When passing a security post by motorcycle, the security guards paid no attention. The visit to a house that used to belong to the late Adriana Johanna Bake (1743-1787), the second wife of East Indies Company (VOC) Governor General Petrus Albertus van der Parra, went smoothly.
On the motorcycle, Farah told her story. The 1,000-square-meter house on a 200-hectare plot of land at Jalan Raya Bogor Km 34, which initially belonged to Bake, was built in 1775-1778 by David J. Smith. After Bake died, Smith bought the house.
"It is not clear how, in 1935, the property changed hands to WL Samuel De Meyer, and in 1964 became an assets of RRI. In 1978, it was used to house RRI employees," Farah said.
Farah reminded everyone present to be careful when walking because two wells in front of the terrace were covered by overgrowth.
Every six months, the DHC team meets to evaluate its findings by all of its members on a number of historical sites, historical areas and heritage buildings in Depok and its surroundings.
When the news broke that the former house of Bake would be demolished to make way for a university, DHC members were outraged.
"Only 10 DHC members are active, but in an emergency, we can deploy 300 members. Their duties include making reports on the latest development of objects in the field, taking notes and photos, accompanying and giving historical data to journalists, including giving interviews when required," said Farah enthusiastically.
Her team later arrange to take journalists to the location. "Initially, separately, we brought three journalists through the back gate. But after one of them published an article, all the gates were tightly guarded," she said.
On Wednesday morning near a building in the compound, Farah reminded everyone present to be careful when walking because two wells in front of the terrace were covered by overgrowth. Farah explained that the house, popularly called Cimanggis House, had become the main focus of the DHC. Therefore, the DHC periodically took records and photos and interviewed people about it.
In 2013, the DHC recorded and photographed the house when its windows were still intact.
"There is a man called Benny who claimed to be homeless who stayed in the house for 30 years. He is the main witness of the building, which it was fully furnished until its windows were stolen," said Farah. Benny\'s claims become material for the DHC to investigate and search for information about the old house.
In 2013, the DHC recorded and photographed the house when its windows were still intact. In 2016, the house still had a roof, but not anymore.
"If you came at the end of November or earlier, the building could hardly be seen as it was covered by bushes. The bushes were cleared in early December," said Farah. She shows us written reports and photos of the development of each historical site and heritage buildings on her cell phone.
The Cimanggis house has a living room, a family room, kitchen and other rooms. It also has slave quarters. "On the left side of the front yard, there used to be a bell that was used to regulate the daily schedule for workers of the rubber plantation in front of the house," said Farah.
At the back terrace, there were two wells where horses could drink. There was also a horse stable. The back yard ended there. "Johanna\'s house was complete, beautiful and lovely," said Farah.
Documentation and inventory
Farah explained that the group she leads was established on July 5, 2011. "Initially we shared the same hobbies - traveling, eating and visiting historical areas and heritage sites. Then we became addicted," said Farah. The rising curiosity of DHC members makes them serious. They started by taking simple photographs.
The DHC has restored a telegraph pole made in 1900 at a T-junction of Jalan Kartini and Jalan Pemuda.
From taking simple photographs, they started to watch and grew militant. "Through various ways, especially through social media, we criticize and remind policymakers not to damage, change or add to historical areas and heritage sites," she said.
The chairman of the assets and history division of Cornelis Chastelein Institution Foundation, Depok, Ferdy Jonathans, acknowledged DHC\'s militancy. "They carefully watch and criticize the cultural heritage areas in Depok. Their work and coverage are wider than ours," Ferdy said when contacted.
Ferdy was happy with the presence of the DHC in Depok. "At least they remind residents not to repeat the black history of Depok," said Ferdy.
Through the DHC, Farah and her friends network with historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and sociologists. "Through them, we get much input to supervise and be involved in the preservation of heritage sites," said Farah.
With their advice, the DHC has restored a telegraph pole made in 1900 at a T-junction of Jalan Kartini and Jalan Pemuda. "We rid the telegraph pole of the pieces of string from various banners and party flags, then we painted it in line with the descriptions in a number of history books," she said.
Farah and her friends have urged all residents to love their city by taking part in maintaining and preserving heritage sites in the city.
In 2013, the DHC documented heritage sites in Depok, then together with the Depok city administration held a workshop and published a book.
"The Depok city administration still asks us to supervise and maintain the heritage assets in Depok. One of them is the widening of Jalan Kartini," Farah said.
She explained that according to DHC records, there are 53 sites in the districts of Pancoran Mas and Beji. "We have recorded each alteration to buildings, like as what was done by Pastor Heuken SJ (writer of a number of books on the history of Batavia, or Jakarta) by continuously following changes in the Menteng area. We also feel angry when seeing heritage buildings being altered," she said.
The DHC, Farah further said, was strict when faced with the destruction of heritage buildings in the Depok Lama area. "To be honest, we lose more than we win because it is them who own the buildings," Farah said.
Through the DHC, Farah and her friends have urged all residents to love their city by taking part in maintaining and preserving heritage sites in the city. "Cities without cultural heritages is like cities without culture," she said.
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