Enlivening Urban Life with a Cup of Coffee

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Coffee serving at Kopi Djoeang cafe on Jalan Pembangunan, Jayapura, Papua, Thursday (30/9/2021). The cafe is one of the portraits of the pulse of young people\'s lives in Jayapura City.

As evening comes to Jayapura, which is two hours ahead of Jakarta, the hustle bustle in the capital city of "Bumi Cenderawasih", the nickname for Papua province, continues until late at night, helped by the refurbished coffee shops that have mushroomed over the past few years.Also read:

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The city streets, which have modest lighting, had already dimmed as early as 8:30 p.m. local time on Thursday (30/9/2021), but some corners of the city were alive with striking yellow light, as it was at the Kopi Juang coffee shop that hosted a throng of some 20 guests engaged in conversation, playing games, or working.

"Good evening, bang [brother]," said Gilbert Gray (23), who had just arrived, as he bumped fists with owner and barista Jefry Roberto Theos (26).

As he asked how Gilbert was doing, Jeffry asked, “Koju?” to which Gilbert replied with a nod. Koju, the acronym for Kopi Juang, is the shop\'s signature coffee brew. It is a typical coffee drink, similar to the milk coffee served at Jakarta’s street stalls.

Not only is the coffee similar, the environment is also similar with its minimalist interior.

Visitors who have ventured into Jakarta’s many coffee shops may feel a familiarity on entering Kopi Juang. Not only is the coffee similar, the environment is also similar with its minimalist interior.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Es Kodju is a specialty dish for Kopi Djoeang cafe on Jalan Pembangunan, Jayapura, Papua, Thursday (30/9/2021).

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, Gilbert has never missed a visit to the coffee shop. For him, Kopi Juang is like a second home. He said he spent around Rp 50,000 to hang out all day at the shope.

"You can work here and it definitely refreshes (the mind). You can mabar (hang out and play games) as well as chat with the baristas, whom I treat like older brothers," he said.

Gilbert\'s experience is not isolated, as young urbanites are looking to help revitalize the economy through coffee shops, like Jeffry has done with Kopi Juang.

"The potential of the kitong (our) market is those who come from outside. That\'s the impact of the habits of Java’s residents. In the past, most of those who visited coffee shops were migrants. Now there is a balance in the number [of] migrants and local residents,” said Jeffry, who opened Kopi Juang in 2019.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

The splendor of the Lukas Enembe Stadium complex in Harapan Village, Nolokla Village, East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency, Papua, Tuesday (28/9/2021).

The ongoing National Games (PON) Papua 2021 has promptly boosted the city’s coffee shops. Jefry said his turnover had doubled since the Games started, from Rp 3 million to Rp 6 million per day.

Mobile vendors

The business of selling coffee is not exclusive to coffee houses, and Komunitas Anak Jalanan Jantung Kota Jayapura, an street children outreach community, entered the business of selling coffee from mobile vending carts last year.

Heny Naa, a member of the community, set up shop on Friday (1/10) at Youtefa Bay, the venue of the PON rowing events. She said she had earned Rp 600,000 from selling 30 cups of coffee by 1 p.m.

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“Before PON, I was only able to sell a maximum of 20 cups of coffee per day. Now, I can sell up to 40 cups when there is [an event] attended by many people,” said the 23-year-old. She is among 15 community members taking advantage of the economic spillover from the Games.

The community’s product is named Q-tong Kopi, which means Papua coffee served by indigenous Papuans.

Naomi Selan, an activist and religious leader, founded the community in 2005. It is now home to around 200 street children and provides assistance, empowerment, and protection of their rights.

In July 2020, a coffee entrepreneur from Pegunungan Bintang regency gave assistance to the community in the form of raw materials and carts.

Today, the community has 15 carts. With an income of Rp 200,000 to Rp 400,000 per day, its members can fulfill their daily needs and rent rooms.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tomi Mano lights a stove using the 2021 Papua PON Fire Torch in the yard of the Jayapura Mayor\'s Office, Papua, Friday (1/10/2021

"Before Q-tong Kopi (was introduced), community members only ate once a day and slept on the open verandah of shops," community secretary Joyce Rumkorem said.

The pastime, he said, had helped trigger the proliferation of cafes and coffee shops in Jayapura.

Gratianus Abaa, a member of the Numbay Coffee Community, said that hanging out at cafes and coffee shops had become popular among adults as well as also millennials. The pastime, he said, had helped trigger the proliferation of cafes and coffee shops in Jayapura.

“Over the past three years there has been an increase in the number of young people in Jayapura consuming coffee in cafes and shops. This was triggered by the [annual] Papua Coffee Festival which was initiated by Bank Indonesia in 2018," Gratianus said.

KOMPAS/FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA

Rowing athlete from Papua Province, Stevani Ibo has won two medals at the 2021 Papua National Sports Week. Finally, he won a gold medal in the Women\'s 1 200 Meter Kayak match at Youtefa Bay Rowing Arena, Jayapura City, Friday (1/10/2021).

The economic life of Jayapura has been reveling in the coffee businesses set up by young urbanites in recent years. The ongoing National Games are expected to boost the local coffee business, with the many people coming to enjoy the Games. Through a cup of coffee, torang (the people) can help change the face of the city! (FLO/KEL)

(This article was translated by Musthofid).