Surakarta fights to come out of Yogyakarta's shadow
Surakarta fights to come out of Yogyakarta's shadow
By Ardus M. Sawega
In conjunction with National Press Day today, The Jakarta Post is publishing the following two stories: the first on the city of Surakarta, and the second on the establishment of the Indonesian Journalists Association 50 years ago.
SURAKARTA (JP): Surakarta, also known as Solo, reputed to live in the shadow of neighboring Yogyakarta, has often been likened to a female of generous disposition. Other comments were less friendly, epitomizing Surakarta as a woman of loose morals. Quite understandably, such remarks draw strong objections from Surakartans.
One of these Surakartans is 78-year-old Gesang Martohartono, who sprang to the defense of his hometown and the women of Surakarta. "It is because we are too polite to refuse anything outright."
Surakarta is an old city, whose origins date back 251 years. Located in the south eastern part of Central Java, it has developed a romantic image because of its legendary women known for their regal beauty.
Long before Indonesia's independence, the city had been known as a place of pleasure. Its reputation and its close vicinity to the Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace attracted large numbers of out- of-town visitors, mainly because the palace's background was rooted in the history of Java's famed and influential kingdom, the Mataram kingdom.
Surakarta was established on Feb. 17, 1745, on the banks of Bengawan Surakarta River, which at the time represented the center of the Surakarta sultanate. Its reign extended to the East Java region, unlike its diminished role today, which limits it to its immediate surroundings.
Surakarta used be a center of influence. Its products became popular for trading with people from other regions.
Traditional cultural products, customs and habits, the Javanese language, literature, art and even home industries like batik, did not escape the influence of the Surakarta sultanate.
The concept of the Javanese culture, like Surakarta's art of dancing, ranked as an outstanding culture, while lesser forms stemmed from lower social levels outside Surakarta. Dances reflecting the languid and gracious style of Surakarta became a noble art.
During colonial times, the Surakarta sultanate led an independent and respectful policy, although it never reached special district status as Yogyakarta did.
The region bred a national movement, which sought shelter under the sultan's authority at the time. First on the list of national Surakarta heroes is Boedi Oetomo, who for years had his headquarters in Surakarta. Other heroes are Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat, Colonel Slamet Riyadi and GPH Djatikusumo.
Organizations sprang up, including the Sarekat Dagang Islam (Islam Trade Association) and later the Sarekat Islam (Islam Association), which was established by batik traders in the village Laweyan.
Another organization of repute, Muhammadiyah, experienced rapid growth in the years after its establishment in Yogyakarta.
Recreation
Surakarta was one of the first places to have recreational sites, which were not found in other regions at the time. Some of the original public recreational areas are Kebon Raja Sriwedari in the city center and Taman Balakembang, located in the northern part of Surakarta.
Sriwedari, which was built at the onset of the 20th century, enthralls visitors with its abundance of flowers and beautiful landscaping. A manmade lake offers boating activities, while visitors preferring the feel of land under their feet opt for a stroll through the Kebon Raja Sriwedari's zoo instead.
Sriwedari offers many entertainment programs, including the art of shadow play, which is recognized as one of the noble arts. Another show available is a ketoprak (people's theater). A movie theater, built in the 1930s, still screens films.
There are six theaters, aside from the one in the Sriwedari garden complex, which have been faithfully operating since prewar days. They are Sonoharsono, Scala (Dhady), Srikaton, Schoberg and Alhambra. Before the independence war, most films shown were Westerns and Indonesian films. During the war, the theaters showed Japanese and Indonesian films at entry prices of 6 cents to 12 cents.
At Sriwedari, the shows were constant, combining keroncong music and Mataram comedies, which were staged by Ribut Rawit and Srimulat, even during the war. Gesang confirmed that not once did Surakarta fail to provide entertainment, not even when other cities buckled under economic burdens.
In Surakarta, old and new types of entertainment from most corners of Java can be viewed. Two of Sriwedari's traditions are Pasar Malam (Evening Market) and the Sekaten (birthday of Prophet Muhammad) festivities held in Alun-Alun Utara (North Park).
Festivities and entertainment are forever being held most of the year, which has primarily been the reason for Surakarta's image of an easy-going city. People have been living a relaxed and unhurried life since the earliest days of the city.
