Old city comes to life
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The old town of Batavia, known as Kota today, in West Jakarta looked like the pages of a history book come to life on Saturday.
Women in kebaya encim, or the traditional Malay blouse fastened with pins, and men in sadariyah, or tunic and sarong, walked down the road lined with Batavia's old buildings and in the cobble-stone square in front of the Jakarta Museum of History, otherwise known as Fatahilah Museum.
Others, clad in the uniform of Dutch officers, rode old- fashioned bicycles, inspecting the visitors to the second annual Old City and Chinatown Festival.
The festival, which is aimed at encouraging both city residents and tourists to visit the old city, featured a parade, arts performances, a food fair and a Chinese-themed corner.
The event highlighted the history of the area, which was occupied during the 17th century by Dutch colonials, the native Betawi people and the Chinese.
At the parade, it was not just Chinese and Betawi cultures that were represented, such as through the dragon dance, lion dance, tanjidor group music, giant effigies and martial arts, but also traditional performances from other ethnic groups living in Jakarta today like the reog ponorogo and kuda lumping from East Java as well as Bali's Barong dance.
The procession -- which moved along Jl. Pos to Jl. Jembatan Batu, Beos train station, Jl. Pintu Besar Selatan and turned around on Jl. Hayam Wuruk -- was livened up by a marching band comprising 63 students from the Institute of Public Administration in Jatinangor, West Java.
There was much oohing and aahing from the crowd over two traditional buggies, which were lavishly decorated and transported "newlywed" Betawi and Chinese couples.
Besides the parade, about 40 stands were set up in the square in front of the museum, offering handicrafts, souvenirs, food and Chinese medicine. Feng Shui experts and cartoonists were also at the site to converse with visitors.
"This year's event was good but I liked last year's more. It was more festive with the decorated floats," said Kusmawati who was accompanied by her daughter.
West Jakarta Mayor Fadjar Panjaitan, who opened the event, said that residents should be proud of the old Dutch buildings, which had huge tourism potential.
"These old buildings must be protected," he said.
At the event, Fadjar was asked to preserve the buildings by two Dutch actors, who were playing architect Long Broek and Governor General Mat Suyker on the main stage.
"My name is Long Broek and I'm the architect of all these buildings. Their condition now is not what it was. I hope you will take good care of them," he said. (004)