Hello friends Summarized! How are you? Hopefully healthy and happy always. On this occasion, we will discuss Jakarta’s 496th anniversary which falls today, 22 June 2023. Jakarta is the capital city of our beloved country, Indonesia. Jakarta is also the largest metropolitan city in Southeast Asia with a population of more than 10 million people. Jakarta has a long and rich history, from royal times to becoming a modern and advanced global city.
Jakarta’s 496th Anniversary, Welcoming History and Challenges
A Brief History of Jakarta
Jakarta was formerly called Sunda Kelapa and was the port of the Padjadjaran kingdom in the 14th century. In 1527, prince Fatahillah attacked Sunda Kelapa and changed its name to Jayakarta, which means city of victory. In 1619, the Dutch took control of Jayakarta and renamed it Batavia, which became the center of their colonial administration in the Dutch East Indies. In 1942, Japan replaced the Dutch as colonialists and changed the name Batavia to Jakarta Tokubetsu Shi.
After Indonesia gained independence in 1945, Jakarta became the nation’s capital and the center of Indonesian politics and government. The name Jakarta has been retained until now, although it has undergone several changes in status and administrative areas. In 1959, Jakarta became a level one region (province) led by the governor. In 1961, Jakarta’s status was changed to become a special capital city (DKI) which has an administrative city. In 1964, Jakarta officially became the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia with the name Jakarta.
In 1999, the status of Jakarta was updated to become a provincial government in accordance with law number 34 of 1999 concerning the provincial administration of the special region for the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia Jakarta with an autonomous status that has an administrative city. In 2007, through law number 29 of 2007 concerning the provincial government of the special capital city of Jakarta as the capital of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta changed its name to DKI Jakarta and confirmed its status as a special autonomous region for the capital.
Betawi Typical Culture and Culinary
Jakarta does not only have an interesting history, but also has a unique and diverse culture and culinary delights. Betawi culture is the original culture of Jakarta which is the result of acculturation of various tribes and ethnicities living in Jakarta since the colonial era until now. Betawi culture reflects the spirit of mutual cooperation, tolerance, and the joy of the people of Jakarta.
Some examples of Betawi culture that are still sustainable today are:
Ondel-ondel: A giant doll made of woven bamboo and colorful cloth which is usually used to entertain people or ward off evil spirits.
Lenong: Comedy performance art that uses humorous and satirical dialogue to convey a moral or social message.
Tanjidor: Brass orchestra music that uses musical instruments such as trumpets, trombones, clarinets, drums and cymbals that come from European influences.
Gambang Kromong: Mixed music between traditional musical instruments such as xylophone, flute, fiddle, gong and drums with Western musical instruments such as violin, guitar, accordion and piano.
Betawi Mask Dance: Dance that uses masks that symbolize certain characters such as kings, queens, princes, princesses, clowns, or animals.
Apart from culture, Jakarta also has delicious and appetizing Betawi culinary delights. Betawi culinary is the result of a combination of various ingredients and seasonings from various regions in Indonesia and abroad. Betawi cuisine is usually spicy, sweet and savory.
Some examples of Betawi culinary specialties that must be tried are:
Name
Description
soto Betawi
Coconut milk sauce with beef, offal, potatoes, tomatoes and fried onions.
Egg Crust
Chicken or duck eggs mixed with glutinous rice, grated coconut, dried shrimp, and spices are fried on a flat griddle.
Uduk rice
Rice cooked in coconut milk and bay leaves served with side dishes such as fried chicken, omelet, tempe orek, peanut sauce and crackers.
Betawi pickled
Fresh vegetables such as cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, pineapple, and young mango mixed with sweet and spicy vinegar sauce.
Mixed vegetables with the peanut sauce
Boiled vegetables such as potatoes, bean sprouts, kale, long beans, and eggs doused with peanut sauce.
Developments and Challenges of Jakarta
Jakarta as the nation’s capital and global city has rapid development in various fields such as economy, education, infrastructure, tourism, and technology. Jakarta is a business and trade center that attracts many investors and business people. Jakarta also has many quality educational facilities from elementary to tertiary level. Jakarta also continues to build infrastructure that supports community mobility and connectivity such as toll roads, MRT, LRT, Transjakarta and airports.
Jakarta also has great tourism potential with various interesting destinations such as Monas, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Ancol Dreamland Park, Kota Tua, National Museum, and Ragunan Zoo. Jakarta is also an innovative and creative city with many communities and startups developing technology-based solutions to solve social problems.
However, Jakarta also faces various challenges and problems that must be addressed jointly by the government and society. Some of these challenges and problems are:
Congestion: Jakarta has a very high number of motorized vehicles causing severe traffic congestion on various roads. Congestion not only wastes people’s time and energy, but also causes air pollution and stress.
Floods: Jakarta often experiences flooding during the rainy season due to natural factors such as high rainfall and sea tides as well as human factors such as illegal development, closing of green fields, plastic waste and clogged drains.
Population density: Jakarta has a very high population density of around 16 thousand people per square kilometer. This population density causes high competition for resources and social and economic inequality between communities.
Capital city shift: The central government has planned to move the national capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan in 2024. This capital city move will have an impact on various aspects of Jakarta people’s lives such as the economy, politics, socio-culture, environment, and infrastructure.
Conclusion
Jakarta is a city that has a long and rich history, undergoing a transformation from the royal era to a modern, advanced metropolis. For nearly five centuries, Jakarta has been the center of economic growth, the center of government, and the center of Indonesian culture.
Through the celebration of Jakarta’s 496th anniversary, we are reminded of the cultural diversity, historical heritage and extraordinary potential that this city has. Jakarta is home to various ethnicities, religions and cultures that live side by side in harmony.
However, Jakarta also faces various challenges that need to be addressed, such as traffic problems, flooding and air pollution. The government and society need to work together to overcome this problem and maintain the sustainability and comfort of living in this city.
Thank you for joining the celebration of Jakarta’s 496th Anniversary. Hopefully this article can provide insight and deeper appreciation of our beloved capital city. If you have questions, comments, or stories about Jakarta, feel free to share them in the comments section below. Happy birthday jakarta!
