jJessie Gonzalez


Taking a look at the environment of Indonesia requires one to take a look at the climate, flora, terrain, and common minerals produced in the country.


Indonesia is a very large area. It stretches over one eighth of the world’s equilateral circumference (Pluijm, 1993, 34). It is located in the tropical zone (Hardjono, 1991, 177). The climate of Indonesia varies island to island. On the larger islands the climate is hot (Pluijm, 1993, 34). There is also a substantial amount of rainfall. The most amount of rainfall, on the larger islands, occurs during the months of December through March. These months are also considered monsoon season. There are regular floods in Jakarta and Samarang during the wet season because of the built up land (Hardjono, 1991, 4). During the dry season the urban rivers are empty as a result of companies collecting the river water for their own use. During 1981 through 1986, Bandang’s water supply dropped 25 meters. In 1989 Tangerang’s dropped .4 of a meter a month. On the smaller islands it is much drier. The eastern islands contain savannah type vegetation (Pluijm, 1993, 73).





Certain climates produce certain environments for an area. Due to Indonesia being located the tropical zone there are tropical forests located in the area (Hardjono, 1991, 177). Rattans, resins, aloe wood, and wild rubber are produced in the forests. Coffee, oil palm, tea, cloves, cocoa, cashew, sugar cane, tobacco, peanuts, and soya beans can also be found in Indonesia (Hardjono, 1991, 85). Cotton, coconut, tobacco, spices, rubber, oil palm, coffee cocoa, tea, and sugar cant are usually planted on elevated land under the shade (Pluijm, 1993, 9-10). Part of the Sunda Mountain chain is located in Indonesia (Pluijm, 1993, 36). There are higher soil fertility levels on Java and Bali because of old volcanic material. Due to the demand of resources and the demand of larger roads, the forests started to thin out. Workers cut down trees to widen roads (Hardjono, 1991, 5). The change in air quality was the result of this. Another result from the demand for space and resources was the banning of exporting logs in 1984 (Pluijm, 1993, 11).




Rice is another resource that is in high demand. During the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s Indonesia was the world’s largest purchaser (Hardjono, 1991, 1). With improved rice technology Indonesia was able to start producing enough rice for itself by 1984. In the 1974/1975 season, there was a serious outbreak of the Brown Planthopper disease (Hardjono, 1991, 68). Over 400,000 hectares were ruined. During the 1976/1977 season 450,000 hectares of rice was ruined resulting in a 370,000 tons of rice production decline. Post outbreak the people of Indonesia starting breeding rice so it would not happen again (Hardjono,1991, 68).



Along with these resources there are a few others that are common in Indonesia. Fish is in high demand in Indonesia. There is a sense of fish exploitation (Hardjono, 1991, 164). Over fishing uses over one million people in the business of marine and inland fishery (Pluijm, 1993, 11). In the 1980’s the people of Indonesia started using tambaks, which are ponds used for breeding water creatures, such as milkfish and shrimp (Hardjono, 1991, 6&67). One source of food that is also in high demand is cattle. The cattle to human ratio in Indonesia is very low (Pluijm, 1993, 11). Due to the lack of resources protein- energy malnutrition is common (Pluijm, 1993, 19). Other resources that are common in Indonesia are crude oil, aluminum, copper, nickel, tin, and zinc (Beals, 1980, 4). From 1974-1977 14% of the world’s tin production and 2% of the world’s bauxite output came from Indonesia (Beals, 1980, 10). Indonesia was also the world’s third leading nickel producer.








Language
Gordon Terry


Media/Technology
Laura Chartier

Media in Indonesia The media in Indonesia is press, television, radio, film, and the internet and related forms of digital communication controlled by the department of information, (Sen and Hill 2000: 7). They also have book publishing and musical recording but these are controlled by the department of education and culture. The power over the media is “posed as their power over the populace and the power of the economic or political elites over them.” On the other hand, the ethnographies of audiences focus on diverse and aberrant readings of media messages. There have been many attempts in recent cultural studies to swim between the two opposing currents, (Sen and Hill 2000: 9). Within the New Order the media appears to be under command of the government. Media is all controlled through layers of formal and informal censorship processes and increasingly through ownership, (Sen and Hill 2000:12)

Television--

Television is regulated differently in Indonesia than it is here in America. First of all proposals to introduce T.V. came as early as 1953 and finally came about in October of 1963. The first time television was used in Indonesia it was called TVRI and was put into operation to show case Asian games in 1962. It is an instrument for communicating government policies and programs, (Sen and Hill 2000:109). In November 1988 Indonesia first private television channel started a period of trial pay television that broadcasted in Jakarta. Private television broadcasters were not only barred from producing news but were obliged to relay TVRI’s national news broadcast from Jakarta.

