Indonesians have always been fascinated with this street, a place that’s portrayed as where east meets west, in the 2005 soap opera named Jalan Jaksa.
The street Jalan Jaksa wears many hats. Pick one and wear it for your occasion. That’s the charm. This street can morph into what you want it to be. If its hookers, the streets got it. If its lady boys, the streets got it. “Its intimate, rude, sensual, dodgy, well heeled, or a neglected mongrel,” says long term resident. “But more importantly,” he adds, “its non judgmental.”
Perhaps that is what appealed to its forefathers, the Dutch students of the Jakarta Law Academy during colonial times, who made this street their home.
Jalan Jaksa, a 400 meter long street, is located in Central Jakarta and only a stone’s throw from Sarinah Department Store, the National Museum, and the Gambir train station. But for many, who live here, it’s a self contained universe. Only recently, Circle K opened up its first branch here, which is a statement, “The street has arrived!”
“Everyone has their take on this street, but mine is positive,” says Vera Wijaya, 28, who is waiting at Memories, a popular cafe and bar on Jalan Jaksa, to meet her friends. She’s bubbly, beautiful and professional accountant from Tangerang (a Jakarta suburb near the airport), who stays over here when she’s in town to party.
Vera says with pride that Indonesian woman are liberated. “Now we have equality. If we want to hang out in Jalan we can.”
But the stereotypes and stigmas of Jalan – dead beats, junkies, conmen and hookers – sticks. She is here to meet some of her gay friends, and is very much in her comfort zone. A few of her sisters come up, dressed to the nines, which is in stark contrast to traditionally dressed Muslim ladies who are passing by Memories, one of the institutional cafes on this street.
Jaksa offers all kind of accommodation, from the sweat boxes with fans, to the modest two star hotel like Margot Hotel, to the upmarket Morrissey plush apartments at the end of the street.
Located on a little lane, next to Memories, Margot Hotel is a hideaway of sin — small rooms, good air con, cable TV and room service. Its narrow, four floor building is standing stoically against progress. On the stair way, is a large old oil painting of the Bali fire dance, and an original. Next door, in a vacant lot, a five star residence is being built.
Next door to Margot Hotel, is Memories. It’s a a a place to be seen. Its seedy, enlightening, and plain interesting. Its also a place where you can watch life go by; and also a place where you can feel part of Jalan Jaksa. “If you aren’t in Memories, and looking in from the outside, this street can really feel intimidating,’ said one punter.
Its 2 p.m. in the afternoon , and I’m onto to my third coffee. Now the tempo is picking up. The vampires are waking up.Its always dark. Even during the day, the lights are off, giving it a dim appearance. Flags of all nations are flying on the rafters.
A Britney Spear’s song being looped, over and over , for an hour! A Middle Eastern tourist is looking with bemusement at a West Papuan, who is now playing the invisible guitar to Britney.
He is Upah a regular fixture here and introduces me to an old guy with a pony tail. “He’s Australian!” That’s the extent of the conversation. There’s more back packers here than usual. But later in the afternoon, the regular expats like the pony tailed dour Australian will take over the evening shift.
Kyiahsa, another Diva, enters Memories. She’s wearing a short red skirt and tank top, and she’s showing her long tapered legs. “I met you before,” she says. And we exchange details. I get a text message from her the next day, “Are you with Lady Jaksa!”
I rely back, “Who is she?”
“It’s Vera!”
Now another Lady Jaksa arrives on the scene. Dianna is pretty and hails from Sumatra, and is another regular of Memories. She now has me taking photos of her. “You post them on my Facebook!” she says. Then I take a picture of her with Upah, who has pink nail polish. He’s addressed as Pappa by the ladies.
No doubt, the girls of Memories have attitude. And Jaksa is the place where Indonesian women can truly be themselves.
Jalan Jaksa is going through growing pains, and it won’t be long before it becomes another trendy Koa Sahn Road, the now upmarket back packer area of Bunglumpoo in Thailand.
In many respects, Jaksa is a refuge for the last bohemians and misfits. It’s a loosely knit community of English teachers, travelers, business men, and loners. “You either love it or hate it,” says an Indonesian model agent, who trawls the street for new Western talent for local television. “Its a unique place for now.”
