Surabaya's cultural heritage devastated by modern lifestyles
Surabaya's cultural heritage devastated by modern lifestyles
To mark the 711th anniversary of East Java province's capital
Surabaya which falls on May 31, The Jakarta Post's Indra
Harsaputra reports on the city's historical sites, which are in a
poor state, and also on the rapid development of business in the
second largest city in the country.
Sad to say, Surabaya's Youth Hall and many other historical
buildings are now in a state of neglect or been have converted
into upmarket shopping centers. Besides the loss of many examples
of the city's built heritage, Surabaya has also degenerated into
a heavily polluted urban sprawl. Surprisingly, most of the city's
residents seem unaffected by the pollution. For them, Surabaya is
still a good place to live and work in.
Surabaya, originally a coastal town, is one of the country's
oldest urban areas. Located on the Kalimas estuary, it was
originally called Ujunggaluh (Hujunggaluh) and is thought to date
back to 1293
The settlement of Ujunggaluh is generally associated with the
struggle waged by Raden Wijaya and his people against Kubilai
Khan's Mongol invaders.
In local mythology, there was a fight between a sura fish and
an alligator (buaya in Indonesian or boyo in Javanese) for
control of a particular area. The fight ended with the death of
both the fish and the alligator. Hence the name Surabaya (sura
combined with buaya.
During the Netherlands Indies days, Surabaya saw a number of
noted Dutch architects gaining commissions in the city. Westmaes
was one of these architects. He designed the Simpangsche
Societeit, which was built in 1907. Today, this building, known
as Balai Pemuda (Youth Hall), is still one of the city's main
landmarks. The cream of Surabaya society gathered there to listen
to music, dance and watch plays.
After completing the construction of Simpangche Societeit,
Westmaes was instructed to design De Tweede Roomsch Katholieke
Kerk (the Second Surabaya Catholic Church), which is now known as
the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and stands on Jalan Kepanjen.
During this period, other noted Dutch architects and firms of
architects were also drawn to the city, including Fritz Joseph
Pinedo, Berlage, Hulswit and Fermond & Ed. Cuypers. Their work
shows a blend of traditional Javanese Joglo (the steep upper
section of the roof of a traditional Javanese mansion) and Dutch
architectural styles.
Thanks to the work of these architects, Surabaya still boasts
some impressive Netherlands Indies architecture. Some of these
buildings also played a role in the rebellion staged by Surabaya
residents against the Allies. The Jembatan Merah (Red Bridge) and
the Heroes' Monument, for example, are just two of the many
buildings that bear silent witness to history in the city.
As of 2003, the Surabaya municipal administration had
identified 163 historic buildings and heritage sites. These
buildings, considered invaluable from the historical,
architectural and conservation aspects, include Kalisosok
penitentiary, Surabaya city railway station (Semut), the Joko
Dolog statue, Bung Karno's boarding house on Jalan Peneleh Gang
VII/29-31 just of Jl. Peneleh, and the Nam Shop.
Unfortunately, some of these heritage sites are now in poor
repair. Some of them have even, or will be, converted to
commercial uses. Kalisosok penitentiary, for example, is
currently very dilapidated and is due to be turned into a
shopping center. Semut railway station is also to be demolished
to make way for shop-houses. Wonokromo traditional market has
been converted into the Darmo Trade Center (DTC), which cost some
Rp 230 billion.
The Airlangga University students dormitory on Jalan Blauran
57 was demolished last year, despite the fact that it was a
protected structure.
Latimin, a retired naval officer who lives nearby, said the
student dormitory was vacated long before PT Blauran Cipta Mulya
drew up a plan to build a shopping center on the eastern part of
Jalan Blauran.
Currently, the site occupied by the former dormitory is
surrounded by an unsightly galvanized fence.
Of all the city's historical objects, it is the Balai Pemuda
that is today the city's best known landmark. While in the past
it was an art center for the elite, today it is the municipal art
center, where regular performances ranging from dancing to a
youth band festival are held. Events organized in conjunction
with the official anniversary of Surabaya are also held here.
According to the official version of events, this building
marked the beginning of the rise of Surabayans in their struggle
against the colonizers.
During Dutch colonial rule, Surabaya residents were seriously
offended when a Dutchman at the Simpangsche Societeit allegedly
said: "Indigenous people and dogs are prohibited from entering."
The story spread and enraged the Surabaya people, who later
fought valiantly under local hero Bung (brother) Tomo against the
colonists.
Meanwhile, Heri Lento, an observer of the art scene and also a
member of the Surabaya Arts Council, said that the administration
of Surabaya municipality had to do something to seriously tackle
the devastation of the city's cultural heritage. The municipal
administration plans to issue a bylaw for the protection of
cultural heritage sites later this month.
"If the municipality administration fails to protect the
city's cultural and historical legacy, Surabaya will lose its
very identity," he said.
"The government has tried to promote local culture through
various art performances but, unfortunately, there is no
awareness of the significance of our cultural patrimony that has
originated from outside Surabaya."
"It seems that they (the local government) only prioritize a
handful of wealthy businesspeople at the expense of the public's
interest," he said.
Heri said that there was little concern for the culture and
history of Surabaya. When a village culture parade was held in
conjunction with the official 711th anniversary of Surabaya, the
local administration allowed the parade to be disrupted by
traffic. In fact, the parade was intended to introduce the arts
and history of Surabaya to the general public.