This misuse has changed the way people perceive Betawi culture, especially ondel-ondel. What drives people to use a cultural icon as a means of earning a living through begging?
They are the scavengers—the invisible workers whose roles are often overlooked, yet are crucial to the waste management cycle. Their story is not merely about garbage, but about survival, dreams, and finding meaning in a place society often disregards.
This story follows a Batak Toba family who has spent many years living in the urban landscape of Jakarta, yet never once thought of letting go of their ancestral traditions.