Who are the Betawi?
The Betawi are considered the original inhabitants of Jakarta. They are often called "Jakarta People, Batavi, Batawi, or Jakarte." They originated from the mixture of peoples who arrived in Batavia (Jakarta's historical name), and they have occupied the port city since the 15th century. The authentic Betawi people can be found in the outlying areas of Jakarta, such as in Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta, in Condet in East Jakarta, and the area of Kampung Sawah in Bekasi, West Jawa.

What are their lives like?
In the inner city, the Betawi live as traders, civil servants, laborers, craftsmen or private employees. In the outskirts of the city (such as Jagakarsa, Cirasas, Cilangkap) most Betawi have agricultural occupations as fruit growers, rice farmers, or fishermen. Their farmland is gradually decreasing because much of it is sold for housing developments, industry, and other modern uses. Consequently, the farmers are changing jobs for more urban work such as laborers, traders, and motorcycle taxi drivers. It is difficult for the Betawi to be separated from their family. If they are in their hometown and experiencing difficulty, they can request financial assistance from their family members. This situation sometimes gives the impression that they are less industrious in seeking a livelihood compared with outsiders. The formal educational level of this indigenous Jakarta population is usually rather low. Possibly, they have connected "school" with the Chinese or Dutch Colonists' lifestyles, which they have rejected. This antipathy to public education is reinforced when Islamic teachers urge them to avoid government schools and instead study in Islamic schools (pesantren) and seminaries (madrasah).The Betawi also have special arts such as folk theatre (lenong), giant parade puppets parades (ondel-ondel), traditional brass music (tanjidor), masks (topeng), and puppet theatre (wayang golek). However, today the Betawi are rarely involved in the presentation of their own traditional arts.

What do they believe?
Many Betawi orient their daily personal and communal lives toward Islamic ethics. An example of Islam's influence is the following four principles that are followed by most Betawi. First, at every encounter they will use the Islamic greeting, Assalamualaikum, which is answered, Walaikumsalam. Second, they must perform the five daily compulsory prayer times. Third, a daughter must be married when she reaches the eligible age. Fourth, a guest must be served according to the full capability of the host. Their foundational philosophy is, "Blessings are for today. Tomorrow is tomorrow's matter." They believe that God will give blessings, but they also believe in the presence of spirits in places like trees, bridges, and graves.

What are their needs?
The Betawi youth need access to scientific knowledge so they can adapt to the information and technological era. The lower rungs of Betawi society remain primarily agricultural, and there is a need to broaden their worldview. The Betawi must pursue higher levels of achievement, thrift, and competition in order to survive in the large metropolitan area of Jakarta that greatly values productivity and efficiency.