was evident that
the big, skyscraper-like buildings of the urban landscape were
being replaced with small convenient stores surrounded by the
vast, luscious green paddy fields of the suburbs -- a welcome and
refreshing change. The view was one so rarely seen that I savored
it like a child cherishing the sweet taste of candy.

One glance up at the sky and one could tell that the sky was
painted a deeper shade of blue -- which I assumed was because of
the decrease in pollution -- and this made the white clouds
appear even more vibrant and fluffy against the light sky.

All of a sudden, a sense of stillness and tranquility, a
feeling that was rarely experienced in the city, settled over us.

The agricultural life of the suburbs was like a sea turtle's,
slow and calm, compared to that of the city, which was like a
cheetah's, fast and busy. No wonder much of the country's
population are farmers.

Upon our arrival at the site, I was hesitant to step off the
bus and onto the ground, as the ground was covered in piles and
piles of trash so that not a speck of earth could be seen. This
raised a little revulsion in me.

However, I tried my best not to project these feelings, as
these people most likely were not educated on the proper disposal
of their trash.

Moments later, three representatives of Habitat for Humanity
greeted us with smiles on their friendly faces. A set of
instructions were given to us in heavily accented voices.

Following the instructions, we began to work like a group of
honey bees buzzing around with a sense of urgency while trying to
ignore the scorching heat dehydrating our bodies. Aside from the
representatives and us, the kampong was nearly deserted and an
easy silence pierced through the village.

A closer look at the environment and one could tell that the
living conditions of these people were substandard. Most houses
had painted walls that were starting to peel and roofs that had
tiles missing. Walls had several bricks missing and it looked
like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing.

Floors were simple, white ceramic tiles stained with years of
dirt and cracks. Open windows and doorways provided the only
source of ventilation, as none could afford appliances such as
air conditioners and fans. Electricity was a rare commodity that
only few could enjoy.

A well located near the courtyard of the village served as the
main source of water. The kampong residents' way of living was
indeed primitive and old-fashioned. For us, who are used to
performing the simple act of turning a knob to get water, this
would be a nightmare come true.

A few minutes later, the residents started to appear out of
nowhere. We started to interact with the people and soon, the
silence was broken by the sounds of chitter-chatter.

Regardless of poor living conditions, these people seemed
content and treated us with great kindness and hospitality. Their
laughs were infectious, accompanied by wide grins plastered on
their sincere faces.

I felt a surge of compassion and respect. But while a part of
me respected them for this, another part could not understand why
they were so happy. With guilt, I hid this thought deep in the
crevices of my mind and continued to laugh along with them.

But, even though they welcomed us with open arms, I felt like
an outsider -- as though I was an ugly duckling amid stunningly
beautiful swans.

While I was interviewing one-half of the future owners of the
house we were helping build, I discovered that an elderly woman
named Ibu Neriaty once had 10 children until three of them passed
away, sadly.

This was neither hard to believe nor surprising, as the life
expectancy was quite low due to the poor living conditions and
minimal access to health care. She was dressed in simple attire:
a plain, red T-shirt; three-quarter length khaki pants; an old
navy-blue baseball cap and a pair of black-rimmed glasses. Her
appearance and cheery personality made her approachable and I
immediately felt compassion toward her.

Once a Dutch colony, Dutch influences can be seen in various
places within the capital. An area that is famous for these
influences is Fatahillah Square in North Jakarta. Boasting
statues and architecture that resemble those in Holland,
Fatahillah Square was once a town center and center of
administration during 18th-century Batavia (what Jakarta was
formerly called). The old City Hall, which is now known as the
Jakarta History Museum, exemplifies Dutch colonial architecture.

Compared to the modern-day buildings of the city, the Dutch
architecture is full of historical value and importance. In
addition, this particular architecture is more intricate in
design with placid green circular domes for roofs and slender
arches for entryways. This is a great example of the city's past.

Enormous old-fashioned Dutch boats stand tall and proud in the
harbor known as Sunda Kelapa, North Jakarta. Bursting with
historical value, this harbor was once a main trading port for
exchanging goods such as spices. The boats, called pinisi, has a
certain European flare to them, which makes them more intriguing
than the modern boats with monochrome designs found in most of
the city's harbors.

Splashed with dark tones of mustard, maroon and navy blue,
they beam with pride and self-importance. Such a sight could only
be seen in Sunda Kelapa harbor.

Located only a few minutes away from Sunda Kelapa is the fish
market, known to the locals as Pasar Ikan, a prime example of
what local markets in Jakarta are like.

Although it is quite a distance from the city center, its
location is what makes Pasar Ikan unique, and it stands out from
the other local markets of the city. It emits a traditional,
Dutch aura while its appearance is like any other present-day
market.

Shops are aligned in two columns with one on either side of
the crowded street. Even in the early hours of the morning, the
market is busy with customers running around trying to find the
best bargain. Food vendors are spread around the whole market
selling various foods such as ubi goreng (fried yam), singkong
goreng (fried cassava) and many different kinds of fresh fruits.

Among the various goods that are sold there are beautiful sea
shells, home appliances such as radios and television sets, and
clothing and boat fittings. Pasar Ikan is not just a market, but
one where the past and present clash.

No major city would be complete without a Chinatown, and
Jakarta does not disappoint. But to be honest, I did not even
know there was a Chinatown in the city!

This was probably partly due to the fact that its appearance
does not resemble any other Chinatown. If someone did not inform
me that we were indeed in Chinatown, I would've thought that we
were in any other local market of the city.

Unlike other Chinatowns, this district did not have any
traditional Chinese buildings. Instead, it resembled local
markets of the city. Stalls were set up by tents and goods were
showcased on tables and shelves. However, it did sell what any
other Chinatowns sell: Chinese goods such as savory snacks,
Chinese DVDs and traditional herbs and medicine.

Another reason why this particular Chinatown is not widely
known is because it is more well known as Pasar Glodok. This is
due to the fact that the area where the market is located is
called Glodok.

This market had a whole different aura than the fish market:
It was where Chinese and Indonesians mixed; a clash between
races.

Running around in Jakarta and seeing the good and bad has
opened my eyes to different sides of the city that I'd never
known before.

Whether it was talking to an elderly woman or giving a little
kid candy, I enjoyed and savored communicating with people I had
no contact with before.

Visiting the different areas of Jakarta, like the suburbs and
the urban areas, gave me a new perspective on the environment and
our surroundings.

Rarely do we get to experience a day in the life of others,
but when we do, it is one that could never be forgotten or erased
from the memory.

From living in a house to actually building one; from poor
living conditions to high living conditions; from talking with an
elderly woman to playing with a little child; from a market with
Dutch influences like Pasar Ikan to a market with Chinese
influences like Pasar Glodok -- Jakarta is truly a quintessential
Asian experience of diversity.