ONDEL-ONDEL IN THE WHEEL OF TIME
Jhony Hutapea, Bloomberg Businessweek Indonesia

One fine afternoon, dancing to melodious soprano tunes, gigantic puppets, well-known as ‘ondel-ondel’, strolled along a residential and business area in a suburban Jakarta. Double the size of a person who lifts and operates the puppet from inside, an ondel-ondel puppet brings a cheerful moment to children. Gradually, coins and small bills were collected through a circulated used paint can.
For the sake of economic needs, by asking in a manner of begging, a bunch of people who claim themselves artists forcibly turn this Jakarta’s icon into a money maker while disregarding its fundamental function and values. “If not by ngamen (begging), how can I get something to eat? How else can I feed my family? On top of that, I also need money to maintain this ondel-ondel puppet,” said Mulyadi, while fixing a worn out traditional percussion which is supposed to be no longer used.

Back then, ondel-ondel – which is one of Betawi’s many folk art traditions – was used to ward off wandering evil spirits and calamities by parading it throughout a village. As time goes by, nowadays this type of barongan (mask dance) has seen its function being degraded as some bad individuals more frequently take it to the streets for money.

This leads to an action taken by Jakarta Administration to ban ondel-ondel beggars in a reference to Provincial Regulation (Perda) Number 8 in the year 2007, which considers this activity as a disturbance to public order. Betawi cultural scholars have expressed their concerns over the beggars operating under a cover of art as it is against the true function and role of ondel-ondel while degrading the pride of Betawi’s culture itself.

It is beyond doubt that money has become the goal; be it in order to fulfill economic needs, or even to preserve this folk art. Local governments along with the society are supposed to be responsible in not only paying attention to this art but also preserving it. If not, the next generation of Betawi people will only know it through an ondel-ondel monument, now proudly standing in the middle of a roundabout in Jalan Benyamin Sueb, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.