Indonesia's Jakarta Connects The Nation's Past To Its Future
For two thousand years, the archipelego now known as Indonesia has blended the cultures and religions of people from Asia, Melanesia and trading nations from around the world into a unique society. Indonesia consists of thousands of islands including the better known ones of Java, Sumatra and Bali, and remote ones like Papua and Sulawesi.
The entire country lies in the "ring of fire" volcanic zone with 167 active volcanoes of incredible power. The 19th century eruptions of Mt. Tambora in 1815 and Krakatoa in 1853 were two of the ten largest ones in recorded history. They caused worldwide devastation as did the 2004 earthquake and tsunami near Sumatra. Recent events show the continuing havoc which these volcanoes can create in the country.
Seventy years after independence from Dutch colonial rule, Indonesia is still pursuing a national identity to match its national motto of "Unity in Diversity", and trying to implement an economic model that can achieve the success of its neighbor across the Straits of Malacca in Singapore. The common characteristic of Indonesia's people today is the Islamic faith of 85% of the country. This religious orientation exists side by side with the different languages and traditions of hundreds of ethnic groups. Indonesians also treasure the historic importance of the pre-colonial Buddhist empires at Majapahit and Borobudur, and the Hindu kingdom at Prambanah.
During our recent visit to the capital city of Jakarta, we were able to visit a number of interesting sites in a day and half through careful planning that worked around the notorious Jakarta traffic. These included:
Jakarta's Sunda Kelapa Waterfront. The maritime tradition of the Javanese makes the harbor area of Sunda Kelapa located on an inlet of Jakarta Bay a good place to begin a tour of the city. For centuries, traders from China, India and the Arab world visited this point of Java to buy spices and exchange other goods. In 1522, the Portuguese followed and that set off a struggle for control among the British and other European powers to control the spice trade. In 1618, the Dutch East India Company won out by conquering Jayakarta, establishing its headquarters there, and renaming the city as "Batavia".
From that date, until Indonesia became independent, most of Indonesia was a Dutch colony. The interesting thing about the harbor area today is the presence of large fleet of wooden sailing vessels with huge hulls that still move cargo to islands around the country. These family enterprises contrast with the modern port which is full of container ships. It provides a symbolic representation of changing Jakarta.
Old City. Dutch Batavia was somewhat modeled on Amsterdam with both canals and roads providing transportation to residents. Today, the focus of the Old City is Fatahillah Square where local people enjoy food, music and entertainment, and visitors can enjoy three different museums. The most popular one is The Museum Wayang which displays elaborate shadow puppets of various shapes and sizes used for traditional storytelling in Indonesian culture.
Freedom Square. The National Monument of Indonesia is a 450 foot high obelisk topped by gold located in a well-manicured park in Central Jakarta across from the presidential palace. Commissioned by Indonesia's first President, Sukarno, the monument represents the independence of Indonesia and freedom from colonial rule. Visitors can view dioramas of the country's history in the base of the monument or wait for an elevator ride to the observation deck.
National Museum. A visit to the National Museum is also worthwhile for an hour or two. There are some anthropological exhibits about the origins of local people including displays about "Java Man" and other human ancestors who inhabited the islands tens of thousands of years ago. Most visitors enjoy the fourth floor treasure room where royal treasures including gold crowns, assorted jewelry, swords and other ornaments are on display. Originally started by the Dutch Society for Arts and Sciences, there are some displays of antiquities from ancient kingdoms of Java and the colonial administration of the country also.
Indonesia in Miniature. This part museum, part theme park, part zoo attraction known as Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature provides more excitement then one would expect. Conceived by former President Suharto's wife, this 250 acre park contains full size pavilions from several dozen parts of Indonesia. Each pavilion features a village house in the style of that region, containing local crafts, music and costumes. Although certainly no EPCOT in terms of sophistication, there are occasional shows and interesting displays which provide some greater insight into the various cultures that make up Indonesia. Birds, fish and other creatures from these regions are also on display including a whole pavilion with some Komodo dragons. Other entertainment options available are a cable car and train ride through the park, a theatre, a transportation museum with planes, trains and automobiles, and puppetry shows.
Jakarta is like many other large cities in Asia. The central business district is clean, safe and spacious with high rise offices, condominiums, international hotel chains and numerous Starbucks. Other parts of the city are overflowing with crowded slums and polluted canals, as millions of rural people have migrated from their villages to the city seeking better opportunities. Indonesia remains an alternate choice for low cost manufacturers. Jakarta's leaders hope that an above ground light rail system being constructed there will reduce traffic on crowded highways. Maintaining economic progress while avoiding the political upheavals will be the challenge for Jakarta and all of Indonesia.