CONDET AS A BETAWI CULTURAL HERITAGE AREA AND THE LIFE OF ITS COMMUNITY (1976-1988)

English

Abstract

This study examines the background to the designation of Condet as a Betawi Cultural Heritage Area and the dynamics of the social life of its community during the period 1976–1988. This study was motivated by the rapid development and urbanisation of Jakarta, which had an impact on the social, cultural and demographic changes of the Betawi people as the indigenous population. The study used a historical method with a descriptive-narrative approach through the stages of heuristics, verification, interpretation and historical writing. Data was obtained from secondary sources such as books, archives, theses and previous relevant studies. The results of the study show that the designation of Condet as a Betawi Cultural Heritage Site in 1976 was a strategic policy of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government under the leadership of Ali Sadikin to protect the environment, settlement patterns, and Betawi culture amid the tide of modernisation. However, infrastructure development, urbanisation, and increasing population heterogeneity triggered significant social changes, including shifts in livelihoods, reduced plantation land, and cultural assimilation, particularly for the Arab ethnic group. These conditions contributed to the weakening of Betawi culture in Condet, eventually leading to the revocation of its cultural heritage status in 1988. This study concludes that the preservation of local culture does not only depend on government policies but also requires active community participation in order to maintain cultural identity amid the dynamics of urban development