'Tangkiwood' fades in time

'Tangkiwood' fades in time

Ida Indawati Khouw, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Legendary comedian, the late Bing Slamet jokingly called the
alleyways in Tangki subdistrict, Mangga Besar in downtown Kota,
West Jakarta, "Tangkiwood" back in the 1950s.

This was because Tangkiwood was a focal point for popular
performing artists at the time.

Fifty years on, the area is still called Tangkiwood. But it is
no longer inhabited by the country's best drama players. It is
just an ordinary slum like many other parts of Jakarta.

Why did the artists live there? There is no complete
explanation available except stories from artists who once lived
there.

Tangkiwood's history began after the establishment of
makeshift accommodation for members of a drama group led by Musa
Sardi, the father of popular violinist Idris Sardi. The group
performed regularly at the Princen Park amusement center, now
Lokasari, a popular shopping center in Mangga Besar.

"Princen Park boss, Tan In Hie, built modest sheds at Tangki
Lio (as the area was called at that time) near the park, for the
group members. They (the members) would usually spend nights on
the stage when performances took place," said the 66-year-old
Lailasari, the only artist who is still residing near Tangkiwood,
at Gang Badilah I.

Princen Park was an amusement center built during the Dutch
colonial era. It existed until the 1960s when its popularity
faded and many of the stars had died. Various entertainment spots
were provided in the open area including movies, an open-air hall
for performances and restaurants.

Lailasari, whose parents were members of the drama group, said
more and more artists moved there to enable them to play at
Princen Park.

Tangkiwood became more popular when the artists joined the
film industry. Alwi Shahab named some of the popular film stars
in his book Robin Hood Betawi including Rukiah, Raden Muchtar,
Astaman, Amang Rahman, Wolly Sutinah and also Bi Supi who once
stayed in the area.

Although the area became an artist's enclave, there was no
improvement in living conditions.

Artist Aminah Cendrakasih, daughter of Wolly Sutinah, recalled
how difficult it was even to find proper toilets or clean water.

"Not all houses had private toilets, thus we would go to
nearby Kali Lio river for our daily needs," said Aminah, 63, who
resided there in the 1950s.

She also described the area as consisting of narrow semi-
permanent houses.

But for Lailasari, the comedian who is popularly called "old
lady rocker", Tangkiwood was a nice place with friendly
inhabitants.

"We always heard the sound of musicians playing in their
houses. The neighborhood was always alive specially when we had
'parties' in open spaces to greet visiting artists (who lived
outside the area, as well as foreign artists). We just collected
money to finance the parties," she said.

Lailasari was clearing the gutter in front of her narrow and
simple house when met by The Jakarta Post recently.

Tangkiwood is now one of the poorer neighborhoods in Jakarta.
Houses are built really close to each other and there is an
unpleasant smell from the stagnant water in the gutters along the
complex surrounding it.

It is difficult to find it now. The only way to find it is by
asking old people in the Lokasari area.