The Social Development and Revitalisation Process of the Heritage Town of Muntok in West Bangka
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
International Journal of Built Environment and Scientific Research Volume 01 Number 02 | December 2017 e-issn: 2580-2607 | p-issn: 2581-1347 | Pg. 91-106 The Social Development and Revitalisation Process of the Heritage Town of Muntok in West Bangka Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan Professor, Department of Architecture, Universitas Indonesia Email address: [email protected] ABSTRACT This paper discusses the overall importance of society in the revitalisation process of the Heritage Town of Muntok. It was triggered by the phenomena of the society’s declining confidence. Theoretically, the members of society became the main actors for the urban development. In Muntok, the members of society became sceptical about any revitalisation initiatives or social development proposals due to the unpredictable economic future. As a pilot project for this social development, the revitalisation of one of the Malay Stage Houses in Kampung Tanjung Muntok is expected to change people’s mindset about the importance of heritage in order to build up society’s confidence. This paper is based on my research experience and community engagement in the town of Muntok from 2012 until present. This paper will look at how the strategies to build up society’s confidence evolved during heritage revitalisation process. Our findings indicate that capacity transformation and capacity building were important outcomes achieved during the process. © 2017 IJBESR. All rights reserved Keywords: capacity building, capacity transformation, confidence, intangible, urban planning 1. Introduction deserted and the condition of the town looks like a dead zone, as no economic activities Since my last visit there in 2003, the social and happen after 5 pm. People are not attracted to economic conditions in Muntok, a capital town visit Muntok. For the people who come by sea in West Bangka Regency, had not changed from Sumatra, Muntok only seems to be a significantly. Conditions were also much the thoroughfare or a route to Pangkalpinang and same five years ago in 2012. The effect of the Sungailiat. The condition of the town was and economic collapse was particularly related to is getting worse due to the illegal tin miners, the fluctuating conditions of the country’s tin who are operating in the surrounding industry in the early 1990’s, which threatened landscape. The mining operations are the sustainability of many cities in the Bangka- producing environmental destruction on both Belitung Province. However, comparing the land and sea. Moreover, given a sense of situation to other cities in Bangka, which had economic pragmatism, due to the started to regain their economic growth, mushrooming of swallow bird nesting Muntok’s recovery has not been as promising. enterprises in concrete high-rise buildings (not Muntok seems to be trapped in its own version intended for human occupation), these of economic stagnancy, which is reflected in buildings have destroyed the historical skyline the physical appearance of the town and of the town. [1] livelihood of its inhabitants. The aftermath of the post-tin mining golden era still could be felt and be traced. The life of the town was Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan | 91 International Journal of Built Environment and Scientific Research Volume 01 Number 02 | December 2017 e-issn: 2580-2607 | p-issn: 2581-1347 | Pg. 93-108 Muntok is in a state of emergency and it needs historical archives in Netherland and a dose of proper medicine, so to speak, to cure Indonesia, and the interviews with local the town of its economic and social ills. community, government, and heritage homeowners. A review of government What makes the life of the town continue is regulations especially in relation to the the economic pulse of the postcolonial tin Cultural Heritage Act (Undang-Undang Cagar smelting factory activities and its settlements Budaya) No. 11 Year 2010 becomes the main that are located about 2 km from the centre of reference for the revitalisation pilot project on the old town. But, even this economic impetus social development. The collected data cannot increase the quality of life for the supports the description of conceptual majority of the inhabitants. According to data frameworks upon which to base the hypothesis from the Indonesian Statistical Bureau (BPS), of the definition of revitalisation and its in West Bangka Regency the poverty line in relevance to the process of capacity building, 2012 reached a level of 6,960 inhabitants with and also in the revitalisation phase related to the lowest income level at IDR 331.670 (under preparation, consolidation, promotion and the national standard). This statistic is about development/management. 