Getting familiar with Indonesia

We left the hotel at around 8am in a taxi under the guidance of the Indonesian Ambassador PA’s Sri Kurniasih. As we drove across the city, Madam Kurniasih showed us some of the most iconic buildings and statues.

These included a statue of Gen Sudirman on Sudirman Street. Gen Sudirman was the first commander of the Indonesian army. There was also the National Monument, a 132m obelisk in the centre of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta. It was built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian independence and is crowned with a flame covered in gold leaf, which symbolises the burning spirit of the struggle of the Indonesian people.

I sighed at this “historic” symbolic.

"Yes, it is," Madam Kurniasih said. “And actually from your hotel, you can see it and how it lights up with flames at night.”

The road was not that busy. I realised motorcycles are the most convenient means of transport compared to vehicles. They also have BRT buses that are also efficient for the residents.

It didn't take us long until we arrived at the famous Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), which means Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park. "Hii ndio our Bomas," madam Kurniasih jokingly said as we entered the park.

I replied, “No, I don't think so. This looks way better. Even from the entrance, you could tell."

GREEN SPACE

We were received by protocol affairs manager Bambang Sulistiyo. Some instruments were playing in rotation as we walked in. "Nice music. What are they playing?" I asked, moving closer and taking a video.

"This is gamelan, a traditional music of the Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese peoples of Indonesia," Sulistiyo said.

He said it’s made of different instruments: percussive, metallophones (played with mallets) and a set of hand-drums called kendang, which keep the beat.

Tourists were streaming in and buying some of the merchandise on display. We stood aside all together so we could get an insight into the park.

After welcoming us, Sulistiyo said the park covers about 150ha. “You will need more than three days to see all places inside the park," he said, before going on to explain its history.

TMII was built in 1972 and officially inaugurated on April 20, 1975. It was the idea of Madam Tien Soeharto, spouse of the second president of the republic of Indonesia, Tien Soeharto, to summarise Indonesian culture and heritage.

The beautiful park consists of 34 original pavilions that represent the provinces of Indonesia, 13 gardens, 16 recreational parks, 18 museums, seven worshipping houses and many other buildings.

On September 1 last year, TMII introduced an innovative and revolutionary new face of TMII.

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is supported by three pillars of tourism. One is to provide green tourism. This is achieved by having open spaces on more than 70 per cent of the park, picnic gardens, planting plenty of trees and plants also by the use of shuttle services, scooters or electric tour vehicles.

With the electric cars, tourists can drive around the park in an eco-friendly way, and use a designated parking for low-emission vehicles.

The second pillar is a culture in which tourists can learn and watch programmes about Indonesia. These programmes happen on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The last pillar is inclusivity, where everyone is advised to visit the park.

Sulistiyo finished and Purnomo Santosa, guide supervisor at the park, took over.

"Thank you for visiting Taman Mini park," Santosa said. "Which country are you from?" "We are from Kenya," I replied. He was happy to hear this.

"Kenya, from East Africa? I only know about the Masai Mara and your national park that is inside the capital city."

"Yes, that's true. And in future, you should also come and visit our parks, too," Mwalii said. "Very nice."

CULTURE UNMASKED

Our first stop was a building with an ancient structure. “This is an Indonesian Museum," Santosa said. "It was inaugurated right on the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in 1980.”

We learned that the museum is elaborately decorated with Balinese statues and ornaments, built in Balinese architectural style, with some large Paduraksa and Candi Bentar (split portal) style Balinese gates, as well as several corner towers.

The museum showcases the diversity of ethnic groups and cultures in Indonesia. It was the idea of Tien Soeharto with support and cooperation from various parties, government, private sectors and the community.

"During her tenure,” Santosa said, “the First Lady appealed and moved the hearts of the community to submit various superior cultural objects from all regions to become the collection of the Indonesian Museum."

For Indonesians, the museum is not just a magnificent building that stores and exhibits collection objects. The Indonesian Museum is factored as a place that presents a long story of history, thoughts, ideals, messages, great works, glory and joy from the past. “And as the next generation, we are obliged to preserve and appreciate the past as a learning experience in the nation in the present and the future," he said.

We walked inside the museum and explored various collections of traditional masks, traditional clothes and exhibitions of woven fabrics and other native Indonesian ones.

