Jakarta - Wealth and Poverty

[Grandad]

Both yesterday and today it has rained all day so pretty depressing weather outside. With little else to do inside I thought I would write a little blog.

On another thread we have recently mentioned that the art of Batik originated on Java in Indonesia. How often does one thought trigger another and my mind was taken back to August 1994 when I spent three weeks in Jakarta on business working with a company that had a contract to manufacture products for the company I worked for.

Indonesia is a vast country comprised of more than 17.000 islands of which the best known are Sumatra, Java and Bali. Indonesia is the largest islamic country on earth with nearly 200 million Muslims. On such trips I would always try to get out in the community to understand a little of their way of life, I also always made it a habit of buying a souvenir typical of the country.

On three solitary excursions I first joined one of those cultural day trips which focused on visiting museum type places of how life was, of cultural dance, and places of interest. On another day I took a speedboat to spend some time on one of the small islands that are popular with local people for days out. My most interesting foray was to the docks which, although fascinating, was a little threatening and well away from the tourist sites.

My hotel was on a large dual boulevard with business offices, shopping malls, restaurants etc which represented the wealthy end of town. They drive on the left so no problem crossing the road. In the dock area I saw the other side of Jakarta, abject poverty. Having taken a taxi to get to the dock area, I then had a problem to find a taxi for my return to the hotel. People in that area can't afford taxis so I had to be patient and hail the first that did come along.

I don't remember what camera I had with me but that was roll film days and I have had to scan the negs and some are not too clean of dust so no comments please.

Here is a selection of pictures mainly, I hope, to show the extremes of wealth and poverty in that city. Having said that I have found similar extremes in most large cities of the world, not least on the Indian sub continent.
The view of a middle class district to the rear of my hotel and the wide boulevard to the front.


Children doing a Balinese dance presentation, The 132 metre National Monument, and yours truly at some cultural centre.


On one of the many little paradise islands


Market traders on the road down to the docks, off the tourist trail


Scenes in the dock area with timber being imported from Sumatra and Borneo


The depressing conditions of some who live in the dock area in wooden packing crates on stilts and all the garbage in the water. A far extreme from downtown Jakarta


Finally my souvenir of my trip. A pair of hand carved busts which I paid $20 each for. A real bargain, they are exquisitely carved.


Must go, time for tea

[Ruby Slippers]

Thanks for posting that, Grandad! I found it extremely interesting and informative. I agree with your choice of souvenirs too. They ARE exquisite!

[Horus]

Thanks for posting Grandad, all very interesting and the scans turned out really well love those souvenirs they are really nice.

[Kiya]

Lovely pictures and interesting

The bust souvenirs are really nice and different

I like at the dock pics, they would make good jigsaws

[Grandad]

Lovely pictures and interesting

The bust souvenirs are really nice and different

I like at the dock pics, they would make good jigsaws

Glad you like my little blog Kiya. Your jigsaw suggestion is a great idea. I might re-scan the negs (after proper cleaning) and having a go at that. I know you can have jigsaws made at the print shops OR I might have a go myself as I do have a long reach power jigsaw. Watch this space I suppose
Which one do you think would work best as a jigshaw?

[Kiya]

Glad you like my suggestion, I've always liked doing jigsaws myself.

I think the 3rd from left would be good as the others have too much sky

[Grandad]

I agree with you Kiya and that is the one that I chose after your suggestion. There is a lot going on and not too much sky

[LovelyLadyLux]

The photos are all really interesting and do reflected the different levels and stratas of society.

When I visit my friends in Trinidad (from India as half of Trinidad is) way back when when they were struggling to succeed that actual homefront looked terrible however when they went out anywhere for anything they were dressed to the nines. You would have never known the conditions of the home.

Now a couple decades later their businesses have thrived, the homes have been built, furniture put in and in some respects their own outwards appearances have taken on much less importance. Not sure if that is/was the same in Jakarta but it was definitely a phenomena that I saw in Trinidad and I actually think in Egypt too (but I haven't been there as much).

I think that contrasts to here where I live where many people - well - putting it as it is - nobody here on the Island seems to care much about how they look or what they really wear. Some people dress downright scruffy while most just dress for the weather. Nobody wear glitzy jewelry or makeup particularly when you're out in the grocery store.

What I also find interesting is other culture use of colour. We're pretty blah and drab here. Black, grey, browns are probably the most colourful colour with an occaional burgundy thrown in while in other countries the colours really pop and all clothing is embellished with patterns and sequins, beads, colour.

I've read about too how blocks are carved to stamp pattens onto fabric. Would have been a very time consuming process from start to finish.

@Grandad - do you know from your time in Jakarta - was it men or women who made the fabrics? Who decided on the patterns and did the work?

I'm kinda thinking men but what role do you think women played? I'm thinking men did the carving of the blocks hence decided the patterns - but did women do that too?

[Grandad]

Oh LLL. Questions questions i only saw some Batik work during the cultural day tour.There were men and women working in what was little more than cottage industry and very basic. I assume the printing blocks would be made elsewhere but they are very simple devices with position markers to line up the pattern repeat.