Puppet Ban In Indonesian Capital Threatens Buskers
City authorities say they will crack down on use of the sacred ondel-ondel puppets, which can stand as tall as a truck, and they are drafting legislation to remove what they view as a street nuisance.
Performances featuring the puppets -- originally used by Jakarta's Betawi people to ward off evil spirits -- will be allowed only at set events.
The ban could leave many ondel-ondel buskers in Jakarta without a job.
"I am confused and anxious. I fear getting raided or even arrested. But what can I do? I need money to eat," Adi Sutisna, a 26-year-old Jakarta native who works as an ondel-ondel busker, told AFP.
Adi, who only graduated from elementary school, has been working as an ondel-ondel busker for seven years, earning $7 on a good day to provide for his wife and five-year-old daughter.
Ondel-ondel is the pride of the native Jakarta tribe, the Betawi people.
Traditional performances were accompanied by instruments for festive and celebratory events, including weddings, circumcisions, and welcome ceremonies for honourable guests.
Cyril Raoul Hakim, spokesman for Jakarta governor Pramono Anung, told AFP the ban was still being drafted with "the preservation of Betawi culture" in mind and it would be put to legislators soon.
"We hope it will be passed not too long from now," he said.
Over time, ondel-ondel have been increasingly used by buskers who sway the puppets to music from loudspeakers, seeking money on the roadside, at traffic lights, and in the alleyways of Jakarta's densely populated neighbourhoods.
The city administration has long wanted to ban ondel-ondel busking, arguing that the practice sullies the dignity of the cultural icon.
Bureaucrats believe roadside busking undermines the puppets' cultural significance.
But many Jakartans rely on the entertainment to bring in much-needed cash.
According to government data, the number of people living below the poverty line in metropolitan Jakarta -- a megalopolis of 11 million people -- was up from 362,000 in 2019 to 449,000 as of September 2024.
The Central Statistics Bureau says the poverty line in Indonesia in 2025 is just over one dollar a day.
"The ondel-ondel is heavy; it is very hot inside," said Adi.
"But I do it anyway because if I don't, my wife and my kid won't be able to eat."
The planned ban has left authentic ondel-ondel performers and makers torn about the preservation of their culture and the plight of the buskers.
Performers such as Fadillah Akbar believe the cultural symbol must be revered, and should not be used to beg for money.
"The problem is that they beg on the street -- that's a disturbance, and it bothers my soul," the 33-year-old ondel-ondel artist said.
He believes ondel-ondel must come in pairs, a woman and a man, and be accompanied by traditional live music instead of a recorded song playing on loudspeakers.
"Of course, I feel bad for the buskers, especially since I know many of them, but it is a cultural icon whose dignity must be upheld," he said.
The head of Jakarta's public order agency, Satriadi Gunawan, said ondel-ondel busking disturbed road users with loudspeakers and requests for money.
"In Betawi culture, upholding ondel-ondel's dignity is important, and now it is often used to beg for money," he said.
But some historians disagree, saying limiting the puppet presence on Jakarta's streets could hurt efforts to keep the dwindling tradition alive.
"Banning ondel-ondel busking in the name of culture signifies their lack of understanding for tradition," said Jakarta-based historian JJ Rizal.
