JAKARTA – MULTICOLOURED
FAIRYTALE
~Magdalena Gigova ~
Chapter of book Indonesia in eyes of Bulgarians
“If you want to
see everything in Indonesia – one lifetime is not enough! With a population of
240 million, dispersed on 17 504 islands, it is clear why. You have to choose
between the mega polis Jakarta, to enjoy the piece of paradise – called Bali,
or to plunge among the unique coral plantations on the Maluku islands. Maybe
you will be attracted by the exotic: the wild tribes and former cannibals on
Papua, the birthplace of the biggest lizard in the world – the merciless
poisonous Komodo dragon on the Komodo islands, or to have a glimpse on the orangutans
on Borneo”
Indonesia is the biggest archipelago in the world with its 30 groups of islands. The capital Jakarta is a 13-million mega polis, breathless from its traffic. Some people travel two-three hours to their working place and vice versa. But the Indonesians manage with the traffic jams in two ways: the first is “3 in 1” and means that on a working day it is forbidden for cars with less than three persons inside. Neighbors, friends, occasional companions make groups. Otherwise it is sure that at some traffic light they will make a photo of you and will charge you with a fierce fine. The other salvation is “Trans-Jakarta” – the road cleaned especially for the speedy buses. And it does not come to anybody’s mind to avail himself of this part of the road, higher with about 20 m. The stops are on a meter and a half height, as well as the doors of the buses. In difference with the other cities with 13 million citizens, Jakarta breaths with much greenery on all the 650 km2 on which it is spreading.
Jakarta
under the wings of Garuda
Above them
is towering the national monument. This is 132-meter tower, from the roof of
which are opened wonderful sights. In its base is opened a golden gate under
the sounds of the Indonesian anthem, in order the visitors to see the document
of creating the contemporary state with the signature of President Sukarno. A
modest piece of paper, with a text typed on an archive typewriter, with a
signature and stamp. Garuda is the golden eagle-like bird, symbol of the
country and its beaky profile is watching from all the wall-panels. And from
the terrace the glance seizes sky scrapers and parks kilometers around. The
whole tower is surrounded by stone bas reliefs, which are telling with their
super realistic figures scenes from the history and way of life of Indonesia.
From them we learn not only about heroes and commanders, but also that in order
to become a man the Indonesian had to jump over a rather high pole. In the
monument “Monas”, as the tower is called, there is a special room for
meditation, in which nobody can enter but only the children of Sukarno, in
order to pray with the spirit of their father.
In spite of the 350 years presence of the Dutch, the shorter colonization of the British and French and the cruel raid of the Japanese, the Indonesians celebrate quite peacefully the anniversaries of their “national awakening”, without baring malice.
In spite of the 350 years presence of the Dutch, the shorter colonization of the British and French and the cruel raid of the Japanese, the Indonesians celebrate quite peacefully the anniversaries of their “national awakening”, without baring malice.
Therefore
the old Netherlands quarter is maintained excellently. In the museum “Fatahilah” is especially
respected the ancient furniture of the former governors, and the nostalgic
canal is not anymore navigable, but is being duly cleaned every day. In the
courtyard of the museum the infertile women are competing to touch a huge gun,
crowned with what the Russians call “kukish” and in Indonesia is considered to
be talisman for fertility. For this aim the ladies have to spend the night
under the gun. At the other side of Jakarta there is a “male” big rifle, which
influences the potentiality better than Viagra. From the expositions in the
Indonesian capital the most attractive are the museum with puppets for the
theatre of shadows and “Taman Mini” – entertaining park in which each of the
provinces of the country is represented with its characteristic house.
From the
first museum you learn that in the performances with the so called wayang (Javanese puppet) or Javanese
dolls one actor performs 15 different roles and sometimes is acting 9 hours
without stopping. But he has an assistant who helps him to arrange the personages,
which are more than 300.
But he plays systematically “only” with around 120.
The helper sticks the puppet / wayang
dolls as high as 2-3 m., sometimes higher. The filigree processing of the
leather for the 200-year old exhibits has placed “Wayang”, as the museum is
called, among the list for the world heritages of UNESCO. The leather is thin
and finely cut, as a lace, in order the light to pass through it and the
theatre of shadows to be even more effective. I was shocked by the fan of life,
created from unbelievably thin, almost transparent wood. For sure at its one
side was the paradise and from the other – hell. And each sign has a secret (or
evident) symbolic meaning. And almost comic is the figure of GatotKacha, a
fairy tale hero, the local version of Superman. When his face is blue he is in
good mood, the red façade says that he is furious. The museum is situated in an
Anglican church of XVI century, from which are preserved also about ten grave
stones of knights, passed away long time ago.
In front of
the sanctuary of the dolls there is an endless row of bicycles with plantation
helmets on the luggage carriers. Everybody can rent them and circle around the
city center, without being disturbed from the ghosts of the Dutch colonizers.
By the way the local people joke that for three hundred years the stingy Dutch
have built less roads, public building and schools, than the English during
their four years (1811-1815) in Indonesia.
The wife of the longest serving
Indonesian President – Suharto suggested to create the park “Taman Mini. The place does not have anything in common
with “Europe on palm”, which can be seen in Brussels or “Switzerland in
miniature” at Melide. In short – In “Taman Mini” nothing is mini.
Quite the
opposite. Everything is huge, even bigger than the real dimensions. An
over-head cable car allows the visitors to see the park, spreading on 1 2km and
above. Savages are rowing in pirogues in the middle of a lake, as in Sulawesi.
They are even not real, although looking strikingly realistic. A museum,
similar to Hindu temple shows the different ethnic groups and is at the same
time wonderful décor for weddings.
A real feast for lovers of
antics and authentic souvenirs is Surabaya – a quarter with small shops, in
which one could stumble to a treasure and more often – to a real imitation, but
he will bring it to his country as a precious souvenir from Jakarta. 
