think archipelago, V7 Aug 2014

V7

think!archipelago human interest I cityscape I landscape I architecture I art

Aug 2014

think!archipelago is a quarterly publication owned and run by Purnadi Phan Photography. The content is entitled to Purnadi Phan Photography’s intellectual property, including but not limited to text, photographs, graphics, design and arrangement. Contributors retain copyright interest in their respective stories, photographs and other proprietary contents. Regardless having verified and published articles of utmost accountability, neither owner nor contributors can accept responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on any of the information written in this publication.

P2 Contents

EDITOR’S NOTE

Contributors

QUARTERLY REVIEW

Holiday rush Ahmad Sadali in retrospective The death and rise of kungfu star

ARTICLE SECTION

Betaria Desa Sasak Ende Kunstkring Paleis

WORLD SECTION

Dangerous Bangkok The crossings 1833 ruling family

THE ROAD LEAST TRAVELED Deserted

P3 Editor’s note

As I got lost in what was once the heart of Jakarta, now turned a deserted old town without much left of attractiveness besides the recounts by aged locals who had seen its glory days in trade and culture, I was asphyxiated in my lonely path across the networks of empty streets. As Southeast Asia’s biggest economy in recent years, its capital pales in comparison with Thailand in attracting tourists. While Bangkok made success in bringing nearly 16 million tourists last year, making it the world’s most visited city, Jakarta is in the process of forgetting the potential of old cities as a major tourist attraction. It is an irony that there is a place so least visited by Jakartans at the city center. A city is a giant living organism that constantly adapts to social changes. It remains to be seen whether the people would bow down to the natural cycle or making an effort, at least experimenting, on how to transform the old city to improve the social lives. In this edition we put more focus on cityscapes with coverage from Tokyo to Bangkok, and an interview with a humble citizen of Magelang, Central Java. The purpose is to make a clear observation of the real life in a particular city in Indonesia.

Purnadi Phan purnadi.phan@gmail.com

We thank these terrific people whose contributions have helped make the volume possible A writer and a business photography practitioners, that is how Dicky Stefanus describes himself. He loves to experience a new culture, meet new peoples and to share knowledge. Encouraged by his nephew and niece, he wants to share knowledge in his first book Sukses berbisnis photobooth instant print. It is now available in Gramedia book store.

Currently he is collaborating with many terrific photographers to write his second and third book for Gramedia group publishing company. He loves to know more stuff, and that is why he loves to hear your story.

You can contact him at dicky.stefanus@gmail.com

Sports, music dan traveling are three things Laurentius T. Pesik like most.

He excels in event organizing and works in Jakarta. He nurtured the love of mountain hiking in his formative years.

Forming a group of hikers, he and friends eagerly searched for quite and cold places on higher altitudes.

His goal is to reach every summit of the mountains he climbed and posed those proud moments in front of a camera.

Now he thinks about sharing other no-less appealing photos down the city streets.

Agus Chang is a writer who now works as an IT professional in one of the fastest growing banks in Indonesia. He has an interest in sports, technology and culture. He believes that intellectual and moral side of humans should work together in harmony to create a better world.

P4 Quarterly review

May

July

Holiday rush

The death and rise of kungfu star

The American-born martial arts movie star Bruce Lee died in his apartment in Hong Kong of an allergic reaction to painkiller on 20 July 1973. Six days later, Enter The Dragon, the first kungfu movie produced by Hollywood, was released and became one of the most culturally significant movies in the USA and continued to be his best remembered movie in the world. It later also gave one of the stunt-

May this year saw an uncannily frequent holidays that had impacted productivity and the overall city mood. One of the perks is the more sightings of the large puppet Ondel Ondel, Jakarta’s cultural icon. But that was before you know that they are just a more advance means of begging.

June

Photography I Agus Chang

men in the movie his way to fame as the next kungfu movie star, Jackie Chan.

The 2005 Bruce Lee statue in Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui, was initiated by community fans in Hong Kong after collecting US$100,000 in fundraising.

Ahmad Sadali in retrospective

Banyuwangi Oil on canvas 1960

Untitled No.41 Oil on canvas Year unknown

The late Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) was touted as the father of Indonesia’s abstract art. But the artist himself made a unique statement when he shunned people’s reference to him as an abstractionist, although he confided to his son that culturally there is no other way to describe his works as abstract. In light of this puzzling dichotomy, Galeri Nasional once again showcased the local maestro’s works to bring back to life the arguments about the way this archipelago country perceives the language of visual expression.

INDONESIA JAZZ REVIEW Album and artist

Click to enter ________________________________________________ Barry Likumahuwa, Ireng Maulana, Idang Rasjidi, Indra Lesmana, Margie Segers, Maliq & d’essentials, Ermy Kullit, Tohpati, Syaharani, and many more.

