Monday, June 8, 2009
in Borobudur Village, Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java - Indonesia
Launching of Borobudur Mandala Green Map
Phase I – Green Map of Borobudur Village and Green Map of Borobudur Tourist Park
Where is Borobudur?
Borobudur is situated in Central Java, to be exact in Magelang Regency, having Borobudur Temple as its main landmark. At times Borobudur sub-district is also called as its locality. People, unaware of the mistake, often mentioned Mungkid Sub-district as the area where Borobudur is located. Yet, not many people call Borobudur Village as the place of the biggest Buddhist monument in the world. In fact, there is no doubt that only few people who know that there is a village called Desa Borobudur (Borobudur Village).
In addition, most visitors of this world heritage do not realize that they are visiting the center of a village called Borobudur. In a very short time, approximately 2 hours, after getting off their vehicles, visitors spend their time just to walk in queuing at the entrance to the park; walking directly to the top of the temple, taking pictures and a rest for a while. Afterward, they crowd again on the way out of the park; passing through a few museums and souvenir market before leaving the site. There are not many valuable experiences that can be learned by the visitors of this world heritage.
How about the community of Borobudur Village?
Living in the neighborhood that is directly connected with Borobudur Tourist Park brings consequence that they have to live within the domination of tourism and service sectors. The North and East sides of the village where many public facilities and main roads have been built are getting more urbanized. Since the tourist park began operating in the decade of 1980s, the local people have been able to get economic benefits from tourism and service sectors, providing various services that they manage such as restaurants or food stands, shops, souvenir stands, hotels and tourist guide service. However, bad impacts cannot be avoided too; for example, when the number of visitors increases, traffic jam around the site often takes place and visitors leave a great deal of waste in this area.
On the contrary, the West and South sides of the village do not go through significant growth. The areas remain the same as pastoral settlement and agricultural land. No direct impacts from tourism can be seen in these sides because of no direct access to the park. In addition, to both areas there are no good main roads that can support further development.
Tourist Park as wide as 85 ha signifies the lack of the interaction between the local people and Borobudur Temple. Before the restoration in 1973, people lived very close to the temple. Various traditions were held on the yard around the temple. In fact, the market of Borobudur Village was situated very close to the temple’s foot; to be exact in the recent entrance way. Some hamlets like Kenayan and Ngaran were removed to new places within the village. The park that splits the village into two parts – north & east side and west & south side – brings impacts as stated above.
Measuring the Impacts, Planning the future
Borobudur area gets developed due to the existence of Borobudur Temple that was built in the 8th century, discovered again and restored in the 20th century. In 1991 it is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Until today it becomes favorite tourist destination. A research on the changing of space structure of this site conducted by Winarni in 2006 shows that the changing taking place since the restoration in the decade of 1970s tends to be very substantial. Many new infrastructures that have been built form this area as the center of tourism, local administration and commerce. This fact is different from the growth of early Borobudur that referred to the existence of rivers and springs.
Management of area until today still follows the principles of JICA’s Masterplan (1979) and has been strengthened with Presidential Decree No. 1/1992, which distributes authority of management based on the zones. The site of Borobudur Temple (Zone I) is managed by Balai Konservasi Candi Borobudur (Borobudur Conservation Office) under the Department of Culture and Tourism. The complex of Borobudur Tourist Park is managed by PT. Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur under the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprise. The areas outside the zone II are managed by local government. In practice, the administration of Borobudur Village cannot interfere in the areas which geographically belong to the village. Besides having removed hamlets and split the village into two separated parts, in fact, the existence of this park brings great impacts to the village and people.
In its development, the condition of management of Borobudur heritage site shall be renewed in order to comply with the recent situation. Since 2008, some measures to compose the masterplan for this area have been taken and in some opportunities these have involved persons from the local people. Knowing that this area is determined as a National Strategic Area, people of Borobudur feel that they have to know more about what they have and what they want to develop in their own neighborhood. In reference with tourism and service functions that get more dominant on some parts around Borobudur temple, people want to know how far many activities in Borobudur influence the daily life of the people.
Through method of participatory mapping, Peta Hijau (Green Map) Network of Indonesia gives the local people an alternative way to measure the impacts and to make plan for the future from the viewpoint of the local community. Process of identifying and discussion on the good and bad potentials found in Borobudur Village had started in 2005 and was continued in 208. They have succeeded in documenting the local history, statements, opinions and hopes of the local people with regard to the condition of their village at present and in the future. Therefore, it is hoped that the mapping process can make the local community have enough knowledge and deeper understanding, especially when they have to participate in discussions with other parties on the management and planning of the area.
Peta Hijau (Green Map Indonesia) as voluntary-based organization will keep helping the community of Borobudur Village with their initiatives to follow up the result of this mapping with various activities. Activity of phase I has finished two green maps, Green Map of Borobudur Village and Green Map of Borobudur Tourist Park. Both will be the early marks of documenting the potentials of Borobudur heritage area by the local community. The process is set within a bigger project called Peta Hijau Mandala Borobudur (Borobudur Mandala Green Map).
As an effort of disseminating the result of research and activity, an exhibition and launching of Peta Hijau Mandala Borobudur (Phase I) will be carried out. The main objective of these activities is to initiate collaboration between the local people and related stakeholders to continue the process in the future.
Text by: Elanto Wijoyono
Translated by: Thomas Widiyanto
Photos by: Thomas Widiyanto, Kristanti Wisnu Aji Wardani, Elanto Wijoyono
Maps Design by: Anang Saptoto, Thomas Widiyanto
Peta Hijau - Green Map Indonesia
http://greenmap.or.id
