Communities around KCBN Muarajambi should not just be spectators

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Masyarakat Sekitar KCBN Muarajambi Jangan Hanya Jadi Penonton

KOMPAS/ESTER LINCE NAPITUPULU

Residents around the Muarajambi National Cultural Heritage Area are taking advantage of the flood around the Astano Temple to rent out boats. Since January 2024, the area has been used as a floating market that attracts many visitors.

MUARO JAMBI, KOMPAS — The development of the National Cultural Heritage Area or KCBN Muarajambi is designed to start from the ground up. The hope is that the local community will not be alienated from the site center for Buddhist spiritual education from the 7th to the end of the 12th century.

There are already eight buffer villages around KCBN Muarajambi which have been collaborated with the Directorate General of Culture of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) to maintain and develop the site. "The development of cultural heritage must be based on equality between humans and the surrounding environment. "Don't let cultural heritage just become a window display and people just watch, but don't get anything," said Ibe Karyanto, KCBN Muarajambi buffer village assistant, Thursday (21/3/2024), in Muaro Regency Jambi, Jambi.

Ibe gave an example of how the development of Borobudur and Prambanan temples is separated from their respective communities by being surrounded by fences and tight security. Even the locals sometimes do not receive adequate economic benefits from the existence of these World Heritage sites.

Therefore, there must be cooperation between the physical development process of KCBN Muarajambi and its environment and community. "The future task is to explore the intangible cultural heritage of the community related to Muarajambi," he said.

Also read: Muaro Jambi Area Revived as an Education Center

KOMPAS/ALOYSIUS BUDI KURNIAWAN

Village assistant supporting the National Cultural Heritage Area (NCHA) of Muarajambi, Ibe Karyanto (holding the microphone), is engaging in a discussion with village chiefs from eight supporting villages of NCHA Muarajambi, on Wednesday (20/3/2024), at the NCHA Muarajambi complex, in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi.

Residency in Vietnam

To provide an overview of cultural-based tourism management, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology facilitated 16 representatives from eight villages surrounding KCBN Muarajambi to participate in a study visit to Vietnam from February 25 to March 1, 2024. They were taken to visit the historical heritage complex of the Champa Kingdom, My Son, and the former ancient trading city of Hoi An located along the Thu Bon River.

Ismail, the head of Desa Danau Lamo, who participated in the residency, revealed that there are similarities between the cultural heritage site in Vietnam and KCBN Muarajambi, especially in the presence of rivers that connect to the sites. "What's interesting there is the exceptional level of security, so tourists feel comfortable. We rarely see police guarding, but everyone feels safe. Lost items are also secure, as no one takes them," he said.

Development of cultural preservation must be based on the equality between humans and their surrounding environment. It is important that cultural preservation does not just become a showcase for people to watch, but rather provides real benefits.

Translation: Erik, a representative of young people participating in the residency, was impressed by the Vietnamese community's attention to their traditional buildings and culture. "This is a homework for the eight buffer villages of KCBN Muarajambi. The communities in Vietnam and here both have stilt houses, but now the existence of stilt houses in Jambi is slowly disappearing and being replaced by concrete buildings," he said.

For Erik, the potential of cultural-based tourism in Indonesia is not inferior to other countries. What needs attention is how to maintain harmony between the community and the surrounding environment.

Also read: Findings in Muarajambi are increasingly diverse, spread over 130 hectares of land

Secretary of the General Directorate of Culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Fitra Arda, added that local strengths, such as raised houses, must be revitalized. "We need to explore why raised houses exist, one of which is as part of the community's efforts to adapt to natural conditions during floods. Jambi's signature foods must be highlighted. We shouldn't provide food that can be found in Jakarta. It must be different," he said.

KOMPAS/ALOYSIUS BUDI KURNIAWAN

A researcher crosses the Kedaton Temple complex in the Muarajambi National Cultural Heritage Area, Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi, on Wednesday (15/3/2023).

According to Fitra, the residency activity to Vietnam which was attended by village heads and young people around KCBN Muarajambi was more interesting than when they were invited to listen to the presentation. In the future, they need to be invited to study again in other areas, for example the Five Mountains Community which consistently holds activities without assistance from the government, or learn to organize events at Artjog, and so on.

Head of Regional Culture Preservation Center V, Agus Widiatmoko, revealed that through a joint learning visit to Vietnam, it is expected that village heads around Muarajambi Cultural Heritage Conservation Site will gain a deeper understanding of cultural heritage conservation practices, community involvement in site management, and sustainable cultural heritage management.

Previously, the Director General of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam, Nguyen Phuong Hoa, stated that Indonesia and Vietnam have a great opportunity to work together. Cooperation can be carried out in the management of cultural heritage sites and the active involvement of communities around cultural reserves. The visit that was held yesterday was one of the efforts to increase the capacity of human resources in the management of cultural heritage sites.

KOMPAS

Muaro Jambi

The name of the Muarajambi site appeared in Dutch archaeological records in 1937 after Schnitger's excavation. After several years, from 1978 to 1980, restoration was finally carried out around the Gumpung Temple with the release of 5 hectares of land.

Also read: Revitalization of the Muaro Jambi Area Involves Residents

After that, land clearance of around 30 hectares was carried out annually until 2001. In 2022, land clearance was conducted for seven months and covered an area of 100 hectares. Last year, the total area of land that had been cleared in KCBN Muaro Jambi reached 130 hectares, and going forward, the temples built on the cleared land will be arranged.

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