P6 World section

BETARIA Photography and text

I

Erwin Supandi

8 PM in Magelang, inside the partially closed workshop sat the 64 year-old Tan Djian Hua, working with his tools under the dim light.

Despite his old age, Tan is still highly spirited in doing his job, wearing nice shirt and thick glasses. “We just have to enjoy what we do,” he said without a slight hint of exasperation on his face, even though he has been repairing small dynamos for more than 50 years.

“When the school was closed, I had to work for a living. My family was so poor that even I had to depend on scholarship to go to school,” he recalled. Not long after the narration shifted to his children.

63%

The percentage of Indonesian working population with only junior high school degree.

The national economic productivity index is low.

The way he told the stories of his children clearly showed his pride to all seven of them. When the night fell onto his dark, small workshop, lit with only one desk lamp, so was the old Tan’s freckle of hopes to have all his children schooled. One of them apparently followed his father’s path to become a repairman.

Tan Djian Hua also uses his small workshop as his house, “so whenever I got tired, I could rest,” he explained. But in that simple explanation, he did not looked tired at all.

..

P10 Article section

DESA SASAK ENDE

Photography and text

I

Sally Condro

Clockwise from top left: A grandmother greets visitor in front of her house. She has lost count on how old she is. The house floor made from the mixture of cattle excretion and mud.

The native village of Sasak Ende, two hours ride from the city center of Lombok, has been a major international tourism destination in this island for decades. The near absence of trash along the road and in the vicinity is an evidence just how serious the local administration takes the steps to keep the prime status of this place of interest. After enjoying the long stretch of stunning paddy fields scenery, visitors arrived in the village and welcomed by the village chief. His short introduction about the village was a useful narration to understand the living condition and the local custom.

From left: A man demonstrates tribal fight and the use of war tools. A shield made from wood.

A mother who still makes fabrique using traditional handwoven technique.

He told that life in Desa Sasak Ende is always in harmony with nature. Cows and calves are regarded an asset of high value.These animals live under the same roof with the village inhabitants. The locals perceive them as true partners and deserve an exceptional reverence. Everything that comes from cows must be put to use efficiently. In an extreme instance, cow dung is used to harden the floor in each house. The dried cow dung left no foul stench. The inhabitants also hold a philosophy of mutual respect that is symbolised in the typically short front doors placed in every house. By bowing your way down into the house, you pay respect to the host. It goes the same with the host welcoming a guest at the door way.

A mother carrying her child in Desa Sasak Ende.

Weaving keeps the native female busy.

Layout design

I

Felice Arlene

The article is presented to you by:

www.be-bright.me

P20 World section

DANGEROUS BANGKOK

Photography and text I Dicky Stefanus

You might have heard about Dangerous Bangkok, a 2008 movie starring Nicholas Cage. Well the title is enough how to describe my tiny adventure in Bangkok. I won a round trip to Thailand from a world famous air conditioner company. Hearing lots of the beautiful and the exotic Bangkok , I decided to prolong my stay in Bangkok for three days and two nights.

The story is not to say Bangkok is bad.

On the contrary, I want to say please go to there. It is a beautiful city. However, knowing more about the city in your travel wish list is an advantage. I also have a few great friends there, especially my lovely Ann W. Apparently there are quite a few oriental minority. When I was there, a tour guide book says don’t get a cab that refuses to use meter. Apparently this is hard enough to be true. When I speak to the cab drivers they just said in adequate English, “No! no!, out!” Or they will just ask 100 bath. This rules also apply to Thuk Thuk. With a stern face, my local tour guide stated that don’t talk to much or try a bit pushy. If this works please do tell me how you do it.

Before I left my company tour, I read how Thuk Thuk drivers can do some unpleasant things to you. But i just need to experience it anyway.

Otherwise I won’t have this story to share to you. Due to budgeting and internet recommendation, I decided to stay in Khaosan Road. It is kind of Jalan Jaksa in Jakarta, where there are nice accomodations for backpackers.

The story was in my first day alone in Thailand. When visiting temples around Khaosan, I met a good European.

When we were traveling there was a guy telling me that he is a policeman.

He told me that that day was the king’s birthday, so some Thuk Thuk’s could be rented for free and he will take us around Thai if we can we can give him some money for the service. The tour was sponsored by the king himself. I smelled somethng fishy, but hey, it is an adventure.

We got around great and famous places of interest. Finally we were taken to a gem factory. It was pricey. I didn’t find it interesting, and so I thought this was the end of the tour. But later he asked us to go to a travel agency, and there I fell prey to the scam and took the accomodation package because it gave a 3/4 rate of the first hotel I went into days before. However when I checked at Khaosan Road the price I paid was triple than what the hotels in Khaosan Road offered. Well how the tour goes, I will save it for another time. I hope you enjoy the pictures and the notes. I can’t wait to hear your comment or other experience.

