Ondel-ondel
You see them when you drive through Jakarta: towering, brightly painted figures swaying above the crowd. These are ondel-ondel, traditional Betawi effigies that stand around two-and-a-half metres tall. With wide eyes, painted faces, and elaborate costumes, they are striking and unsettling, part protectors, part performers.
Cultural Significance
Historically, the Betawi, the original inhabitants of Jakarta, created them as guardian figures to ward off evil spirits and protect villages. When they appeared at important community events, their size reminded onlookers of unseen forces at work. Over time, they became a cultural symbol of Jakarta. They are still seen today at parades, festivals and national celebrations. They often roam the city accompanied by music. Starbucks mugs in Jakarta even have pictures of them.
For many Indonesians, they represent heritage, protection, and continuity — living reminders of Jakarta’s Betawi roots. For people unfamilar with Indonesian culture, they seem strange, almost alien.
Change of Lifestyle
In my novella Change of Lifestyle, they make a brief but memorable appearance. Gabe, newly arrived in Jakarta and still adjusting to his new life abroad, takes a taxi through the city. When the cab nearly hits one, the moment feels like a warning.
It follows another unsettling sign — a mild earthquake earlier that day. These events foreshadow the true disruption about to enter Gabe’s life: the unexpected arrival of Michelle, his ex-girlfriend from London. As Gabe reflects, ‘The ondel-ondel had failed to keep away evil spirits.’
Tradition, Disruption, and Storytelling
Ondel-ondel show how Jakarta’s traditions still brush up against modern, cluttered city life. For Gabe, they become part of the city’s strangeness, hinting that Jakarta itself has a role to play in reshaping his future.
FURTHER READING
Read Change of Lifestyle on Amazon to see how Jakarta’s culture, disruption, and personal choices collide in the story.
What’s wrong with Indonesian cats’ tails?
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