Longing for Revival of Betawi Cultural Bastion

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Aat Sudrajat, better known as Muut Lenong, a Betawi arts activist and leader of the Bunga Cempedak Studio, plays the gambang kromong (xylophone) in Setu Babakan, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, on Saturday (20/6/2020). Betawi art activities at the studio, including training and classes, are temporarily stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Setu Babakan is one of the last bastions still standing tall to safeguard the culture of Jakarta’s Betawi people, even as everything around it has been deeply affected by the unstoppable onslaught of modernization and urbanization. After months of inactivity due to the Covid-19 outbreak, its reopening is deeply longed for, especially by local artists aiming to preserve Betawi culture.

On Saturday (20/6/2020), beneath lush trees at Setu Babakan, 38-year-old Asri was enjoying her lunch with her husband and two children by the 30-hectare manmade lake.

Even though she was born and raised in Jakarta, this was her first time visiting the Setu Babakan Betawi Cultural Village (PBB) in Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta. The site is located in the capital’s suburbs, near the neighboring city of Depok.

We are disappointed, but this is understandable due to the pandemic.

“We have often visited Bogor and Katulampa to enjoy scenery like this, when there is a lake like here in Jakarta,” said the bank employee.

Asri said that her family had hoped to see a Betawi dance recital there. However, all cultural activities have stopped since the start of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). Even sellers of local delicacy kerak telor (omelet made of egg and sticky rice) were nowhere to be found. “We are disappointed, but this is understandable due to the pandemic,” she said.

Kompas

Visitors at Setu Babakan, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, Saturday (20/6/2020).

PBB Setu Babakan stands on a 289 hectare plot of land, 30 percent of which is owned by the Jakarta administration. The rest are neighborhoods spread over four community units (RW), namely RWs 006, 007, 008 and 009 of Srengseng Sawah district.

Residents of Setu Babakan are required to use Betawi architecture style in their homes – even if partially. Many residents just use the gigi balang, a series of triangular and circular ornaments, or paint their doors green and yellow.

Blessing from art

Before PSBB, art performances were held in Zone A at its open-air amphitheater. Lenong (comedy plays), palang pintu ritual, ondel-ondel giant effigy performances, traditional dances and gambang kromong music performance could be enjoyed on weekends.

Bunga Cempedak Betawi artistic studio head Aat Sudrajat, 50, said that performing at Setu Babakan was a rare opportunity sought after by many traditional art studios in Jakarta. His group has a schedule to perform in Setu Babakan only twice a year. However, the studio is often invited to perform at various other activities, such as at Betawi families’ traditional ceremonies.

Also read : Proving the Resilience of Jakarta

The absence of activities at Setu Babakan due to Covid-19 has deeply affected the income of many Betawi traditional artists. “Praise God, some have other jobs to make ends meet. Some drive ojek (motorcycle taxis) or have food stalls. I also have a side job,” said Uut, as Aat is affectionately called.

Uut also serves as a staff member of the PBB Setu Babakan management unit. He is responsible for keeping the Betawi Museum in Zone A clean. He also has shows on at least two radio stations, namely Bens Radio and BHI Radio.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Herna Parlina (36), a gambang keromong  singer, shared a story about art activities that were stopped for more than three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite having other sources of income, the absence of performance schedules has put a burden on the family of 37-year-old gambang kromong singer Herna Parlina. This is because 70 percent of her family’s income is from performances. The remaining 30 percent comes from her 50-year-old husband Sain Romli’s income as an ojek driver.

Romli and her two sons are skilled kendang (traditional drum) players who can also play kromong, gong and other musical instruments. Herna and Romli often ask their two sons to play with them. A performer can get Rp 350,000 (US$24.88) per performance and there can be 10-12 invitations to perform in a month. From Herna and Romli alone, the family can earn up to Rp 7 million a month from performances.

In the past three months, however, the family’s income has been disrupted. “We could not pay for the school fees of our boy who is in middle school. However, this has been resolved, praise God,” Herna said at her home in Tanah Baru subdistrict, Beji, Depok, on Saturday.

In these hard times, gambang kromong remains a source of joy for Herna’s second son M Fathir Sidiq, 11. On Saturday (20/6) afternoon, Siqid was seen joyfully hitting the kendang with his deft fingers. He learnt how to play the instrument from his grandfather.

Creative power

For 52-year-old Betawi artist Jazuri, a member of Citra Argawana ondel-ondel performance group, the hardships faced during the pandemic are a trigger for creativity. Preservation alone will not be enough for Betawi artists to persist. Development is also necessary.

“For example, ondel-ondel performance used to held during harvest parties. Nowadays, what can you harvest in Jakarta?” said the man affectionately called Bang Jaxc.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Young tambour player, Muhamad Fathir Sidiq (11), shows his ability to play a tambour on the porch of the house in the Beji area, Depok, West Java, Saturday (20/6/2020).

However, ondel-ondel have remained alive and are prospering because they are now used for many different events. Even inauguration ceremonies for companies can have an ondel-ondel performance.

Culture is the product of society’s ideas in line with the times. Even with the absence of performances in Setu Babakan cultural centers or other places, this does not mean that the ancestral heritage has lost its opportunity to stay alive. Advances in information technology, for instance, can open new doors for traditional art forms to continue existing.

As Jakarta eases its PSBB and prepares to commemorate its 493rd anniversary on June 22, cultural and recreational parks such as Setu Babakan can reopen. Opportunities will return for local artists to preserve their art forms. They need to be skilled in digging to the depths of local culture and ensuring its continued existence and development.