Ancient Sragen: Central Java

The Central Javanese town of Sragen has long been on the Indonesian tourist map for its remarkable prehistoric human and animal fossils. But thanks to the efforts of the regency administration, the area is moving rapidly into the 21st century.

Sragen’s traditional charms are still evident. The Sangiran fossil site in Sragen is home to an intact fossilized skull of a Homo Erectus — a human ancestor dubbed “Java Man” after it’s discovery here — which is believed to be around 700,000 years old.

The site is also home to fossilized ancient mammoths of the Mastodon, Stegedon and Elephas species, which lived 500,000 to 1.2 million years ago.

Tourists, researchers and students visiting the town can look into the fossil excavation site from a watch tower or enjoy the cool climate by spending a night in a guest house in the nearby village.

Prehistoric remains are not the only attraction in the town, which is located some 200 km southwest of the Central Javanese capital of Semarang.

The town is also famous for its Kliwonan batik village. Most village residents are skillful batik makers who produce distinctive motifs unlike those found in towns such as Surakarta, Yogyakarta and Pekalongan.

“Visitors can spend their time in Sragen with only US$20,” Sragen Regent Untung Wiyono said.

“They can learn to make batik, study the fossils in Sangiran, learn to grow organic rice, raise livestock and fish, get into water sports in Kedungombo Dam and go horseback riding. They can do a lot of things here.”

With all this tourism potential, the regency is ready to go for the international market, printing promotion brochures and leaflets in English.

Visitors to Kedungombo can enjoy their meals on floating food stalls while fishing. For those after furniture, Kalijambe village is the place to go.

“We have marketed our furniture to Germany, the United States, Italy and Japan,” Untung said.

Sragen has a population of 865,375, 58.22 percent of whom are farmers, 11.16 percent are civil servants and traders, while the remaining 30.62 percent work in other sectors.

“Farmers are actually prosperous in Sragen, which is known as a rice center in Central Java. Here, the planting season lasts for four months, while farmers only work for 45 days or one-and-a-half months,” he said.

However, Untung said he did not like the idea of local farmers remaining idle for the rest of the year.

“We wish the people of Sragen could follow in the footsteps of the Chinese. Even though they don’t have vast land, they can apparently be prosperous by engaging in business.

“Businesses can thrive where there are a lot of people. The people of Sragen must become businessmen,” said Untung, a jet-setting businessman who is currently in his second term as regent.

Untung concedes it will be difficult to develop a spirit of entrepreneurship among farmers.

However he says progress has already been made by using so-called “mixed farming” to change the way farmers think and do business.

This has meant encouraging farmers to process compost as organic fertilizer. Farmers have also developed fisheries and raised livestock.

Thanks to these efforts, Sragen farmers no longer use as much chemical fertilizer as before. Organic rice from Sragen is known to be fluffier, longer-lasting and tastier. The rice also commands a higher price. Combined with less money spent on fertilizer and extra income from livestock and fish, the shift to mixed farming has been a financial boon for farmers.

Locals are also more involved in the batik business these days. There are 12,353 batik workers now compared to 4,000 in 2003. There are 4,542 batik businesses in Sragen, with new entrepreneurs constantly emerging.

“(Local workers) were batik workers in Surakarta before. Now, we supply batik fabric to big companies in Surakarta,” batik entrepreneur Marsono said.

Sragen’s batik factories are mostly found in Plupuh, Masaran and Kalijambe districts. Masaran is the biggest batik center with 2,567 businesses employing 7,233 workers.

“We wish the people of Sragen can become the Chinese of the Javanese people — to become successful in business like the Chinese. I’d encourage those who would prefer to keep farming to migrate outside Java to seek more land,” Untung said.

In an effort to improve public services, the Sragen administration is linking agencies and working units down to the district level with an IT network.

“Everything will be cheaper with the Internet. Young civil servants must know how to use computers,” Untung said.

The administration is also introducing its so-called One Stop Service for local licenses. Making licenses easier to get has improved the local investment climate and revenue.

Applicants need only 15 days to apply for building permits, seven days for business licenses and five days for clinic permits.

The integrated service has improved investment, which has increased from Rp 292 billion in 2002 to Rp 926 billion in 2004 and Rp 1.2 trillion last year.

The regency has also issued more permits for companies, from 6,373 in 2002 to 8,110 last year.

The regency’s successes have turned it into a model for study by other regions.

Suherdjoko