"It proves that not only does the city government not understand culture, but it also endangers the preservation of art." City authorities say they will crack down on use of the long-sacred ondel-ondel puppets, which can stand as tall as a truck, and they are drafting the legislation AFP The planned ban has left authentic ondel-ondel performers and makers torn about the preservation of their culture and the plight of the buskers AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
'Not Welcome': English Town Protests Against JD Vance's Holiday
Dozens of activists and locals protested on Tuesday against a visit by US Vice President JD Vance to an idyllic rural region of southwest England, where he is on holiday with family. Around 60 people gathered for the demonstration in the town of Charlbury in the Cotswolds region, carrying signs including "Go Home", "Not Welcome Party" and "Sod Off". UK police and US security detail dotted the usually quiet roads leading to the nearby hamlet where Vance was staying, blocking some roads and footpaths in the countryside region popular with tourists. "The people of the Cotswolds are out here today telling JD Vance that he is not welcome here," Jake Atkinson from the Stop Trump Coalition told AFP at the gathering. Co-organiser Atkinson cited US President Donald Trump's policies including on immigration and the war in Gaza for the local anger. He said the anti-Trump coalition would also turn out against the US president, who is due in the UK for a state visit in September. Earlier in the day, a black van bearing a meme image of Vance edited to look bald and bloated drove past the quaint cottages and winding streets of the town. "We wanted to extend the same welcome that he extended to (Volodymyr) Zelensky from the White House," said 75-year-old Charlbury resident Lou Johnson, referring to the cold reception Vance gave the Ukrainian leader during a press conference in Washington in February. Vance kicked off his British holiday last week by meeting UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who hosted the American politician in his country retreat in Chevening in Kent, southeast of London. Reports have also said Vance will later visit Scotland, where Trump spent five days at his golf resorts last month. Residents said they were surprised by the heavy security around Dean, the village where Vance was staying. "If somebody's just in the Cotswolds on holiday, you wouldn't imagine they'd need a 20-car motorcade and all the roads to the entire village," said Phil Ball, 53, a local resident and cameraman. "It's been disruptive and quite a surprise." Victoria Dawson, an artist from nearby Witney, said locals were protesting "against somebody who we think is immoral... somebody who is doing terrific damage around the world along with Trump". "Because JD Vance is here, suddenly roads are closed everywhere, there are police everywhere," she added. "It's not what we expect or accept." Lou Johnson also complained that heightened security had been "invading everywhere" in the rural area he has called home for 50 years. "People think it's just a gentle little village but every now and then we do stand up for what we believe in," said Johnson. Locals from the countryside region popular with tourists were surprised by the heavy security AFP
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Washingtonians Tired Of Crime But Skeptical Of Trump Takeover
A 15-minute walk from the White House, Tony and Mike stood on the sidewalk near the spot where a man was killed on Monday, the 100th murder of the year in Washington. The shooting broke out just a few hours after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the US capital, which Trump described as overrun by crime -- though official data shows that violence has recently decreased. "It's sickening," Tony told AFP early Tuesday. "It's not safe anymore." "You do need change, you do need help," Mike said. But Mike added that the city does not need the help Trump is sending in -- "not National Guards." The day after Trump's press conference, residents of the area near the city center told stories of drug sales on the street, but were skeptical that federal intervention would make a difference. Tony has always lived in the area and, like the other residents interviewed, did not want to give his last name. He described a local street corner as an "open air market" with "all the drugs that you want." Anne, who was holding pruning shears as she weeded, said needles are often discovered in the flowerbed of the church on the corner. It was near this spot that Tymark Wells, 33, was shot around 7:00 pm Monday before later dying in hospital, according to a police report that did not mention a motive or suspect. The area is the "wild wild West and it's always been like that," said Lauren, who lives in a building nearby. "We're so desensitized," the 42-year-old added. When Trump announced his DC plan, he said it was "becoming a situation of complete and total lawlessness." However the Department of Justice said in January that violent crime in Washington recently hit its lowest level in 30 years. Because of easy access to guns in the United States, the crime number still "may look differently in America than it does in other parts of the world," Brianne Nadeau, a member of DC's overwhelmingly Democratic city council, told AFP. "But we have made substantial strides here," she said, calling Trump's federal takeover a "political stunt." The annual number of homicides in the city peaked at 274 in 2023, before falling to 187 last year. That is still one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the country. Trump also justified the takeover by citing the number of homeless people in the city. Ace, a 16-year-old walking her dog, said the presence of the homeless contributed to the feeling of insecurity. Sometimes unhoused people would get on top of her parents' car, she said. "You don't know if they are going to break in." While waiting for the National Guard, around 850 federal agents were deployed to Washington on Monday, making 23 arrests, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. "This is only the beginning," she said. Terry Cole, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration tasked with leading the federal takeover of the city's police, said patrolling would be ramped up. Federal agents and police will work "hand in hand" during these patrols, Cole added. The city's Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has been forced to accommodate the takeover, said this approach is "the wrong way to do it." Federal agents do not go out on patrol, she said. "That's not what they're trained to do." Tom, who lives near the scene of Monday's shooting, told AFP there were not enough police patrols in the area. But he also criticized Trump's "draconian approach," saying it was unlikely to "yield any good results." Across the street, a small memorial stood in tribute to a different shooting victim. A picture of a young Black man has been wrapped around a tree, with flowers arrayed at its base. Turell Delonte, 30, was shot dead by police at the spot in 2023, after he was suspected of drug trafficking.
