TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
A letter from culturally rich Jambi
During one Sunday in early May, we walked to church at 7 a.m., then had breakfast downtown, followed by a walk on the beautiful pedestrian bridge across the Batanghari River ( no motorcycles allowed on this bridge! ). We then searched for batik fabric in Melayu homes on stilts near the river, and even saw a wedding. All of this on foot!
Change Size
The city is close to an ancient temple complex at Muara Jambi, the most important Hindu-Buddhist site in Sumatra. These temples, known as candi, date from the 9th to the 13th centuries as the site of the old Melayu kingdom. (Shutterstock/Byelikova Oksana)
H
span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: Acta-Book; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24.2857px;">How many of you have actually been to Jambi, a city and province on Sumatra about one-hour’s flight from Jakarta? There are so few foreigners there that the flight attendant on the Garuda plane immediately upgraded my Indonesian wife, Lina, and I to sit in business class on the way back to Jakarta.
Over the Christmas-New Year holiday, we spent 10 days in Jambi, my wife’s hometown. And during the first week of May, we spent another week there. Throughout this entire time, we did not see another foreigner ( bule ) in Jambi!
Early in our marriage, I used to be bored spending time in this city. Yet now I have come to appreciate it, not simply that Lina comes from there, but because it has features that make it attractive for visitors. What are these attractions?
First, the city is close to an ancient temple complex at Muara Jambi, the most important Hindu-Buddhist site in Sumatra. These temples, known as candi, date from the 9th to the 13th centuries as the site of the old Melayu kingdom.
For centuries, this complex lay abandoned and overgrown in the jungle on the northern banks of the wide Batanghari River, only to be “rediscovered” in 1920 by a British army expedition sent to explore the region. ( This is rather similar to the Khmer complex in Angkor Wat rediscovered by the French in the 19th century ).
The present port city of Jambi is on the southern banks of this same river about 100 km inland from the Straits of Malacca.
The second attraction for Jambi is the diversity and contrasting cultures of the people who make up the city of today. There are the friendly Melayu living in their traditional wooden homes, as they have for many years. Their Malay language became the basis for Indonesian, with a pinch or two of Javanese.
Then there are the Chinese living in shop houses and other urban homes, worshipping in brightly colored Buddhist temples, and often speaking in languages such as Hokien, Cantonese and other tongues. Added to this diversity are the Bataks, which is my wife’s heritage, Javanese transmigrants and many other minorities making up the city.
Yet another distinct ethnic group are the Orang Rimba, nomadic hunter-gatherers or “people of the forest”. As sedentary communities began to dominate Jambi province, many of these people retained their nomadic lifestyle and animistic beliefs. Some are now economically marginalized within the plantations while others remain in the jungle.
Early on most mornings, my wife and I would enjoy walks from her family home. She would greet the same neighbors she had known as a young adult 40 years ago. The main destination for most of these walks would be the traditional markets which are colorful, very interesting to me and inexpensive.
One of these markets is called Pasar Hong Kong. On both my visits this year, I would take photos of sellers, have them developed, and return pictures to the “rightful owner”. Much fun! Near these markets were some places to enjoy local coffee, martabak snacks and other local food for breakfast.
Jambi’s economy is showing signs of growth. Similar to the diversity of people is a mixed economic base with commerce and industry related to palm oil and timber, trade, government administration, education and other activities.
Jambi does not have spectacular tourist sights, such as fabulous museums, charming parks or shopping malls. Yet the town is growing on me.
During one Sunday in early May, we walked to church at 7 a.m., then had breakfast downtown, followed by a walk on the beautiful pedestrian bridge across the Batanghari River ( no motorcycles allowed on this bridge! ). We then searched for batik fabric in Melayu homes on stilts near the river, and even saw a wedding. All of this on foot!
A photo posted by All About Jambi (@taujambi) on
It is incredible to me how close Jambi is to civilization. There are not only frequent flights from Jakarta but to Batam, close to Singapore. A new airport just opened this year to improve infrastructure.
Easy connectivity is also possible by speedboat from the coastal town of Kuala Tungkal. Even getting around within town involves the usual assortment of ojek( motorcycle taxi ), oplet ( public minivan ) and taxis.
A photo posted by All About Jambi (@taujambi) on
So to sum up this short story promoting the many attractions of Jambi city. It should not be that the Garuda flight attendant asked me to sit in the empty business class and that I saw no foreigners throughout two and a half weeks.
Perhaps next time it may be appropriate to discuss the matter with the mayor and his staff.
Despite its attractions, Jambi has important urban development problems, such as the need to improve parking in the downtown ( Central Business District ) area and around the markets. Motorcycle access should also be limited in certain areas, such as within markets.
The quality of urban planning, particularly as the city expands, also needs to be substantially improved. There are also real problems with infrastructure, including water supply, sanitation, solid waste, flood control and local access.
As an example, we have often seen flooding around an elementary school near Lina’s home.
Finally, Jambi has much potential to develop and plan further attractions, such as pleasant community parks, perhaps a major taman mini ( miniature park ) featuring the city’s diverse cultures, architecture, foods, etc. The local municipal government could also coordinate a campaign to get all levels of government — as well as outside support — to provide funds to restore the Muara Jambi complex and facilitate speedboat service from town.
Yes Jambi, you have some positive features, such as a compact downtown, well-paved main roads, no traffic jams. Why not organize a medium-term program and carry some major improvements in your community?
---------------
Interested to write for thejakartapost.com? We are looking for information and opinions from experts in a variety of fields or others with appropriate writing skills. The content must be original on the following topics: lifestyle ( beauty, fashion, food ), entertainment, science & technology, health, parenting, social media, travel, and sports. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.
