Jakarta, IO – Introducing Buk Renteng, an iconic cultural relic of Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. Buk Renteng is a historical water channel constructed higher than the road to water the fields during the forced farming system implemented by the Dutch East Indies government.
Despite being built during Indonesia’s dark times, Buk Renteng has witnessed Sleman Sembada’s development over the decades, particularly the Van der Wijk irrigation channel.
Named after Carel Herman Aart Van der Wijk, a Dutch East Indies Governor who served from 1893 to 1899, this water channel has irrigated Sleman’s agriculture, mainly the 20,000 hectares of rice fields and sugarcane plantations.
This Dutch irrigation system was built during the Dutch forced cultivation era and has revitalized the riverbank areas while irrigating the plots of local farmers. Today, the bridge over this irrigation channel has become an iconic local landmark, particularly for those who cross` the border between Minggir and Tempel Districts.
The channel is located in Tangisan District, Banyurejo, Tempel, Sleman, and is famous as “Buk Renteng,” which means a series of bridges in Javanese.
The Van der Wijk water channel that connects Sleman and Magelang, Central Java, used to be an irrigation channel connecting the Progo river flow to an agriculture area. Constructed in 1909 by the Dutch East Indies Government, the water channel aimed to irrigate the sugarcane plantation in Bantul District in the 19th century.
“Buk Renteng marks a time of Sleman’s evolution from an agrarian area into a supporter of the sugar industry in Yogyakarta,” said Sleman Regent Kustini Sri Purnomo.
Kustini said that the Van der Wijk water channel, or Buk Renteng, is one of the most interesting destinations that needs further promotion.
“To better introduce this potential heritage tourism destination, we have organized an annual tourism and cultural event: the Van der Wijk Festival that aims to blend the historical Buk Renteng with creative tourism, arts, culture, cuisine, and MSMEs,” Kustini explained.
To promote and preserve this cultural heritage, Sleman Regency, in collaboration with PT Pos Indonesia and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, created Buk Renteng stamps as one of the latest series of Indonesian stamps. The Buk Renteng stamp was issued on May 15, 2024, and was launched on May 16, 2024, as part of the City Landmark Stamp Series. The launching reception also marked the 108th anniversary of Sleman Regency.
Stamps, according to Kustini, are a perfect means to document and preserve important information over time. The City Landmark Series “Buk Renteng” stamp book offers a new perspective on the value of creating memorable documentation.
Kustini further said that the Buk Renteng-City Landmark Stamp Series is expected to help publicize Buk Renteng as a historical landmark with an enormous role in creating the Special Region of Yogyakarta as one of Indonesia’s food barns.
“I hope the launch of the Buk Renteng-City Landmark Stamp Series can help introduce Buk Renteng to a wider audience. I would like to invite the philatelic community and tourism activists to help promote the beauty of Sleman’s tourist destinations,” added Kustini.
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The City Landmark Stamp: Buk Renteng was launched with a ceremonial signing of the First Day Issue by Deputy Minister of Communication and Information, Nezar Patria; Chairman of the Indonesian Philatelic Association, Fadli Zon; CEO of PT Pos Indonesia, Faizal R Djoemadi; Regent of Sleman, Kustini Sri Purnomo; Paniradya Pati Kaistemewan, Aris Eko Nugroho; and Head of the Sleman Tourism Office, Ishadi Yazid.
The creation of the Buk Renteng-City Landmark Stampe Series involved a team of creative professionals, including Fajar Wijanarko (researcher), Ghilman Nafadza Hakim (researcher), Nanang Setiawan (academic), Nur Arifin (photographer), Yoga Wahyudhi (painter), Alan Fajar Ma’arij (painter), Luvita Pradana P.S. (dancer), and Uul Jihadan (philatelist), and was coordinated by the Sleman Tourism Office.