Heritage Corner

Inilah suasana Tropen Museum pada hari Minggu sore, 17 Januari 2010. Ramai dengan anak-anak yang bermain, menyalurkan kreativitas melalui workshop, orang dewasa yang mempelajari kebudayaan dari berbagai negara dan apapun yang ditawarkan museum ini. Di Amsterdam ada dua mall yang buka pada hari Minggu dan ramai dikunjungi orang, tetapi museum juga buka dan sama ramainya dengan mall-mall itu. Mudah-mudahan anak-anak dan orang dewasa di Indonesia juga mempunyai pilihan itu, mau ke mall atau ke museum?

On Sunday, 17 January, I joined a tour inside the Royal Tropical Institute (or KIT) in Amsterdam. I have been here many times and saw the name of Tjong A Fie and the Deli Maatschappij whom I am familiar with on the wall. They are with many others donated some money to build this building. Knowing that Tjong A Fie and the Deli Maatschappij played important roles in the history of Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, I felt a kind of proximity with this building. It gives a mixed feeling. Aftel all the distances, in this beautiful landmark of Amsterdam, I am surrounded by a legacy of Sumatra's history. To quote from the website of the KIT : KIT was founded in 1910 as the ‘Colonial Institute’ to study the tropics and to promote trade and industry in the (at that time) colonial territories of the Netherlands. It was founded on the initiative of a number of large companies, with government support, making it an early example of a public-private partnership. Since 1926, KIT has been housed ...

Manneken Pis (Dutch for little man urinating ), also known in French as the petit Julien, is a famous Brussels landmark . It is a small bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It was designed by Jerome Duquesnoy and put in place in 1618 or 1619. Again, an example how to promote biking in the city centre. When does Jakarta follow this initiative? With clear signages, bikers and tourists can explore the city easily (and healthier because they walk or bike) Although after biking or walking for hours, waffle and chocolate are irresistable.

Sebagai orang Indonesia, melihat patung Jan-Pieterszoon Coen di kota kelahirannya, Hoorn, Belanda bagian utara, mau tidak mau jadi ingat pelajaran sejarah Hindia-Belanda. Oh jadi ini wajah sang gubernur jenderal yang dikenal oleh semua anak sekolah dasar di Indonesia itu. Jan Pieterszoon Coen (1587-1629) lahir di Hoorn, Gubernur Jenderal VOC dan pendiri Batavia yang sekarang bernama Jakarta. Patung ini diresmikan tahun 1893. (selebihnya cerita tentang alun-alun tempat patung ini berada.)