Significant Factors of Sense of Place That Makes Jeron Beteng Yogyakarta Sustainable as a Historical Place

Abstract

Jeron Beteng in Yogyakarta have evolved throughout history in relation to the existence of the Palace of Yogyakarta. Inhabitants of Jeron Beteng have been living there for generations and their activities are reflecting the support to the preservation of court culture. Some inhabitants are still dedicating their life as court servants (abdi dalem) and some are still performing the traditional art of dancing, batik and wood puppets. Jeron Beteng is under pressure of the modern art of living, yet inhabitants are eager to preserve the inherited culture. The purpose of this paper is to explore the sense of place from the perspective of residents that makes Jeron Beteng appealing as a well-preserved historic place. The study is qualitative in its approach, and conducted through field observation and unstructured interviews with residents who are court servants and engaged with cultural activities. The locus of the study is distinct settlements in Jeron Beteng: Kampung Kadipaten, Kampung Nogosari, Kampung Taman, Kampung Patehan, Kampung Gamelan, and Kampung Mantrigawen. The results of the study indicated that Jeron Beteng is sustained as a historical place because residents are continuing cultural activities that are related to the court culture. Besides that, history of place, spirituality, cultural values, and social life of residents are significant factors that have created the sense of place in Jeron Beteng. Keywords—sense of place, historical place, sustainability, Jeron Beteng