1

Bangkok spot at the 2013 Global Destination Cities Index, crowning it the world’s most visited city with 15.98 million tourists last year.

P24 World section

1833 RULING FAMILY Dubai's government operates within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, and has been ruled by the Al Maktoum family since 1833.

Photography and text

I

Dicky Stefanus

Currently oil and gas only provide 7% for Dubai capital income. Realizing the minimum oil supply in their land, the government develops what is more advantageous for them to become a free trade and economic centre.

Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East". Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping malls, including the world's largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall. The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.

While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation a way of life.

Dubai real estate is well known worldwide because of its lavish buildings, rapid growth, and quick returns. They rent to foreigners who want to invest in the UAE, like the palm islands. Dubai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles influence by local and international designer, and currently they have the tallest sky crapper in the world, taller than Taipei 101.

Prohibitions on "indecent clothing" are an aspect of the UAE to which visitors are expected to conform.

Recently, many expatriates have disregarded the law and been arrested for indecent clothing, or lack thereof, at beaches. Westernstyle dress is tolerated in places such as bars or clubs, but the UAE has enforced anti-indecency prohibitions in other public spaces.

The transportation in Abu Dhabi is also convenient, and even you can rent a car. However, please be careful if you hit a camel you might replace it with the same price of a Ferrari or more.

22

Dubai’s place in the most expensive cities in the world, surpassing London (25th) and is the most expensive city in the Middle East, surpassing Israel's Tel Aviv (31st).

Busy intersections has been an iconic images of Tokyo, such as this one in Shibuya district. See how millions of people cross them every day.

On your mark...

P30 World section

THE CROSSINGS

Photography Text

I I

Laurentius T. Pesik Inna KC

Akihabara is known as the heaven for otakus with its collection of Japanese anime and comics. Following years of redevelopment, this place is now famous for Akihabara Crossfield, a business complex with the aim of promoting Akihabara as a center for global electronics technology and trade. You can also find the the famous AKB 48 theatre in Don quijote Akihabara and the cafe just right next to the JR Railways Station.

Akihabara district at night

Shinjuku is a commercial center and home to many well-known sights and tourist attractions.

Several of the tallest buildings in Tokyo are located in this area The most interesting part of Shinjuku would be the Kabukicho district, Tokyo's most notorious red-light district. To the south is Shinjuku Nichome, Tokyo's largest gay district.

Ueno is the face of Tokyo with cultural atmosphere. It is famous with art galleries and museums, shopping and jewellery wholesale arcades. This is also the place where you can experience traditional Japanese performing arts, such as theatrical entertainment and comical story-telling (rakugo).

The cultural vibrance in Ueno

Officially called the Shuto Expressway No. 11 Daiba Route - Port of Tokyo Connector Bridge, the name Rainbow Bridge was decided by the public because of its beautiful rainbow coloured lighting that graces the structure in the evenings. The 918 metre long Reinbo Burijji are illuminated into three different colors, red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day.

2020

The year of Tokyo Summer where Odaiba Bridge will become one of the sport venues.

DESERTED P35 The road least traveled

It is less complicated than Detroit, but just as dramatic in scale. This was the deserted old part of Jakarta which was once a bustling economic and financial hub since the dusk of colonial times, but lost in time.

There was so much money generated from the biggest trade center in the old capital Batavia that to no surprise it was told that the economic activity in Asemka controled the majority money circulation across the archipelago. Due to its inability to support increasing trade and the congestion it implicates, Asemka’s imminent fallout as an economic magnate power in the face of modernity took a steady but irreversible downturn.

1965

The year some locals said to be the beginning of the end of the once thriving Asemka.

Some also said the social disruption that year was a major contributing factor.

It is outdated infrastructure, not market trends, that by nature let economic activity gravitated outside Asemka. Some wholesale businesses managed to stay albeit operating inside dim light and cramped office space that had seen little renovation for several decades. The traffic caused by the remaining economic activities had caused heavy congestion that could last for the entire day, eventually discouraging the majority customers who sought comfort while making their purchases to come.

As revenues shrinked compared to its heyday, the condition in Asemka looked less and less appealing with the presence of unregulated street stalls and vendors selling fireworks. The evidence of economic center dissapeared, taking process of completion in less than 50 years. This highlights the view that a city is like a living organism in that constant changes have been part of its existence.

Jakarta is now witnessing the death of one of its old district.

In many famous parts of the world, the only left solution to this inevitable condition is to revive the deserted places in favor of tourism. Asemka, the symbol of national trade glory of the past will not see such shifts any time soon. Even in some areas, the situation looked grave as shophouses closed from one end of the street to the other. The new generation starts to lose the reason to visit this place. After deserted, the chapter of forgetting begins.

Missing previous volumes?

We will reopen archives at your request. Send us email.

Nature claimed a site in Asemka, Central Jakarta, where it lacked a new building to replace the old one that had been torn down for a long time.

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