Sangiran: Preserving history and heritage

Sangiran: Preserving history and heritage

Frangois Simah, Institut de, Paliontologie Humaine, Paris and
Truman Simanjuntak, Center for Archaeological Research, Jakarta

Thoroughly studied for almost 70 years, the Sangiran dome,
Central Java, one of the most important places to understand the
history of ancient humans in Asia, deserves to enter the World
Heritage list.

Before and just after becoming reality, this project had to be
strongly supported for many years by senior Indonesian scientists
and boosted by Edy Sedyawati, the archeology professor who was a
director general of culture as well as by specialists of the
site.

The government at the national, provincial and regency levels,
from the state minister for tourism and culture to the regent of
Sragen, have demonstrated their concern for the conservation and
the development of this treasure. Their concern is also shared by
scientists and of the UNESCO.

As researchers who worked on the site for so many years -- and
therefore love it -- we can barely disguise our enthusiasm to see
so many people endeavoring to work together for the development
of the site.

Two noticeable events are to be highlighted in that view: The
international seminar organized by the government and UNESCO in
April last year and the visit of State Minister of Tourism I Gede
Ardika to the site last August, together with regent Untung
Wiyono.

But the more complex a site, the more difficult it is to
ensure its development. Sangiran cannot be said to be a "normal"
world heritage site, it is a place full of secrets but the
smallest part of them. Natural sites like Ha Long Bay in Vietnam
must see their natural character protected (ecology,
biodiversity, etc). Architectural sites (like Borobudur) must be
restored and carefully developed for tourism.

But what is there in Sangiran? Merely hills, fields and rivers
which resemble so much the hills, fields and rivers we enjoy to
visit all over beautiful Java. In fact, what is part of our
common world heritage is secretly enclosed in the earth: Stones,
bones, sands, earth, which are not so beautiful by themselves,
but whose beauty lays only in the stories of ancient humankind
they tell us.

Basically, Sangiran's "life" depends on scientific research.
The researcher's job is to collect the objects (bones, stones,
etc) together with all the environmental data, which describes
the daily life of our Pithecanthropus -- like ancestors.

In return, the researchers have to comply with various duties.
First, all the research teams involved on the site have to meet
each other regularly in order to share the work by means of a
consistent research planning from which the development of the
site can benefit.

Such a global plan is controlled by the government in
accordance with the scientific institutions. Second, they have
the duty to help conserve the data they excavate (including the
collections of fossils and artifacts) and make them accessible to
other scientists.

Third, they have to bring to the public the synthesis of their
work, to communicate their results to everybody by helping the
exhibitions programmed by the curators of the museum. Last, they
have to contribute by their authorized advice to the protection
and conservation of the site.

Curators of the museum and of the site have also an invaluable
responsibility in the protection and the development of the site,
the collections and the data. They are in permanent contact with
people living on or visiting the site to whom they have to
explain the richness of the Sangiran patrimony and how to comply
with protection regulations and limitations.

The government, specifically the regency, is in charge of the
site, which is an outstanding responsibility. They have to
fulfill together the needs of the national, provincial and
regency policy for cultural, economic and social development.
They have to accommodate the needs of locals -- roads, buildings,
fields, etc -- with those of the tight protection of the site.

It is not always easy but definitely necessary to make so many
actors work together in harmony. Any decision concerning the site
cannot be made prior to consulting all the parties, a process
which is time-consuming but important.

Fortunately, Indonesia possesses by itself many specialists in
the concerned fields. A smaller permanent board involving the
government (at the three levels) and the Center for
Archaeological Research and conservation institutions can ensure
a fast but secure decision-making process, taking into account
and evaluating any individual or collective opinions.

This board has to meet quite often in order not to hamper the
development of the site, to comply with economic limitations. As
Sangiran is already listed as a World Heritage site, important
decisions and overall evaluation of the development of the site
can also be discussed during, for instance, annual meetings of
the larger advisory board already formed under UNESCO's umbrella.

This board is chaired by national officers, but implies also
advisers from international research teams who worked for long on
the site, as well as specialists from various countries who face
similar questions of their own (scientists from the Zhoukoudian
Peking Man site are members of this board).

Should those boards meet at the required intervals, debates --
and related smaller misunderstandings -- like that about the
building of the vista tower in Pagerejo would really have little
chance to exist.

The current situation offers an unique opportunity for the
sake of Sangiran conservation, scientific, touristic and economic
development. It is the common responsibility of all the actors
not to lose such an opportunity.