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‘Ondel-ondel’ makers strive for culture, income
Behind the mask: Two ondel-ondel (Betawi giant effigy) craftsmen from Sanggar Betawi Mamit CS in Kramat Pulo, Central Jakarta, pose with ondel-ondel heads
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ehind the mask: Two ondel-ondel (Betawi giant effigy) craftsmen from Sanggar Betawi Mamit CS in Kramat Pulo, Central Jakarta, pose with ondel-ondel heads. The residential area is known as Kampung Ondel-Ondel because many of its residents make the effigies to eke out a living and preserve Betawi culture. (JP/Vela Andapita)
Dozens of ondel-ondel (giant Betawi effigies) stood along Jl. Kembang Pacar in Kramat Pulo, Senen, Central Jakarta. Some looked smart with a clean painted faces and tidy clothes, while others had lost most of their fake hair or even had their heads and bodies detached.
The residential area is better known as Kampung Ondel-Ondel, because many of its residents make the giant dolls to earn a living.
But they were not busy that Wednesday, not even Taufik Hidayat, 19, an ondel-ondel craftsman who inherited his skill and business from his late father, Abdul Hamid.
“I have just finished painting a pair of ondel-ondel masks yesterday. My brother, Abdul Halif, is supposed to proceed with making the body from bamboo,” he told The Jakarta Post, noting that ondel-ondel always come in pairs — male and female.
It was his father, Taufik added, who initiated the ondel-ondel business in the area in the 1980s by founding the Sanggar Betawi Mamit CS workshop to preserve Betawi arts. Aside from producing ondel-ondel, the workshop also teaches palang pintu (exchange of pantun ceremony) and pencak silat (traditional martial arts).
Some of Hamid’s neighbors followed in his footsteps and founded other workshops like Sanggar Al Fathir, Sanggar Irama Betawi, Sanggar Respal and Sanggar Matahari Queen.
Sanggar Betawi Mamit is managed by Hamid’s children. Of the seven siblings, there are four brothers working in the workshop. Hanafi and Firly, the two oldest sons, are responsible for making the masks. Taufik is the painter that brings life to the effigy’s face, while Halif is in charge of the body and wardrobe.
“Making ondel-ondel was my father’s way of feeding his family and we’ll continue his legacy to keep our big family united,” Halif said.
The male ondel-ondel has a red face while the female has a white face. It used to have fangs and scary expressions but its appearance has become friendlier since the 1990s.
Nowadays, ondel-ondel craftsmen get creative by, for example, painting the doll’s eyes with blue or purple paint as if it is wearing contact lenses. Some even weave wires into the effigy’s teeth to create braces.
A pair of 1-meter tall ondel-ondel from Halif’s workshop cost Rp 1.5 million (US$107). The price is higher for taller ones, which ranges from Rp 3 to 4 million. The price can reach as high as Rp 10 million if the customer has a special request.
“This has always been a run-of-the-mill business. We receive one or two orders every month,” Taufik said.
“That’s why, besides making ondel-ondel, I also take them to the streets to earn extra money,” Halif added.
Halif and some of his cousins hit the road three or four times a week. They walk dozens of kilometers in the city and take turns in the ondel-ondel — because it weighs up to 25 kilograms.
“We usually start at 4 p.m. and finish at midnight. On our lucky days, we can earn Rp 150,000 a day,” the 33-year-old added.
Although the business will not make them rich, both Taudik and Halif are happy enough to know they are Betawi that try to prevent the ondel-ondel from falling into oblivion.
Betawi culture specialist Yahya Andi Saputra said ondel-ondel used to be treated as messengers between humans and gods. Ondel-ondel represent balance and harmony.
“They’re mostly used in rituals that are aimed at bringing balance to human life, such as to get rid of bad luck for a family or village,” he said.
Ondel-ondel, as well as other Betawi arts, have performed on the streets since the colonial era. The difference with the current street performance, Yahya added, is the artists’ commitment to preserving the history of the art itself.
“Back in the colonial era, Betawi artists performed on the street to popularize ondel-ondel along with its message and philosophy. But nowadays, most perform solely for money,” Yahya deplored.
“The provincial administration and culture-based organizations have the responsibility to bring the ondel-ondel back to its origins, by coaching artists or craftsmen and ensuring that they live a decent life so that they wouldn’t have to slave away for money,” he added.
