Existence National Culture Amongst the Vast Populations of Indonesia - Essay Example

?To what extent does a unifying national culture exist amongst the vast populations of Indonesia? What are the main characteristics of that culture, and how is it maintained by the government? Do you think a national identity is essential for a unified society? Introduction The vast populations of Indonesia consist of 210 million people belonging to 500 ethnic groups, and speaking 600 languages. The spirit of cultural unity in Indonesia is inherent in the ethnic diversity, which is also exhibited through the national slogan, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, unity in diversity. The meaning of Tunggal Ika (unity) was taken to be a unified standardized attempt, which was made the focus than Bhinneka (diversity) during the New Order time. Attempts were made to reduce the focus on ethnic identity via government policies and programs on development stressing on unity. It was considered a risky proposition to undermine unity for the sake of ethnic identity. During the time of President Suharto, political initiatives were taken to reduce the impact of ethnic identity by not recognizing the acclaimed SARA (Suku, Agama, Ras dan Antar Golongan, denoting ethnic group, religion, race, and group-based interest) in socio-political bodies and discussions to promote unity efforts in socio-political aspects (Bangun, 1999). Unifying National Culture A common name desa, a Javanese term for territory, was assigned by the government to refer to the land of each ethnic community though communities were identified by their own names to show their region. By using the new name, desa, the government achieved the desired effect visible in the socio-political systems including education. All students have uniform syllabus irrespective of their surroundings and climate. The government recognized only selected religions like Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Change in traditional customs and traditions from ethnic to recognize religions were welcomed by the government. People even changed their consumption habits. Rice became the staple food and was grown in plenty to replace maize and cassava. Besides, intensive rice farming practices and monoculture plantations in the exterior areas of the islands were promoted to replace other land uses such as swidden (slash-and-burn) agriculture and agro-forestry. The unifying national culture was attempted at the cost of affecting communities’ culture as a distinct system being discarded even in artistic expressions and functions (Bangun, 1999). The unifying national culture, therefore, exists among the vast Indonesian populations, as was promoted by the government in the 1990s as per national needs and for political integration. Seeking employment in big, miserably infra-structured cities inhabited by different ethnic groups created the need of a national culture to control the transforming city environments. At government level, building of such a culture was also encouraged by implementing common education curricula, celebrations on national holidays and guided maneuvering of the national press including television, popular art, and print media. The role of central strategy was responsible to some extent, as there appears enough proof of Indonesian national culture emerging in free environment as well through social restructuring of cities. It could be seen in speaking of national language, Bahasa Indonesia; change in eating and food preparing habits, sports like soccer, badminton, and volleyball, motion pictures, and showoff of material wealth (Frederick and Worden, 2011). Television and motion pictures presented varied characters like wealthy men, middle class civil servants, and white collar jobbers from the national culture rather than any ethnic group. Characters presented cut across class barriers in different and complicated ways (Frederick and Worden, 2011). Main Characteristics of Indonesian Culture The Indonesian society is divided into Javanese (45 percent), Sundanese (14 percent), Madurese (7.5 percent), and coastal Malays (7.5 percent). Rest of the 26 percent of the population form many small ethnic groups or minorities as per 1992 stats. While interacting with one another, the ethnic groups use a word ‘Adat’ for “custom”, which is one of the deeply rooted sources of agreement within an ethnic group. Although the word Adat has been derived from Arabic language because of contact with outsiders, the history of Indonesia has been one of great differences and contradictions of their traditions with others and their notion of their identity has been transformed through inseparable means of clashes. Ethnic groups of certain far away islands in eastern Indonesia don’t use any synonymous word for adat because they could not come in contact with outsiders (Frederick and Worden, 2011). The adat concept helped the Indonesian society in unifying the national culture by projecting it in touristic settings like Balinese art acts and showing them through museums in the 1970s and 1980s. The cultural diversity of Indonesia can also be seen through the building of Taman Mini, a 100-hectare Theme Park situated on the outer boundary of Jakarta. The theme park has been able to catch the limelight for different reasons, primary reason being its landscaping made to look like the archipelago of Indonesia in model form appearing from the overhead tramway. Each province of Indonesia was shown as a house representing the common design of the region. Culture of Indonesia is exemplified through its unified society through the local hand weapons, cotton, and published content on the traditions of the region. The theme park provides a sound message that adat can be seen in culture that is soothing to the eyes, and can be showcased, as it is different from routine social life. The showcased art pieces provide a message that ethnicity is comparatively concerned with regional and spatial differences than being an emotional or political concept. The park offers an appealing if not believable model for the Indonesian national motto or slogan of Unity in Diversity (Frederick and Worden, 2011). Like adat, Indonesians use certain other words like budaya (culture) when discussing their society in favorite terms. They talk of kebudayaan Indonesia, the “culture of Indonesia,” symbolizing the greatness of its culture related to superior customs and rich civilization. In regions such as Java and Bali, the Hinduized dances, music, and literature written on Java and Bali and grandness of the related religious monuments serve the examples of the grand “culture” or “civilization, which is not linked to “custom.” Nonetheless, the available vast range of sources of local identification does not undermine the importance of unity of the Indonesian people in any way (Frederick and Worden, 2011). The significance of social divisions has not been that crucial a factor because of increased mobility level of the population. In the past, such issues related to social classes were important concerning the scope and functions of social classes. There was no unanimity among scholars and policy makers on the extent of defining social classes in ethnic, economic, religious, and political perspectives. There can be no two opinions that Indonesian society has been highly segmented but no aristocratic class could be identified to be