“Eventually it will be gentrified,” he says. “At present, Jaksa offers solace to outsiders.” He adds, on a more personal note. “I’m gay, and feel that this street is a safe haven for similar minded people! If I want to be camp, I can! And that’s saying a lot in a very conservative Muslim country, where gays tend to be ostracised.”
Leave Kuta in Bali, and Kao Sarn in Bangkok for the budget travelers, Jalan stands alone as unique place, where the world collides and clashes in cultural diversity. But there are fears that with rapid development, Jalan Jaksa will go upmarket and push out all the characters, that live on the fringes of society.
Jason Daniels, an American expatriate TV presenter, of the popular TV series Walk the Talk, who first arrived in Jaksa, back in 1999, after a 30 hour ferry ride from Singapore. He is a permanent fixture of this street and feels very passionate about its demise. “It’s in the process of being renovated, bull dozed and torn up. Its such a strategic location. Now traffic jams are getting so bad, rich people want to live here. The real estate is gold!”
It’s the low season and the torrential rains have come. Compared to Bali, its really slow here. One of the main reasons for the general down turn in back packers, says Jason, was the introduction of the 30 day visa, which was cut from a free 60 day visa, in 2005.” I suspect tourism isn’t’ equal to Malaysia, which gives you a free 90 day visa on arrival. Here they get you to pay for a one month visa. It’s totally detrimental to the tourism industry.”
The self confessed “white trailer trash” who is known as the crazy bule from a show he did eight years ago, says back in the late nineties, Jaksa was very busy, and is now only a former shadow of itself. ” I couldn’t find a room, so I slept on a balcony of a guesthouse, being eaten alive by mosquitos. And when I heard the magrib, evening prayer, I thought, wow, how exotic it sounds. Finally I’m on the island of Java, I thought.”
Back at Memories, Didi is selling Dayak blow guns from Kalimantan. The forty-three year old’s claim to fame is killing a bird with his blow gun on this street –he sells poisonous darts to special customers. I had seen Didi many times and today decided to engage with him.
“No money this month,” he moans in his bad English, adding that he only sales three blow guns a week, “no tourists”. Eventually he orders an ice tea and puts it on my tab. Then he mumbles about being poor, and wants food and cigarettes. He sleeps on a couch at the nearby Bloem Street hostel where he does cleaning in exchange for free rent. “Don’t’ hustle me,” I say. He walks away with his blow gun, mumbling “Blah blah blah”.
Next, is a street beggar, asking for cash from clients, , and staring them down with a smile, until someone pays. Eventually a wait staff hands over 2000 Rupiah note. Following her is a troupe of singers. This time I give 2000 Rupiah.
Today, Jaksa is having another face lift. Jason, who only lives five minutes from this street, feels passionate about Jaksa , believing it could be the next Kemang soon. “Aston is being built next door,” points Jason at the construction site, next to Margot Hotel, where we are having a coffee. ” Its a new condominium catering to the rich Jakarta. When they live here will beer still be 30 000 for a big bottle? It’s likely to be 30 000 for a small bottle.”
Jason, who is wearing his trademark shorts and sandals, says he’s not into ” hoity-toity places like Kemang,” but concedes: “But this street could sure do with an upgrade of better restaurants. The food here at Margot Cafe is terrible. “
Yet stereotypes remain, despite the new make over of the street. ” I was recently interviewed on Indonesian TV about Jaksa. I remember the journalist asked me, ‘Is everyone a back packer or English teacher?’ I was with an English investment banker, who makes six figures!” He laughs, and adds, ” But he didn’t offer to buy me a beer!”
No doubt, Jalan Jaksa is a total mystery to many, and an intimate lover for the select few who are brave enough to experience it.
“Once you see past the facade of Jaksa, of freaks, losers, hippies, whores, drunks, reprobates, you eventually become one of them!” jokes Jason.
The jury is still out on this street! I’ll let the judges decide!
“How will Jaksa reinvent herself?” I ask him. A long pause. “Only time will tell.”
This place grows on you. Though the misfit child of Jakarta might wear thin on you at times – and isn’t that the charm? – it’s well worth getting to know the characters of Jaksa which make this street so unique and quirky.