Asian Transformations in Action - Api-fellowships.org

COLLAGES OF BETTERMENT 219activities to be conducted within a given radius of anactivity generator.Worth mentioning are the various street elementsthat have sociocultural roots. As an example, outdoorbenches (golodog) can only be found within Sundanesesettlements. This refers to a 50-cm bench connectedto the dwelling unit facing the alleyways where peoplecan sit and talk to each other. This defines the mainalleyway as opposed to the back alley. However, inurban kampungs where the majority of inhabitantsare Sundanese, the golodog is still present but hasbeen transformed into a terrace which uses a differentmaterial from the original wooden bench (i.e., ceramics)(Rahaju 2006). Although this type of element is notpresent within Javanese kampungs, there is, however,always a specific place provided for the social venueof its inhabitants such as the alun-alun, which servesas the local landmark and centralizing element for theJavanese kampung (Siregar 1990).Animistic reflections on the streetsThere are also various street practices that have animisticroots. Animism is the pre-colonial belief of most ofthe colonial cities in Southeast Asia. Animism wasborne out of the forest (Suzuki 1978). In Bangkok, itis often common to see street trees that have coloredrope-like fabric going around the trunks. The older thetree, the more of these fabrics going around it. Also,the presence of street shrines and spirit houses on ornear the sidewalk is said to reflect the reverence of thepresent owners towards the spirits who lived on theland. Some commercial establishments bring out foodin the morning to offer to the gods so that they will havehigher profits for the day. Also, some pedestrians bringout food and offer it to the increasing dog populationwithin metropolitan Bangkok. Thus, indigenousknowledge, both positive and negative, should beFigure 2: Spirit houses in Bangkok complete with flowers, incense,leis and food in the foreground.determined, considered and evaluated if the aim is tocreate a sustainable street space for its users. Figure 2shows images of spirit houses.The street market and the informal street cultureGiven that the typical Asian is a social individualwho does not go out alone and prefers to do activitiestogether with other people, the Asian street space istransformed into a destination itself, replete with eatingplaces, shopping venues and meeting areas. Within thecase cities, the presence of market places reflects thestrong Indic-Chinese influence that has evolved intoa distinctive pasar (bazaar) culture. In Bandung, fleamarkets and bazaars draw a large crowd, such as theregular Friday bazaar along Ganesha Street in Bandungthat has the mosque worshippers as its captive market.McGee (1967) writes that the highly compact anddensely populated commercial-residential precinctof Sampeng, which hosted the largest concentrationof Chinese-born people in Bangkok, reflected theindigenous Thai city and at the same time served as thegreat bazaar and provided a hierarchy of commodityand food markets.However, a major component in street spacesustainability is social equity. This refers to theaccessibility of the streets to all users such as pedestrians,the informal street economy and other street users.Often, and in various transport studies, informal streetusers are considered obstructions to pedestrian flow.However, their rampant presence in almost all streetssurveyed in Southeast Asia and how the correspondinggovernment deals with them deserves mentioning.As a matter of policy, and in the name of cleanlinessand beauty, street vendors are being cleared off ofthe sidewalks. However, this is often met with lowcompliance. Again, the concept of street takes on theWestern view that it is solely for movement. However,Asian streets do not only distribute people but serve asa market place and trading venue as well. This also hassociohistorical roots.The informal sector is comprised of those who undertakeactivities that do not pay taxes, do not submit regulargovernment reports, and at times, routinely violatecertain rules or law (Habito 2005). They are a significantpresence in most commercial areas. In more traditionaldistricts in the Philippines, they occupy the “fivefoot-way”contributing to a unique sidewalk culture.The streets become makeshift marketplaces where theinformal economy thrives. Vendors and hawkers displaytheir wares wherein buyers may use the art of barteringto purchase goods and services. Informal activitiesAsian Transformations in ActionThe Work of the 2006/2007 API Fellows