by Fithrotul Mumtaz | 10 August 2018
(English translation by M. Farras Fauzi)

Since the end of the 18th century, Surabaya has naturally transformed into a city of services and trade. The strategic geographical position was utilized by the Dutch to serve as a port and base for the defense industry. Since then Surabaya has developed rapidly to become one of the largest modern port cities in Asia. The city is played as the base of various fields of industry, which makes the initial generator of immigrant entry into labor.

While East Java was developing with its sugar plantation economy, various infrastructure developments were carried out to support distribution. Surabaya later became the leading commercial center in the Dutch East Indies. Distribution of various goods from foreign merchants came through the east gate of the Java Island trade. This was told by Australian economic historian Howard Dick in a book he named Surabaya: City of Work. Surabaya has
indeed become an easy target for migrants from various regions to look for jobs after Jakarta. Surabaya infrastructure development is growing rapidly and continues to be carried out increasingly dragging the influx of migrants until now.

Many people chose to stay in Surabaya, and the numbers accumulate along the time. Some chose to stay in Surabaya out of preference, but some stayed because they were not able to return to their hometown due to lack of financial success. Therefore they kept struggling and created their own tactics to establish their settlement in the city.

Due to its density and versatility, kampung in Surabaya served as the primary absorber of the population influx. Many kampungs in the city center still exists despite the rapid urban development taking place surrounding them. We can still find small alleys with the width just enough for two people passing, or even just one. Houses are compact, and can be transformed into business platforms that fulfill the demands of workers in the vicinity. Kampung streets are difficult to navigate by car and even motorcycle, allowing the residents to have more freedom in tweaking and improving their living spaces.

Hearing the word migration would lead most of us to think about the movement of people from one place to another. However, it is important to note that the movement is not limited to the person itself, but it is the migration of their belongings, tools, and intangible things such as identity, culture, and knowledge. All of them combined have brought massive impact to the City and made Surabaya rich in diversity. Kampung is the place where we can observe closely the changes made in individual and communal levels, and how the changes affect the surrounding people and environment.