Guide gives insight into Jakarta's cultural riches

The Jakarta Explorer, Cultural Tours in and Around the City; Publication coordinator: Diana Pabst Parsell; Updated version; Indonesian Heritage Society, Jakarta, 1999; xx and 302 pages; Rp 100,000.

JAKARTA (JP): "We learn about how places made history, how people made places, how Jakarta grew, developed and changed", said then-chairwoman of the Indonesian Heritage Society, Mary de Tray, in the foreword to this guide.

The book, compiled from research by Society's Explorer groups, covers everything from Jembatan Pasar Ayam (Chicken Market Bridge) in Kota to Yayasan Cabang Sari Putra/Vihara Maitreya (Buddhist Nunnery) in Glodok. It provides an insight into areas to which you may not be familiar.

Take the Rumah Abu (Ash Houses), for instance. Located in Kota, they are owned by Chinese families to house the ashes of their ancestors. Originally, the houses were intended as temporary resting places for the ashes until they could be returned to the home villages of the deceased in China.

Staying in Kota, the guide mentions the Museum Wayang (Puppet Museum) which houses a collection of Indonesian puppets and others donated from many countries. Among the exhibits are the Independence Puppets of the 1940s, featuring Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, the Nationalists and the Dutch; Grand Guingol puppets from France; and Punch and Judy, donated by a former British ambassador to Indonesia.

Moving to Batam, on the north coast of Java and about two hours from Jakarta, the guide lists Klenteng Wan de Yuan (Buddhist temple) as one of the area's attractions.

The temple is a popular place of worship for the Chinese- Indonesian community. It is reputed to have been a gift from the reigning sultan to the members of Banten's Chinese community in gratitude for receiving medicines to curb an outbreak of malaria. The goddess of mercy, Guan Yin, is enshrined here.

Behind the temple is a large courtyard with small rooms for overnight stays by pilgrims. Indeed, one stormy night this writer was one such pilgrim and was led into the temple by candlelight to spend a most interesting evening.

The Jakarta Explorer also takes in areas such as Jatiluhur and Plered, about 120 kilometers southeast of Jakarta, where one can visit pottery manufacturers and also see the giant dam and reservoir, which is a popular area for water skiing. Jatiluhur is also the site of a satellite communications center.

With most items accompanied by a photograph, each is listed with categories such as classification, directions and opening hours.

There is a section explaining the history of the Chinese and Indians in this country, as well as the British period in Batavia. At the back of the book is a section dealing with street life and its culture (with a listing of major markets in the city) and a basic Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary page. It also explains the principles of the major religions of Indonesia.

If history is your bag, this book will enhance your knowledge of previous events in Jakarta. Lubang Buaya (Crocodile Hole) Memorial Park and Museum in Pondok Gede is the site where some of the generals in the 1956 attempted coup were murdered. A monument has been established in their honor and a museum and diorama depicts the events. The guide informs us that "in spite of the gruesome history, the park-like setting makes this a pleasant place to visit".

Until the 1960s, the book says, Lubang Buaya (lubang means hole, buaya means crocodile) was an isolated village on the eastern outskirts of Jakarta, surrounded by nonproductive rubber plantations. Its name is derived from a legend that says there were once white crocodiles in the nearby river.

Also, from a historic point of view, The Jakarta Explorer lists Bentara Budaya/Rumah Kudus (Kudus House and Cultural Center) in Palmerah, which was established in 1982 by the Kompas Gramedia publishing group to house and display its growing art collection. The house itself is the biggest and most valuable item in the collection and is reputed to be over 100 years old. It was purchased from a family in Kudus, Central Java, in 1983 and moved, following restoration, to the gallery site to be preserved and displayed as a work of art. It is considered to be one of only two remaining traditional structures from the city of Kudus.

One place of interest that the book has done well to mention is the vibrant Pasar Kemenangan (Chinese "wet" Market) in Glodok. Offering an authentic experience of a traditional Asian market, it is a "wet" market that sells local Chinese specialities such as bird's nests, shark fins, fish, eels, snakes and frogs. The animals are kept live and are killed upon purchase.

This guide is an updated version of the 1991 guide. Chairwoman of the society, Liz Oley, said: "The book has been expanded and totally revised and includes the latest maps. We sent out Explorer groups and rewrote all the chapters. There is a lot more historical information in the new guide.

"After the May 1998 riots, we had to go out and check that everything was still there. One of the biggest areas that had been destroyed was Pasar Glodok, which had been an entry in the previous book," she added.

The book is certainly comprehensive in its coverage of cultural attractions in this city and beyond, and is bound to become an invaluable guide.

It is one of the best compiled guides around and will no doubt be of use if you have a few spare weekends coming up or, indeed, if you wish to join the society and become an Explorer yourself.

-- William Furney