Peneleh Cemetery: A Living Legacy
Peneleh Cemetery holds a long and significant history in the city of Surabaya. It primarily contains the graves of individuals from the Dutch East Indies period, telling a compelling narrative of the historical context and events from that era. This cemetery is a site of great historical interest, offering a rich and varied perspective on the past. On one hand, it reflects the story of the colonial Dutch East Indies; on the other, not all Surabaya residents have had the opportunity to fully engage with this history, which still holds many untold stories and perspectives, particularly surrounding colonialism and the impacts of Dutch occupation.
In light of this, it becomes our duty as citizens of Surabaya to preserve and remember our history. This led to the idea of revitalizing Peneleh Cemetery into a “living library”—a space that could have a profound impact on the community by fostering greater engagement with its historical narrative.
The development of Surabaya has also reshaped the city’s public spaces. With the city’s vertical expansion, there has been a gradual loss of horizontal public spaces in the urban landscape. Peneleh, once a quiet and densely populated area, has transformed the way we perceive cemeteries. What was once viewed as a closed, mysterious, or even eerie space has unintentionally evolved into a public space for the local community.
The fusion of these concepts and functions, blending the need for historical preservation with the demand for accessible public spaces, forms the core of the revitalization effort for Peneleh Cemetery. The goal is to transform the cemetery from a static historical site into a dynamic, living space that integrates with the city’s urban fabric—reconnecting a public space that has been diminished over time, while honoring the cemetery’s historical and cultural significance.
