Surviving Amid Changing Times
Betawi culture has to face the reality of modern life in the city, which is getting more and more crowded. The lack of the public space for expression has hampered efforts in promoting Betawi culture to the public.
A cartoon published on 31 May 1971 in Kompas shows a property developer (left) “claiming” land belonging to a Betawi man. The indigenous Betawi people were increasingly pushed to the outskirts of Jakarta during rapid development of the city center.
Betawi culture has to face the reality of modern life in the city, which is getting more and more crowded. The lack of the public space for expression has hampered efforts in promoting Betawi culture to the public.
On 31 May 1971, Kompas published an article titled "The Djampang Terdesak" (The Djampang Cornered) complete with caricatures and pantun (poetry), a hallmark of Betawi culture.