In most articles I read on Setu Babakan, the majority would state out the tourists attractions to be anticipated, the mouthwatering street food, the activities available and pretty much all the euphoria expressed by the tourists. But what is this village without these eccentric visitors?

Commonly, visiting Setu Babakan entails the necessity of enjoying Betawi related events. Every particular time of the month, special traditional performances are arranged for tourists visiting. Weekends are usually packed with families who enjoy Betawi's culinary, dance performances, and boat rides on the lake that surrounds the village. Behind all these hectic activities, are the most humble and happy locals who enjoy each other’s companies as well as the art of entertaining visitors.

Coming there on a weekday was certainly an exceptional experience from the peak days, which usually are on the weekends or during Jakarta’s birthday. A regular at Setu, Yusuf, prefers visiting the village on low seasons when he’s not visiting with families. This came as a surprise to me as I previously had never imagined the point of visiting a recreational place without any particular attraction to see.

So I went there on a cloudy Thursday afternoon, expecting the worse in what seemed to be a deserted place for a tourist attraction. As I explore the area, I began to find individuals enjoying their time alone for which had turned out to be hours spent on the same spot. As I observe this, I was most astonished to have witnessed a person, spending hours fishing alone in the same area from the moment I reached the village until my departure. It became clear to me then that something about this place is personally valuable or sacred to those who gets it.

I for one didn’t. So I brought my curiosity to the people who knows this place best, the traders. During this time of the day, the only ones around the place are the food vendors, selling Betawi’s classic culinary dishes. I stopped by at the Kerak Telor merchant to fill what was then an unexpected hunger. While waiting for my food, I had a brief conversation with the cook about this village that they have spent their everyday lives in. Speaking to them, I had felt the distinctive character of Betawi, their very relaxed way of speaking and their use of slangs. Yet even with their informal way of speaking, they value a respectful etiquette amongst each other, which is why they can live peacefully regardless of their differences. In a village with 40 percent of immigrants from other parts of the nation like Java and Papua, these values remained important so as long as they have to live with one another. This is a reminder in my part to what have made Betawi so special. Their intercultural origins have made them open towards Indonesians of different heritage.

The conversations I had, led me towards the Setu Babakan office center, which was not the typical ‘office’ I had in mind. I was reluctant to go at first, but was convinced by the traders there that the people at the office are very kind and open just as most Betawi people are. As it turns out, they were right. I came into the building and was directly greeted by the leader of the office, Pak Indra. The building was designed like the typical Betawi traditional houses, which was designed in a openly flow manner without much partition from one part of the house to another. I went inside the administrative area and was welcomed by Ibu Mina, who takes care of visitors such as myself looking to know more about the place. In the beginning, she seemed unaccustomed to having a student come without a particular set of questions much less an objective. Even so, she welcomed me anyway. I had told her about the unexpected turn of events since my arrival in the village and the unique people I have encountered. She said that the village might only be packed on certain time of the year, usually by the middle to the end of the year because that’s when most of the recreational activities are funded. Yet on other days, the place is visited by the kinds of people I saw, those who felt the beauty of the village’s nature.

Of course, whatever day that you decide to visit Setu Babakan, the same iconic settings can be enjoyed. For instance, every day but monday, there is one part of the area that makes Batik Betawi. The area is separated onto sections for each design process with crafters of various ages from teen to adult. Batik comes in different styles and design. Coming across the designs, Betawi had made certain that theirs would be different. And just like the Setu Babakan village, authenticity had surely become a valuable aspect of the Betawi Community. It became clear to me then that the single most important factor that has attracted tourists to Setu Babakan is more than just the facilities and events held but the precious people behind them.