named as “upper class”. Traditional ruling classes and elite bureaucracy after the end of the Dutch rule had no easy route to reach at the top echelons of power and riches. Actually, their claim of belonging to an elite culture remained no more authentic in the late twentieth century. This class was replaced by might Javanese generals and ethnic Chinese capitalists. Their spending power was obviously immense but some institutional and cultural designs indicated that they were united at that time of the 1990s (Frederick and Worden, 2011). In a way, such a mixed scenario helped inculcating a spirit of class-less society, which paved the way to create the national identity, which is so crucial for a unified society, a society where all classes are more or less working on the same economic, social, and political platform, contributing their share in the growth of the society and the nation. As it was no easy to find elite class other than Chinese capitalists and Javanese generals in Indonesia, the same was true of the lower classes, which could not be identified even when the Indonesian Communist Party was banned. The poor entered into alliances based on economic, religious, and community relationships in stead of class distinctions. The poor peasants found common elements with orthodox Muslim landowners because of religious connections rather than class divisions, particularly in lowland East Java. In other instances, the poor landowners formed unity against Islamic right wing and the Chinese businessmen. Division was visible even between the traditional local communities and the new comers like the Chinese and the Arab immigrants. The economic activities the like of oil boom in the 1970s eliminated social and class fences with the resultant benefits from distribution of income to the landed peasantry and the middle class. So we can say that economic conditions helped the Indonesian society to eliminate class differences, which could be a roadblock in the building of national identity. Politically also, no major political party came into existence on the basis of class connections. Income has been a differentiating factor but it also had reduced effect with the decreasing poverty level in the 1970s and the 1980s (Frederick and Worden, 2011). Government role Indonesia adopted the motto of “Unity in Diversity” when the colonial rule of the Dutch ended with the end of the Second World War. Taken from Sanskrit, the motto has been taken from the times of Majapahit kingdom of Javanese polity in the fourteenth century, renowned for cordial relations between Javanese rulers and other Asian states. Both the post-freedom leaders, President Suharto and President Sukarno showed political far-sightedness in fusing diversity element in various ethnicities. Thus, they were able in facing the political challenge of cultural diversity by gathering under one platform the cultural connections related to dignified shared history and unity found in crucial but not risky enough social barriers (Cultural Survival, 2010). From the government side, a code of “political correctness” was made to overpower ethnic disturbances. The government explained the pancasila philosophy to control all ethnic and religious divisionary forces in public political platforms since 1970s. All political parties and religious bodies were made to vouch for the pancasila philosophy as the leading philosophical principle of their organizations in the 1980s. Government pressurizing strategy paved the Muslims to go the way of rioting and extremism but Suharto handled them effectively with assurances from the majority not to react over “tribalism” (Sukuisme) (Cultural Survival, 2010). The government got all praise on its attempts to legislate unity by garbing it in facets of religion, ethnicity, and class divisions in paradox to similar attempts to exhibit other perspectives of regional cultural distinctions. The small ethnic Chinese community associated with outside forces such as communism, which was still a feared concept, richness of Chinese people, and their lack of belongingness was totally sidelined then by the government in its attempt to showcase the ethnic diversity of Indonesia. All ethnic groups participated in the celebrations of the past glory shown in so-called “traditional” systems. The Ministry of Education and Culture particularly dwelt on focusing the most apolitical traits of regional identity like dresses, dances, hand made art pieces, and building designs. These positive elements were glorified to the local communities and the tourists equally well, as the perceived and meaningful bases of regional ethical recognitions and distinctions (Cultural Survival, 2010). The Indonesia government has laid focus on not-risky sophisticated and physical aspects of minority cultures and has promoted the feelings of tolerance of ethnic and religious diversity through the education ministry programs; children are acquainted with historical and cultural traits of major ethnic minorities. The government sponsored educational and media programs present social divisions diplomatically showing off them as characteristics of ethnicity, a manipulative arrangement of cultural traits (Cultural Survival, 2010). National Identity Overall, although the society in Indonesia is divided on ethnic lines but the attempts made by the government in creating a national identity have helped the classes to raise above the limitations and class boundaries to create a common middle class irrespective of the ethnic group or social class it belongs to. Consumerism has helped in creating feeling of unified society essential for national identity. Economic parameters are not a hindrance in creation of a national identity; hindrance comes from small divisions of ethnic group not intermingling in the national stream and certain classes presenting their claim to power and fame, which is not so in Indonesia. Credit goes to former presidents Suharto and President Sukarno in bringing the divided communities to the central platform irrespective of what their ethnicity and class is. Efforts made by the government have reaped well in creating unity among different ethnicities whose attention has focused on issues of national importance, bringing the spirit of unity to the fore leaving diversity behind. References Bangun, 1999. Adat communities in Indonesia: identification and issues. Available from: http://www.adb.org/documents/reports/indigenous_peoples/ino/chapter_2.pdf [Accessed 15 June 2011]. Cultural Survival, 2010. Multiculturalism: some lessons from Indonesia. Available from: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival quarterly/indonesia/multiculturalism-some-lessons-indonesia [Accessed 15 June 2011]. Frederick, William H. & Worden, Robert L., 1993. Social classes. Indonesia: A Country Study: Washington. Available from: http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/35.htm [Accessed 15 June 2011]. Frederick, William H. & Worden, Robert L., 1993. Tradition and multi-ethnicity. Indonesia: A Country Study: Washington. Available from: http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/44.htm [Accessed 15 June 2011]. Frederick, William H. & Worden, Robert L., 2011. The emerging national culture: Living Environments. Indonesia: A Country Study: Washington. Available from: http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/41.htm [Accessed 15 June 2011]. Read More