"These masks were Betawi style klana, and its origin is in Jakarta,” Santosa said. “There is Jatayu Mask from Cerebon West Java, Anoman Mask from Cegesik Cerebon and many others. These masks were used to conceal the true identities of the wearers rather than portraying specific characters in a performance.”

In performing arts, he went on, these masks served as attributes worn by dancers or actors. Masks became a medium for conveying a variety of messages, stories, myths, legends and significant narratives within their supporting communities. And as time progressed, masks also became decorative ornaments and embellishments.

MUSEUM SIGHTS

Next, we boarded an electric microbus for a visitor shuttle transport provided throughout TMII. We were driven around the 34 original pavilions.

"Each pavilion featured in typical Indonesia vernacular architecture of each province,” Santosa said. “It also displays various traditional costumes, wedding costumes, dance costumes, ethnographic artifacts such as weapons and daily tools, and models of traditional architecture to describe the way of life of its people.”

The province's pavilions are also equipped with a small stage, amphitheatre or auditorium for traditional dance performances, traditional music performances or traditional ceremonies during the weekend. 

We drove past the provinces and went straight to another eye-catching architecture with the shape of a Komodo from its entrance.

"This is Indonesian Fauna Museum Komodo, and it is a museum themed on the world of Indonesian wildlife in the form of preservation," Santosa said.

The museum building was very unique because the exhibition room is in the form of a Komodo. "Komodo is a type of ancient reptile that lives in its natural habitat on Komodo Island, East Nusa Tenggara,” Santosa said.

The Museum of Komodo occupies a building of 10,120m². It becomes a canvas that reveals the story of the archipelago's diverse collection of fauna.

The building was officially inaugurated on April 20, 1978, by President Soeharto. We came across live animals and reptiles that were caged in a transparent glass.

"This museum houses various animals, and reptiles are showcased in their respective natural environments," Santosa said.

“It features a captivating collection of live reptiles, where visitors can experience the wonder of direct interaction with various unique creatures, ranging from Komodo dragons, pythons, legged snakes, monitors and iguanas, to turtles and various crocodile species.”

THEATRICAL WONDER

The next place we visited was the Keong Mas Theatre. The theatre's building is shaped like a giant golden snail. "Keong Mas Theater or Golden Snail is where special films are screened,” Santosa said.

The building was inaugurated on April 20, 1984. It serves as an educational recreational space, introducing the natural and cultural richness of Indonesia through giant screen films.

It's also equipped with a giant screen, state-of-the-art cinematography technology and a spacious capacity of 836 seats. The theatre showcases selected animated films and films about Indonesian regions. 

There was a lot to see but time was not on our side. We were finalising our tour. We had to take a ride with a cable train, which covers 1.7km and has three stations with 81 cabins.

The ride takes visitors flying in the air while exploring the charm of the Indonesian archipelago from Sabang to Merauke. You get to enjoy a bird's eye view of this park and to see the map of Indonesia, which made up of more than 17,000 islands.

We were curious if this was the biggest park in the city of Jakarta or Indonesia.

"Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is just one many parks in Indonesia," Santosa said, before listing the others.

They include Kebun Raya Bogor Botanical Garden of Bogor, located in West Java, which borders the city of Jakarta. The garden is a collection of flora from Indonesia and around the world and a place where one of the Indonesian Presidential Palaces is located (Istana Bogor). There is also Resto Rasa, meaning Restaurant of Taste, with both garden and restaurant managed by BRIN Badan Riset dan Inovasi National (National Research and Innovation Agency).

Another one is Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, an amusement park with an aquarium that has fish and other water species. The big aquarium’s purpose is education and entertainment, with dolphins shows and Dunia Fantasi, more popularly known as Dufan.

The tour took about eight hours. Time did not allow us to visit other sites, but we enjoyed the much we saw.

"Thank you so much for visiting Taman Mini park, and you are welcome to visit us again," Bambang Sulistiyo said.

As we were waiting for our taxi, Madam Kurniasih explained about the towering Pancasila Flame Monument we saw.

"It consists of five keris (traditional Indonesia dagger) standing in a pool and always emitting water upwards,” she said.

“That symbolises the five principles on which the republic of Indonesia is founded: belief in one God, a just and civilised humanity, unity and diversity, democracy under the wise guidance of representative consultations, and social justice for all Indonesian people.”

The 45m-high tower monument was also full of symbolism, showcasing the year of the proclamation of Indonesian independence.

We left feeling enlightened and culturally enriched.