In Search of the Power of Javanese Culture against the Cultural Urbanization in Kotagede, Yogyakarta-Indonesia
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 68 ( 2012 ) 676 – 686
Bambang Supriyadi, Budi Sudarwanto, Hermin Werdiningsih
Resumed by Pindo Tutuko
Introduction
Urbanization is an issue faced by cities in developing countries such as Indonesia.
People living now in urban area in most of isolated territory and tend to separated each other from a socio-cultural standpoint which is not found in Kotagede, Yogyakarta. Public-private terminology is not easy defined, or expressed with definite boundaries. The spaces do not require rigid territorial boundaries. Space in a public realm is for all people, and no one can claim his own territory. Sharing space is based on social agreement. This paper described the effort to learn from the past through the study of Javanese culture in Kotagede, Yogyakarta in the face of cultural pressures that urbanization can change the environment and the lives of its citizens.
The aim of research
To explore and to formulate key aspects of the cultural life of the community that still exist that explain the basis of man's relationship with man, man and his environment as a cultural force in the face of urbanization with the case of Kotagede Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Research method
Using architectural anthropology point of view through the interpretation of space and form to reveal how people use and view architecture.
The People, Space and Environment of Kotagede
- Kotagede is located about five kilometers in the south of the city center.
- The area of Kotagede is around 3 sq.km.
- It consists of three Sub districts that are Rejowinangun, Prenggan and Purbayan.
- The number of population of each sub district is averagely 10 thousand.
- In this study, a part of the area in the Sub district Prenggan is a locus of research.
The people
- Residents of Kotagede are mostly burnt silver craftsmen in which the crafts have been a trademark of Kotagede.
- Almost the entire population of Kotagede work in the informal sector.
- Work as a traditional craftsmen generations also affect the lifestyle of the people.
- The community is always very strongly based on the Javanese culture.
The space
- In view of such a Javanese cultural context is not clearly visible because of the meaning of such private-public space, sacred-profane is usually together in the same space.
- Open spaces are then as share space which are not possessed by anyone.
- Basically in a general sense as private properties intersected with the general circulation path, so that the front of the house which is normally pendapa which means open hall is separated from the main building by the public lane.
Pringgitan is as the central point of the division of space, a space of transition, the transition from outside to inside, from the universe to human space, which clarifies the duality of meaning and direction. Longkangan or open space between the pendapa and the pringgitan is used as a public circulation path.
The environment
- Increasing demand for housing encourages residential neighborhood in Kotagede as a kampong that is characterized by a high density of buildings.
- The comparison of buildings and open space of more than 70%, thus it is reasonable if open spaces are used in high-intensity, multi function, and even tends to be shared among the occupants of the neighborhood, even any other people.
- Wide roads which can be passed for four-wheel vehicles are very limited.
- The built environment in Kotagede still very strongly reflects Javanese atmosphere that places togetherness, tolerance and harmony in which very dominant in the people behave in their environment.
Javanese Culture
•Javanese culture mostly grows and it is sourced from the palace, thus Yogyakarta and Solo as two major centers of Javanese palace are as the central points of Javanese culture.
Discussion
Public-private
•
- Basically private spaces are personal still owned by the occupants of Kotagede, but this private space is limited to the deepest part of the house.
- The middle and the front can be said as the territory of semiprivate or semi-public with the possibilities to be function able to the public or guests.
- Meanwhile, the leading edge of the terrace which is generally in the form of general circulation paths very public, even without any obstacles anyone can use this terrace.
- This fact is increasingly clear that a public interest takes precedence over private interests.
Open space
Open spaces are in the form of narrow alleys.
Building
- Traditional Javanese house for most people typically do not have a pendapa or open hall at the front of the house.
- Terrace that called pringgitan is almost always found, as an open space at the front and it is used for a variety of activities that is more multifunctional and highly flexible use.
Conclusion
- The significant changes that point to a lack of effect of modernization on the existence of physical space and environment are hardly found.
- The Kotagede neighborhood is still able to maintain an atmosphere of peace and tranquility as well as human social equality strength.
- The more the merging of public domain and private territory the more togetherness will be obtained.
- This fact in turn will ensure minimizing the conflicts in the social relationship.
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