3.0 % of the total of 188,271 inhabitants in 2013. The density was 65 people/km2 in 2013. Meanwhile, the revitalisation methodology Although this percentage of poverty seems to includes urban acupuncture as a method to be very low, in comparison to the tin mining’s execute the revitalisation process, focusing on golden era in the 1970’s and 1980’s, Muntok’s the Malay Stage House, conducting Heritage living conditions are still sub-standard. People Education Workshops with the members of the withstand the economic pressures through a younger generation in the community, and mindset of economic pragmatism. The low identifying community leaders to build up poverty levels have an effect on the grassroots initiatives. Drawings are key psychological conditions of ‘the town without tangible aspects in realizing revitalisation of a future,’ as reflected on the mindset of the the Malay stage house as a homestay. majority of people. People are sceptical in developing their town and are pessimistic as The main outcome is to build capacity well about their future prospects. There is no transformation and to foster capacity building confidence in what they could do in the future. for the affected inhabitants in Muntok. The Muntok has become a ‘no hope’ town and it process of recovery involves many parties and has lost its courage to save itself. networks with the ultimate goal being to enhance the quality of life of the people. 2. Material and Methods For this paper, I am concerned about the This paper discusses the process of recovery in architectural and historical urban perspectives Muntok through its revitalisation activities, within my area of expertise, which focuses on particularly through the social development social development. The primary findings of and grassroots initiatives. This paper is partly this paper show the importance of intangible based on my research activities and my aspects as the fundamental principle in the experiences in doing community engagement people’s capacity building strength to develop work in Muntok from 2012 until the present. their town. The research methodology for this paper includes historical analysis, ethnographical influence on artefacts, data collection from 92 | Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan International Journal of Built Environment and Scientific Research Volume 01 Number 02 | December 2017 e-issn: 2580-2607 | p-issn: 2581-1347 | Pg. 91-106 3. Results and Discussion the urban planning process. Planning should be sensitive to the cultural values of the REVITALIZATION OF THE HERITAGE society. In this case, there are three main TOWN OF MUNTOK ethnographical factors influencing the town’s artefacts, including Malay (and also Arab), Historical Analysis other Asian (Chinese and Japanese), and As of 2011, the anniversary of the town of Western (Dutch, British and Australian) Muntok is celebrated every year on 7 cultural influences. September. This date was declared as the anniversary of the town after a convention in The Western colonial occupation (initiated by Muntok following the result of academic British and continued by Dutch) had left studies and research done by historians and behind many important historical archives and culturists in 2011. As no exact date being artefacts, mainly related to tin mining found from any historical archives, it was activities and settlements. The artefacts range agreed to take the number of ‘the first seven from harbours to offices, schools, religious houses’ in Muntok built by Sultan Mahmud buildings, houses, a lighthouse, a prison, and Badarudin I for his Siantan wife and families, several other typologies that are scattered as the symbolic anniversary date for the town around the town. Some edifices still exist, but of Muntok. some are already in ruins and quite a few others had disappeared, especially after the The date of 7th September was agreed to handover of the tin mining buildings assets commemorate the historical events related to (previously owned by postcolonial, state- the Palembang Sultan (Sultan Mahmud owned tin mining company PT. Tambang Badaruddin I, who ordered his envoys and Timah Persero) to the local government in local inhabitants in Bangka to build seven 1990’s. Whereas, the historical archives about initial houses) to accommodate the members Muntok are scattered from national to of his wife, Mas Ayu Ratu Zamnah’s family international archival depots and libraries in and extended families from Siantan to present- Jakarta, the Netherlands, and Britain. These day Muntok. The historical migration from archives contain various maps, photographs, Siantan (in Anambas Island) to Palembang reports, and historiographies. For local and Muntok occurred in 1734 when thousands historiographies, several parties in Bangka of families connected to Mas Ayu Ratu have the records. Zamnah arrived in Muntok. The reasons behind this migration were to please and to accompany the Sultan’s Siantanese wife, who chose to live with her husband in Muntok Bangka. Politically, this migration was also to support Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I’s power. Subsequently, the Sultan granted mining rights to the Siantanese to operate tin mining and to develop the island of Bangka. Urban historical analysis is an important phase in the revitalisation process. It has become the main reference for urban planners. History Figure 1. The map of Muntok in early 19th-century Bangka. Kaart van de omstreken van Muntok, op het generally gives the identity to the town; eiland Banca.