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It is not easy to challenge the idea that your average middle-class Jakartan is mostly just interested in shopping and eating out.

But there is at least one band of serious young people out there who are working to change this. The members of Komunitas Historia Indonesia (Indonesian History Community) want to get people out of malls and stores and take them to where the culture is.

The founder of the rapidly growing group, Asep Kambali, said he sees most young people as self-indulgent and materialistic.

“They have no interest in learning Indonesian culture and history. It’s so sad,” Asep said.

He and other members believe that an appreciation of national culture and history is important to give citizens a sense of place and identity.

In this spirit, the Indonesian History Community, which was established on March 22, 2003, is committed to teaching the next generation to understand and respect national history and heritage.

They do this by organizing cultural tours to introduce people to the rich history of the city and surrounding areas. The community currently comprises 28 main volunteers and hundreds of supporters.

Asep and other volunteers routinely post details of upcoming day trips on social networking sites like Facebook and Multiply.

The latest project is an antidote to what they see as the excesses of the recent Chinese New Year celebrations in Jakarta, with its focus on red envelopes and gold-foil wrapped gifts.

“If most people went to malls and other fancy places to celebrate the Chinese New Year, then we want to do something different,” said Adrianus Waranei Muntu, an active member of the community.

To this end, the community is organizing a tour to see a side of Chinese-Indonesian culture that most people never experience.

“We believe that Chinese-Indonesians are also part of this country and they deserve to be recognized,” Adrianus said.

The historical society has invited interested citizens to join them on the Tangerang Heritage Trail on Saturday for a multi-stop cultural tour, exploring the rarely seen Chinese culture in Tangerang.

Adrianus said that although most people readily associate Chinese-Indonesian culture with places like Glodok and Kota Tua, it was time to head out of the city.

“This time we want to go to somewhere different,” the 21-year-old said.

The trip, which starts shortly after 7 a.m., will focus on giving day-trippers a true sense of the culture of the outlying area and surroundings by taking the train to Tangerang and then traveling by angkot , (public minivan) once in Banten.

Those interested in joining the tour should meet at Museum Fatahilah in Kota Tua between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. for registration.

A small admission fee of Rp 65,000 ($7) will cover the cost of train tickets, angkot travel, water and lunch.

Adrianus said the use of public transportation would help ensure that people on the tour were given a sense of the everyday lives of those living and working in and around Tangerang.

Those attending the event will also be given a historical handout, which will help explain the history and culture of Tangrang, as well as a souvenir pin. There will also be a souvenir T-shirt available for Rp 40,000.

The trip will feature a visit to several of Tangerang’s Buddhist temples, along with stops at local farming communities.

One of the must-see spots in Tangerang is the Buddhist temple, Boen San Bio, which was built in 1689. Adrianus said that the temple is one of the oldest in the community.

Boen San Bio, which is located next to Pura Kerta Jaya Hindu temple, is a clear example of how Tangerang’s different religions live side by side in harmony.

“This area is another symbol of pluralism in Tangerang,” Adrianus said.

The next stop on the trail is the village of Sewan Kongsi.

Adrianus explained that the name of the village came from the Indonesian word sewa (rent) because decades ago the local farmers leased the land from the colonial Dutch.

Adrianus said a highlight of the trip will be the chance for visitors to interact with local residents in order to get a sense of their lives.

For those who usually wouldn’t stray far from the city limits, a trip to Tangerang with the historical community has the possibility to be a unique and eye-opening experience.

“It’s going to be unforgettable for all participants,” Adrianus promised.

Before returning to Jakarta, Oey Tjin Eng, a respected artist from the Tangerang community, will conduct a short presentation. Participants will be given the opportunity to ask him all their cultural questions.

Asep said the historical community aims to work as a bridge between young people and Indonesian culture and history, reaching out to those who normally shrug of history as tedious.

“Instead of lecturing people about culture and history inside the class, we take them out to see cultural and historic places,” Adrianus said.

“Learning history and culture shouldn’t always be boring.”