Preserving Magelang’s History

He may not have a background in history, but Bagus Priyana loves to share his knowledge of Magelang’s past with everyone. His efforts include holding historical tours, literary discussions and all kinds of exhibitions.

KOMPAS/REGINA RUKMORINI

Bagus Priyana

Bagus makes an active effort to talk about history in a fun and accessible way.

“History belongs to the public. So history must be told in a way that is understandable to the public,” he said during a in mid-February interview in Magelang, Central Java.

Bagus has been devoted to his activities at the Kota Toea (Old Town) Magelang Community, which he founded in 2008.

The Kota Toea Magelang Community holds variety of activities with different themes each year, and can host six to 15 events in a single year. Its historical tours are the most popular, with hundreds of participants joining from Magelang, Jakarta, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Surabaya. Foreigners also take part in some of its activities, including those from Germany. The community’s tours explore not just Magelang, but also Temanggung regency in Central Java and Kulon Progo regency in Yogyakarta.

Bagus founded the Kota Toea Magelang Community in 2008, starting with four members. Thanks to its promotional efforts on social media, the organization now has 25,000 members who are active in a variety of ways, both online and offline, including holding discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions. The group also helps monitor the condition and use of Magelang’s historical buildings.

Some call Bagus a “walking archive” due to his vast knowledge.

“From our discussions, uploaded photos and stories from our friends in the group, we, including I, can gain new information and knowledge,” said Bagus, who lives in Magelang subdistrict of Central Magelang, Magelang.

In sharing information on Magelang’s history through the community, Bagus said that he hoped he could help people who live in and around Magelang gain a better understanding of the region’s past.

“History must not be forgotten. The city must not lose its memory,” he said.

He always makes an effort to enrich his own knowledge by adding to his collection of books and photographs, as well as the oral histories he collects from local old-timers as witnesses to historical events. Some call Bagus a “walking archive” due to his vast knowledge. He is often invited to speak at events in Magelang and other cities.

KOMPAS/REGINA RUKMORINI

Bagus Priyana

In love with history

Bagus has loved history since he was an elementary school student at SDN 1 Magelang. There was no turning back from the moment he first laid eyes on the dilapidated school, which was built in the 1970s. The condition of his school was in stark contrast to SDN 2 Magelang and SDN 6 Magelang, two other schools that stood in the same complex and were built during the Dutch colonial era. However, the buildings housing SDN 2 and SDN 6 were pristine.

Bagus, who often traveled with his parents, was in awe of the sturdiness of Dutch heritage buildings, many of which housed government offices.

His interest in history only grew on hearing the stories of Magelang’s past from his teachers and reading about them in books. His curiosity grew and grew, but he could not fulfill it due to a lack of resources for obtaining more information, so he held on to it in his heart.

His interest in history engendered a love for artifacts, such as old Dutch-made bicycles. His parents gave him an old bicycle, which became his main mode of transportation.

He then met other vintage bicycle enthusiasts, with whom he formed the VOC Magelang Community in 2003. Starting from a plan to tour historical locations with his vintage bicycle friends, Bagus began collecting information and materials on the various locations in 2005.

He cycled around the region to discover old buildings and who owned them, and then consulted the local elderly on the building’s history.

He noted down every piece of information he found in a huge notebook that he carried around with him everywhere. He then posted some of his notes on his blog and referred to them in holding discussions with his vintage bike group.

KOMPAS/REGINA RUKMORINI

Bagus Priyana

Unexpected journey

Bagus also discovered that his deep interest in history led him down an unexpected path. Bagus is highly sought after for the content posted to the Kota Toea Magelang Community’s social media accounts, including foreigners looking for their relatives or old family homes in Magelang. Bagus helped them in their search when they visited Magelang, using only their stories, memories and photographs.

Bagus has experienced many poignant moments during such occasions. “I once helped a Dutchman locate his childhood home that he left 76 years ago,” he said.

On other occasions, because of a lack of detailed information, he could only lead them to the street or alley where their houses used to stand. However, even this was enough to bring a smile to their faces. Bagus has so far helped people from the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and Canada in tracing their family past in Magelang.

“Helping others get in touch with their past is a joy unmeasurable by money,” he said.

His desire to help others and learn about his hometown’s past means that he is constantly gathering data and information from a great many sources. Bagus has collected hundreds of old photographs and books over the years, with the oldest one from 1939. He also has a collection of old maps, the oldest a railroad map dated 1924.

He obtained some of these resources from friends, while others he bought for hundreds of thousands of rupiah. Bagus is diligent in his search for physical records of the past, which he believes must be kept safe for posterity.

KOMPAS/REGINA RUKMORINI

Bagus Priyana

Bagus Priyana

Born : Magelang

Education : SMKN 1 Magelang state vocational high school

Occupation : Magelang history enthusiast, Kota Toea Magelang Community founder and coordinator