CONNECTING TWO COUNTRIES

-

I often experience a fascinating situation when I discover that some people in Indonesia and the Netherlands are busy with the same thing while they do not know each other and have no contact whatsoever about the existence of the other party. 

An example is the history of the tobacco industry.  The Indonesian Plantation Museums (yes, two museums!) in Medan are busy with establishing the museums and one of the content is the tobacco history in Deli, the East Coast of Sumatra. And then I visited the Nijkerk Museum, they told exactly the same thing: tobacco history, including relations with the tobacco history from Deli in the past. 

Or the restoration of the Fort van den Bosch in Ngawi, East Java, by the Indonesians while I was biking regularly to the legacy of Johannes van den Bosch in the Province of Drenthe with museums, houses, and much more tangible and intangible heritage. 

Historical connections are to find out later, but we have enough hints to understand that many elements connect to each other. Knowing historical relationships between Indonesia and the Netherlands, it is not too complicated to have early thoughts about them. 

I want to share those fascinations with both countries. A lot of good things happen on both sides and why not sharing with each other? That is basically my motivation to initiate a heritage webinar series from the Indonesians for the public of the Netherlands. They are informal webinars, free of charge, and only once a month for two hours (every third Wednesday). I have no idea how the Dutch public will respond to this idea, but I will never find out if I didn't try. I have a good intention, and that is the most important. 

I am thankful that some people and organizations are on my side, helping me out to realizing this idealism.  They strengthen my confidence to move on, no matter what. I owe them all a lot. 

A tiny effort to build a communication bridge between heritage professionals and practitioners of the two countries. 

The first one is this month, exposing the efforts of the Indonesians to reuse the hundred Dutch forts in Indonesia. It is about the restoration of the Fort of van den Bosch. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REFLECTION ON 2023

-
Image
Bandung, October 2023 The end of 2023 gets closer.  I am thankful for the health, safety, and opportunities that I have this year.  The year started with good walks to the countryside of Austria. I had to thank my Austrian friends who introduced me to the beauty of nature, the farming life, and also the rich culture of a big city like Vienna. I fell in love with the philosophy of the architect  Friedensreich Hundertwasser: inspired by and back to nature.  In the spring, I had to thank my senior, Donovan Rypkema,  who introduced me to his heritage networks and works around Washington DC. I learned a lot about revitalization of the historical districts of the city.   I continued my journey with the train adventures following the history of the Dutch along the Hudson River until the border of  Canada. The experience with WWOOF USA impressed me. I think I will do it again, in another country next year. Staying in new surroundings with new people delivered fresh insights about life, and al
Read more

RISE AND FALL OF SUGAR INDUSTRY IN INDONESIA

-
Image
Sugar Factory Olean, Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia  (Source: Het Rozenhuis) The Sugar Industry in Java as shown during the International World Exhibition in 1910 in Brussels, Belgium (Source: J.W. Ramaer)  Heritage hands-on is selected as one of the participants “Sharing and Collaborative: The Footprints of Asian Sugar Industrial Heritage” is a part of the international symposium on “Multilateral, Sharing and Collaborative: Developing a Common Vision of Asian Industrial Heritage.” This event will take place in t he Cultural & Creative Industries Park, Taiwan, 30 th May – 31 st August. The organizer is  the Bureau of Cultural Heritage Ministry of Culture, Taiwan and it is implemented by National Yunlin University of Science & Technology Department of Cultural Heritage Conservation. Heritage hands-on will present the exhibition about "Rise and Fall of Sugar Industry in Indonesia".   I n the 1930’s Indonesia was the world second largest su
Read more

INFILL DEVELOPMENT

-
Image
Perpaduan antara bangunan lama dan baru selalu menarik perhatian saya karena saya percaya pelestarian pusaka (heritage conservation) haruslah aktual dan menjawab kebutuhan zaman. Jadi tidak semata-mata dan sama sekali bukan untuk nostalgia. Jika memang niat ada banyak cara untuk mempertahankan bangunan lama dan mengkombinasikannya dengan bangunan baru. Dengan cara ini pelestarian pusaka dan pembangunan baru secara simultan terakomodasi. Solusi seperti ini umumnya disebut Infill Development . Definisinya menurut BUILD, is the economic use of vacant land, or restoration or rehabilitation of existing structures or infrastructure, in already urbanized areas where water, sewer, and other public services are in place, that maintains the continuity of the original community fabric. Solusi Infill Development juga berdasar pada semakin meningkatnya kesadaran tentang pembangunan berkelanjutan dan pelestarian lingkungan hidup. Pendekatan Infill adalah tanggapan terhadap kebijakan pemerintahan
Read more