Jakarta's 'ondel-ondel' buskers face an uncertain future

Since losing his janitorial job in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Nuriman Firmansyah has been spending his nights donning ondel-ondel and performing on the streets of Jakarta to make a living.

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JAKARTA - Since losing his janitorial job in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Nuriman Firmansyah has been spending his nights donning ondel-ondel and performing on the streets of Jakarta to make a living.

But the 23-year-old is on the verge of losing his livelihood again, as the Jakarta administration is soon to issue a regulation that would ban the use of the giant effigies in street performances.

Ondel-ondel are traditional puppets from Jakarta's Betawi culture, originally used in rituals and festive parades to ward off evil spirits. Typically appearing as a male-female pair, with a performer inside and traditional music playing, they are now commonly used in street performances to collect tips.

One evening last week, the tune of Sirih Kuning (yellow betel) emanated from a small speaker attached to Mr Nuriman's costume as he swayed through the blaring traffic on Jalan Palmerah Barat in West Jakarta.

The towering 5kg costume is a hot, stuffy burden as he plies the busy streets from the late afternoon until close to midnight.

He is not alone: Mr Didi and Mr Iman Saputra accompany him, helping to navigate traffic and collect donations from passers-by.