Int'l Business Times
9 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Gaza Mediators 'Working Very Hard' To Revive Truce Plan: Egypt
Egypt said Tuesday it was working with fellow Gaza mediators Qatar and the United States to broker a 60-day truce, as part of a renewed push to end the Israel-Hamas war. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty made the announcement at a press conference in Cairo, as two Palestinian sources told AFP that a senior Hamas delegation was due to meet Egyptian officials for talks on Wednesday. Diplomacy aimed at securing an elusive ceasefire and hostage release deal in the 22-month-old war has stalled for weeks, after the latest round of negotiations broke down in July. Abdelatty said that "we are working very hard now in full cooperation with the Qataris and Americans", aiming for "a ceasefire for 60 days, with the release of some hostages and some Palestinian detainees, and the flow of humanitarian and medical assistance to Gaza without restrictions, without conditions". One of the Palestinian sources earlier told AFP that the mediators were working "to formulate a new comprehensive ceasefire agreement proposal" that would include the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza "in one batch". Mediation efforts led by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to secure a breakthrough since a short-lived truce earlier this year. The Hamas delegation expected in Cairo, led by the group's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, is scheduled to meet Egyptian officials on Wednesday to "discuss the latest developments" in negotiations, said the second Palestinian source. News of the potential truce talks came as Gaza's civil defence agency said Israel has intensified its air strikes on Gaza City in recent days, following a government decision to expand the war there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has not provided an exact timetable on when forces may enter the area, but civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said on Tuesday that air raids had already begun increasing over the past three days. Bassal said the neighbourhoods of Zeitun and Sabra have been hit "with very heavy air strikes targeting civilian homes". "For the third consecutive day, the Israeli occupation is intensifying its bombardment" using "bombs, drones, and also highly explosive munitions that cause massive destruction", he said. Bassal said that Israeli strikes across the territory, including on Gaza City, killed at least 33 people on Tuesday. "The bombardment has been extremely intense for the past two days. With every strike, the ground shakes," said Majed al-Hosary, a resident of Gaza City's Zeitun. "There are martyrs under the rubble that no one can reach because the shelling hasn't stopped." An Israeli air strike on Sunday killed five Al Jazeera employees and a freelance reporter outside a Gaza City hospital, with Israel accusing one of the slain Al Jazeera correspondents of being a Hamas militant. Israel has faced mounting criticism over the war, which was triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 2023 attack. UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has drastically curtailed the amount of humanitarian aid it allowed in. Netanyahu is under mounting pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages -- 49 people including 27 the Israeli military says are dead -- as well as over his plans to expand the war. The Israeli premier has vowed to keep on with or without the backing of Israel's allies. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,599 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, whose toll the United Nations considers reliable. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced mounting domestic pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages AFP Mourners at the funeral of Al Jazeera journalists killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City AFP Palestinians in southern Gaza queue at a water distribution point amid severe shortages more than 22 months into the war AFP
