Jeron Beteng Community as a Core Society in Alun-alun Yogyakarta

Both Alun-aluns are located in the fortress of Yogyakarta Palace, which is called the Jeron Beteng district. These fortress walls—about four metres thick and 3.50 metres high—surround the Palace area with bastions at each corner, also surrounded by two-meter-wide canals separating the surrounding environment. The names of the gates surrounding Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta are Plengkung Nirbaya (Plengkung Gading), Plengkung Jagabaya (Tamansari), Plengkung Jagasura (Ngasem), Plengkung Tarunasura (Wijilan), and Plengkung Madyasura (Buntet). See Figure 7.2.

Figure 7.2. The Original Jeron Beteng Area with its Gates and Bastions Source: Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat (2017)

The Jeron Beteng area consists of the main buildings of the Palace and traditional neighbourhoods called kampongs. Yogyakarta Palace functions as the residence of the Sultan and his family, as the centre of the government, as a cultural centre, tourist destination, science centre, and as a museum of the nation’s struggle (Heryanto, 2010).

115 The kampongs in Jeron Beteng area are unique because they have a special toponym, which is related to the residents’ former occupation in the Palace (Widayatsari 2002 as cited in Kurniawati, 2015). Some of these kampongs have been stated in Table 7.4. Now, the ownership and function of the kampongs have changed. They are no longer the courtiers’ kampongs. Due to economic and tourism-related reasons, these kampongs have become amenity-providers to tourists, such as guesthouses and batik galleries.

Table 7.4. The Names of Kampongs in Jeron Beteng Area Name of the

Kampong

Toponym Explanation

Name of kampong after the task in the Palace household

Siliran Silir Kampong for courtier whose task was to turn the lights on Gamelan Gamel Kampong for courtier who worked as a groom

Patehan Teh Kampong for courtier whose task was to take care of the drinks Langenastran Langenastra Kampong for courtier who was the King’s soldier

Kemitbumen Kemitbumi Kampong for courtier who was a cleaner Pesindenan Sinden Kampong for courtier who was a Javanese singer Nagan Nagan Kampong for courtier who was a traditional musician

Sokolangen Sego Langi Kampong for courtier whose task was to look after the food service

Namburan Tambur Kampong for courtier who worked as a drummer on particular occasions

Polowijan Polowijo Kampong for courtier who worked as a clown or cheerleader during special events. These courtiers comprised differently-abled persons.

Name of kampong after the position in the Palace

Mantrijeron Mantrijero Kampong for courtier who worked as an office leader Suranatan Suranata Kampong for courtier who made mosque arrangements Wijilan Wijil Kampong for Prince Wijil. Wijil means seed. Now, it is a gudeg

(traditional food from jackfruit) centre in Yogyakarta Source: Widayatsari 2002 in Kurniawati, 2015

Nowadays, the fortress has been blocked by community buildings, and parts of it have been broken down by private building owners. Only two gates are in good condition—Plengkung Gading in the southern part and Plengkung Wijilan in the northern part of the Palace.

Figure 7.3. The Wall Turned into a Garage Door and Closed by Residential Source: Agustina, 2015 and Budiarto, 2014.

The social structure of Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta is divided into the old and the new patterns. The old one consists of The King (Sultanate), the noblemen (sentono dalem/priyayi), the courtiers (abdi dalem), and the commons (kawula dalem), in a hierarchical class. The new one consists of residents and non-residents with no hierarchical class. The residents are still in a hierarchical class, consisting of the Palace class, the noble class, the courtiers, and the inhabitants.

Non-residents consist of the inhabitants, the visitors, and the residents from Jaba Beteng (outside the wall).

The Jeron Beteng was opened to outsiders in 1946–1949, when Yogyakarta became the capital city of Indonesia (4 January 1945–17 August 1950). At that time, there was a movement of power and the leaders of the nation from Jakarta to Yogyakarta. At that time, there was an increase in the population of Yogyakarta City from 17,000 to 600,000 persons (Depdikbud, 1977 in https://antosenno.wordpress.com as cited in Sumintarsih & Adrianto, 2014).

The outsiders came from the areas surrounding Yogyakarta City. When Gadjah Mada University (UGM) was opened in 1949, classes first started at Pagelaran Yogyakarta Palace, Ndalem Widjilan, and Ndalem Mangkubumen in Jeron Beteng area. Many students came to Yogyakarta Palace to study in UGM. In 1969, the Palace was opened as a tourist attraction, and many tourism-related workers began staying there.

Figure 7.4. Old Hierarchical Social Structure of Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta Source: Redrawing based on Widiyastuti, 2013 and Sumardjan in Suryanto et al., 2015

The influx of outsiders⁵⁸ to settle in Jeron Beteng area makes this region the most populated area in Yogyakarta City with a population density of 12,534 persons/km² (BPS Yogyakarta, 2016), which will become a challenge to be understood with local wisdom in future.

In the new social structure in Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta, there are two types of communities: resident and non-resident. See Figure 7.5. Residents could be indigenous people who have a correlation with the Palace and outsiders who became the inhabitants of Sultan Ground (King’s land). The composition of the new social structure was 75% for indigenous

58 Except for foreigner and Chinese people because they cannot stay in Jeron Beteng area.

117 communities and 25% for migrants in 2013 (Budiarto & Suwandono, 2015). The indigenous community includes residents who have lived in Jeron Beteng since birth. Migrant may live permanently or temporarily, as tenant or leaseholders. According to Budiarto et al., 2015, the length of stay in this area is classified as follows: less than five years (3%), 5–15 years (10%), 15–

25 years (12%), and more than 25 years (75%). Therefore, most of the residents are represented by the indigenous community, who have stayed more than 25 years, and of course, have a tight bond with Yogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace. This will influence community mental mapping about public space and its facilities here.

Hajjah Fatienah, who was born in Kampong Kauman Yogyakarta in 1926 and is a descendant of a Yogyakarta Palace courtier, said that it is a fortune for a commoner to walk freely into the Palace now. When she was a child, she had to wear special clothes and kneel to enter the Palace (Hajjah Fatienah, personal communication, December 2014). Now, regulations have changed, and everyone can freely enter the Palace and the Jeron Beteng. The Palace, Jeron Beteng, and Alun-alun show their egalitarianism to users and visitors. The use of Javanese Kromo language and special clothes are only applicable to the courtiers and the Sultan’s family. It means that now, the hierarchical social structure only applies to the Palace.

Figure 7.5. New Social Structure of Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta Diagram by the author