The performance of Keroncong Bandar Djakarta attracted the attention of visitors to the Lebaran Betawi Festival which took place in Monas, Gambir, Central Jakarta, Saturday (5/20).

We should love our own culture more

The visitors are seen singing and dancing together while reminiscing with songs such as Jali-jali, Bandar Jakarta, Watching Cinema, Ikan Dalam Kolam (Fish in a Pool), and Hilang Tak Berkesan (Disappearing Not Memorable). Not a few of them also seemed to document the perfomance of the Keroncong band using their smart-trees.

Alan Nuari (32), one of the Keroncong Bandar Djakarta personnel appreciated the Jakarta Provincial Government which always involved its orchestra to enliven every time the Lebaran Betawi Festival.

It is because through this performance, people are reminded again and start to like Betawi art. Moreover, visitors to Lebaran Betawi not only come from Jakarta, but outside the region. He explained, the onslaught of foreign culture, especially music, made the nation's own culture sidelined, even forgotten.

"Thus, we should love our own culture more, don't be too proud of foreign culture, we also have our own culture that we need to preserve. It's not that culture that comes from outside is not good, isn't it. It would be nice if we love and preserve our own culture," said the man who has been active in Keroncong Bandar Djakarta for 18 years.

The same statement also came out from another personnel, Taufik (67). According to him, one of the ways to preserve Betawi culture is regeneration which begins with introductions to the young generation, then an interest grows that encourages them to study and care for it.

"Hopefully, events like this can be reproduced by displaying Betawi arts and culture, thus there will be successors as well," he stated.