Fragments of Hope

For Fragments of Hope, we turn our attention to the temples scattered around our neighborhood, as well as the daily rituals held there. Glodok, as the oldest Chinatown in Indonesia, established by the Dutch after 1740, has long held temples as vital pillars of the community, with some being built as early as 1650. These sacred spaces are not just sites of devotion, but also act as spaces for the community.
They bring people together and anchor generations through shared beliefs, traditions, and acts of care; a vessel for the neighbors’ hopes and wishes.

Praying, something personal that we hold close to our hearts, is also a communal act. In temples we visited, we observed people arriving one by one, each with their own reasons. Some in search of guidance, others giving thanks, and many are simply seeking a place of refuge for a moment of peace. They light candles or joss sticks, then silently offer their prayers to the Gods. Though each person carries different intentions, they stand side by side with others doing the same; alone, but together in their solemnity.