Surakarta citizens know the true art of relaxing. In their dialect they call it nglaras.
Several locations have become relaxation sites of Surakartans. Tirtonadi Park, or Langenharjo, on the banks of Bengawan Surakarta is one of the most popular of these sites. Here, people can relax in the early morning over a breakfast of cooked rice and a traditional side dish of gudeg (stewed jackfruit). In the evenings, the menu changes to local snacks and drinks.
Change
Unfortunately, Surakarta could not halt the march of change, which transformed it from an almost isolated town into a city encroached upon by neighboring districts. No less than six districts, Karesidenan Surakarta, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, Boyolali, Sragen, Klaten and Wonogiri, at distances of 15 kilometers to 30 kilometers, surround the old city.
Surakarta measures 44 square kilometers. Its official population of 537,000 people swells during the day to two million. This is caused by the city's daily commuting work force, which lives in the neighboring areas.
Surakarta came out of a deep sleep 10 years ago. Development under former mayor R. Hartomo began at a brisk tempo, even if controversies in some sectors could not be avoided.
The city has benefited from several government programs. One of them was Program Berseri, which made Surakarta a neat and orderly city.
Roads were cleaned and improved. Slums were spruced up and dirt roads winding between the cottages were paved. Environment matters were high on the list of priorities.
Modernization can be observed in the construction of shopping malls, a number of supermarkets and various restaurants serving Western food. Despite the inroads foreign food seems to be making in most of Indonesia, the majority of Surakartans still prefer traditional fare.
Trade
One of the city's popular trading commodities is batik cloth. This commodity has a daily turnover of Rp 8 billion (US$3.4 million) in the traditional market of Pasar Klewer, Surakarta's stock center of clothes and batik.
Another large economic potential is foreign trade, which has surpassed that of Semarang, the capital of Central Java, and that of Yogyakarta.
In 1994, its combined exports of 4,417 tons of commodities reached $29.7 million. The majority of these exports consisted of textiles and textile products valued at $18.9 million, while batik and batik garments earned an export value of $244,377.
Over the last 20 years, the Surakarta region and its municipality has become a major center of the textile industry. A total of 46 large textile industries are operating in the region, including Sri Isman Textile (Sritex) in Sukoharjo, which is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Then follows Batik Keris, Tyfountex (a foreign investment), Danar Hadi, Sari Warna, SSS and Batik Semar, among others.
A few of these are integrated yarn and textile industries, manufacturing basic materials, such as yarn for textiles, progressing to textile products and garments. The Sritex Group is planning such an industry. It plans to have its own cotton spinning industry, which will free the company from importing this basic material.
Other export income earner are plywood, processed woods, plastic bags, furniture and shoes, which are exported to 55 countries, including the U.S., Japan, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, England, France and Germany.
These economic developments have encouraged the banking world to open up offices in Surakarta. There are 88 national banks operating in Surakarta, with 1,015 branches and subbranches.
New investment records for the years 1994/1995 in the Surakarta municipality have reached Rp 130.82 billion, with a production value of Rp 272 billion. No records were available of the total work force absorbed in the industrial sector of Surakarta.
Although the tourist industry seems to be progressing at a snail's pace, it is generally believed that by 1998 it could hold a more hopeful future. In 1998, the Adisumarno airport is slated to become an international airport.
The ongoing construction of the airport will extend the 1,950- meter-long landing strip to 3,600 meters, to accommodate Boeing 747s.
Renovations are not limited to extending the landing strip. Construction includes renewal of the apron and the terminal.
Also scheduled for construction by the government is the 60- kilometer Surakarta-Yogyakarta toll road, in support of Surakarta's international airport.
These preparations to boost tourism have sharpened the industriously-minded among the Surakarta citizenry. Tourist sites have already sprung up, offering package tours in the not too distant future. A number of star-rated hotels are under construction too.
The future toll road seems to be a source of worry to Surakartans, though. Someone in the tourist trade said in a doubtful tone, "Will foreign tourists really fly in droves to Surakarta when the new airport is completed? Or will they opt for the toll road trip from here to Yogya and stay there?"
It seems that the one thing Surakarta needs most is to come out of the shadow of Yogyakarta.