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When the traveller arrives in Semarang, they encounter Java’s usual tropes: plenty of traffic, remnants of a colonial past – Dutch, in this case – and the general comings and goings of a busy port town. They do not expect a place like Kampung Pelangi.

After all, Semarang, Indonesia’s seventh most populous city, is no shrinking violet. It throbs and pulses like a heart pumping blood, and the low-end drone of traffic rarely stops. An afternoon spent walking about the place, starting, say, from Tugu Muda and traipsing east along Jl. Pandaranan to Simpang Lima, before veering north for Taman Kota Lama, can leave a person dazed by the thunderous noise of it all. Bikes, as in most places in Indonesia, make much noise and rarely stay absent for long. They are constant companions in Semarang.

Yes, those who seek quiet can find pockets of solitude and peace. They do exist. But these places require finding.

Kampung Pelangi

It can come as a bit of a shock, then, to stumble upon Kampung Pelangi in the Randusari area of South Semarang. This small village lies close to Lawang Sewu, the former railway HQ. But while stories of ghosts and spirits haunt the latter, those who follow the road south from Tugu Muda will find a shining beacon amidst the city’s thrumming chaos.

Here waits Kampung Pelangi, a place once called Kampung Wonosari, that draws the gaze with its colourful buildings and artwork. In a former life, the village had come apart at the seams, infected by gloom. But in a bid to promote well-being and create a colourful outlook, the village received a clean-up. One positive lick of paint later, and voila. The Rainbow Village had come to life.

Kampung Pelangi sits by a river and stretches up the side of a hill. It is a living testament to the KOTAKU slum eradication programme. The programme had a single goal: to breathe new life into slums by way of a colourful restyling.

And so it proved here. In 2017, the community banded together to paint houses in bright colours. They also added murals, like wings and 3-D creatures. The whole area exploded in colour, where once it wallowed in shades of grey and brown.

The scheme took shape the year before. In 2016, the authorities renewed the Kalisari flower market. They cleaned the stalls and tidied the walkways. And they made it easier to buy flowers or watch the creation of beautiful floral murals. Those of a more curious bent now had more space to see how the intricate styrofoam designs that accompanied these murals came to life.

Warm Glow

Others looked on and liked the market’s new warmth. And these same people, seeing how slumped the slum looked in contrast, decided to expand the renewal to Wonosari. The village would receive an upgrade. Funding by the government to the tune of US$225,000 / 3 billion IDR would aid the revamp, which, so said the Jakarta Post, had seen more than 200 homes receive a paint job of many colours by the end of April that year. A rainbow had descended upon Wonosari. Thus inspired, the village gained a new name: Kampung Pelangi, or Rainbow Village.

Similar places exist all over the world. Those who walk through Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea, will find a twisting, turning place. They will see many houses of beautiful colours. And much like Kampung Pelangi, they will learn how dingy places can come back to life. In Gamcheon’s case, the ex-settlement for war refugees was energised with art, cafes and striking views.

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Such bursts of colour, character and charm charge the funiculars and bright buildings of Valparaiso in Chile. They infest the brightly coloured waterfront of Nyhavn in Denmark. And in Java, places like Kampung Warna-Warni Jodipan and Kampung Kali Code showed how much of a boost can come from conserving a place rather than leaving it to rot. This latter pair inspired the efforts to freshen up Kampung Pelangi.

Time for Change

Thus, the community around Wonosari decided to fix the area. So doing, they could attract visitors and improve the prospects of a place stuck in the thrall of poverty. The pattern was clear. A lick of paint in the name of urban development would draw in tourists. These visitors would then spend their money, which would, in turn, give the village an economic boost and a good name.

And as this reputation grows, it draws in more guests. Business increases, which improves the village’s infrastructure and reputation. And with that, prosperity removes poverty from its throne in this part of Semarang. Well-being comes to the fore, bringing with it self-belief and high regard that bleeds through to Kampung Pelangi.

Speaking to the Jakarta Post, Slamet Widodo, who led the scheme, said he had grand plans for the village. ‘Hopefully, Kampung Pelangi will be the biggest [of its kind] in Indonesia and offer a new tourist attraction in Semarang,’ he said. By giving this densely packed village the chance to develop, KOTAKU helped Kampung Pelangi shake off its image as a slum. Instead, hundreds of homes turned into works of art. The month-long facelift imbued each house, roof, alley and bridge with vivid colours and murals.

‘The administration spent around 3 billion IDR [US$225,000] to revamp Kampung Pelangi,’ said the Mayor of Semarang, Hendrar Prihadi. This revamp didn’t stop at paintwork, either. Homes were repaired, roads repaved, the river cleaned, and a food centre constructed.

And thus, Kampung Pelangi took on a new role in life. Rather than simply a place to live, it became a public spectacle. Its beautiful exterior can impress outsiders, while its revived interior soothes those who live there.

Nowadays at Kampung Pelangi

This is no haven or bubble within which the secret of life itself resides. Instead, the village’s magic lies in its agreeable ambience. At one end of the village lies a tent and its attendant callisthenics classes. At the other end, the craftsfolk of Kalisari create their floral wares well into the night.

The simple idea to add a bit of colour changed the neighbourhood. Kampung Pelangi has made a name for itself. The pulse of community charges through the place. And with this boost comes an added incentive to look after Kampung Pelangi. The village has a reputation now. Keeping it clean and safe helps everyone. The residents have a home to take pride in, and outsiders have somewhere that warms the spirit.

Visitors report a complete change in Kampung Pelangi. The colourful makeover has alerted them to a place they previously ignored, as though it has suddenly magicked into existence.

 And as they cross Jembatan Cinta, or Love Bridge, perhaps aligning their steps with the colourful diagonal brickwork as they go, they reach the village. There, they can see the padlocks that symbolise unending love, and they can listen to the soft flapping of flags caught in the breeze. They can see themselves in the mirrors that adorn the walls and admire the shadow puppets that dance wherever their image is painted.

The colours have changed everything. And now, the air crackles with creativity. Such is the warm welcome of Kampung Pelangi, the most colourful village in all of Semarang.

Things to know