The government allowed five private television stations to go on air;

• Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia(RCTI) in Jakarta,
  
• Surya Citra Televisi(SCTV) in Jakarta and Surabaya,
  
• Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) in Jakarta,
  
• Andalas Televisi (ANteve or ANTV) in Jakarta and Lampung,
  
• and Indosiar Visual Mandiri (IVM) in Jakarta, (Gunaratne 2000: 281).
  

Colored television arrived in 1970’s when they signed a 40 million agreement with German and British companies. (Gunaratne 2000: 282). Broadcasting Act states that broadcasting in Indonesia aims to: Increase the quality of human resources, enhance the resilence of the national culture, improve the nation’s economic capabilities to provide equitable distribution of economic resources, and to reinforce the competitive edge of the economy, enhance legal awareness and national discipline, strengthen a viable and dynamic national stabilization, (Gunaratne 2000: 282).


Newspapers & Magazines--

Newspapers and magazines are referred to as press. It employs more journalists and concentrates more on news-gathering and dissemination than any other medium. The press structure in Indonesia is a hierarchical organization it has a national press and a regional press. The Dutch newspaper was banned in Indonesia in 1957 where they were replaced with three English dailies, (Gunaratne 2000: 267).


Radio--

The first Radio broadcast facility in the Indies, a naval communication radio, commenced broadcasting in 1911 on Sanbag. By 1970 the social function of radio was described as “education, information and entertainment and programs were not to be used for political activities,” (Sen and Hill 2000:84) Rural areas in Indonesia have an overwhelming preference for information broadcasts to be in local languages rather than in Indonesian. The RRI broadcasts news in twelve regional languages and village agricultural programs in forty-one local languages and dialects, in addition to some in Indonesian. In 1970’s had about 100 radio Daerah (regular government) stations in addition to about 50 RRI stations. In 1971 ministerial directive prohibited stations from relaying foreign broadcasts. By 1988 we have 973 radio broadcasting stations in Indonesia; 52 RRI broadcasting stations. 780 commercial stations, 133 stations managed by local administrations, four non-commercial stations four stations under the auspices of different departments, (Gunaratne 2000:280). Music genres of Indonesia have always been syncretic and absorbed outside influence. In 1959 Indonesian pop music formed. Political shift occurred in 1965-1966 reopened the Indonesian market to western musical products and stimulated a crop of new pop bands and performers who incorporated previously proscribed western rock into their repertoire, (Sen, and Hill 2000: 167). Songs of Western Rock groups like Rolling Stones and Deep Purple and of Indonesian counterparts like the rollies and god bless were played constantly over amateur radio stations and performed at live rock concerts. Dangdut is arguably the musical genre most clearly associated with New Order.






Internet--
By the early 1990’s the Indonesian government had embraced the information super highway as part of its developmental dream, (Sen and Hill 2000: 154). Internet became part of the media in the 1990’s they had three internet services IGN, Radnet, IdOLA. The internet has more freedom than any other media. Most of the popularized internet sites are pornography, exchange rates, and political information. Indonesia still has its problems with communication with those that don’t follow the rules of the New Order. The boundaries that the government has set are broken often but technology and media is climbing drastically as we speak. Technology and Transporation is changing just as quickly if not quicker.


Transportation--

When it comes to transportation the Indonesian government has been hard at work with; they have eight programs that are divided up into main programs and supporting programs. There’s five main programs cover the development of the national transportation system, the construction of roads and bridges and improvement of land, sea and air transportation. The three supporting programs cover the development of meteorology and geophysics, improvement of search and rescue, the promotion of education and training and development of transportation resources, (asianinfo,Indonesia’s transporation). The construction of new roads and bridges was directed towards opening remote areas, developing urban, transmigration and production areas and supporting the development of strategic locations.




Raising and educating a child in any culture takes time and effort, and each culture goes about these feats differently. In Indonesia, these tasks are extremely important for making each person an acceptable member of society.

Child rearing is an intimate family experience in the Indonesian culture. From the time a baby is born until it reaches puberty, close relatives and friends are involved in caring for the child. The Bonerate people of Indonesia occupy the islands of Bonerate, Madu, Lalaotoa, Karompa, and Selayar in the South Sulawesi Province. The child-rearing practices of this culture have been studied quite extensively. They see maturation happening in three phases, and with each phase come different parenting techniques.

The first phase is infancy and the early years. Throughout this phase, the child is weaned and toilet trained and develops speech and motor movement skills (Broch 1990: 27). Babies in the Bonerate culture receive huge amounts of attention. They are constantly held, talked to, kissed, and hugged. A crying baby is rarely heard in this culture because the people living in the village become uncomfortable at the sound (Broch 1990: 29). It is acceptable for any person in the village to pick up and soothe a crying baby, whether they have been acquainted or not. “Baby girls and boys are generally treated in the same way, but their gender is emphasized. All girls have their ears pierced at about the same time they are named and most wear tiny earrings.” (Broch 1990: 64) Young children are given quite a bit of freedom to roam around the home and explore things to learn on their own. A watchful relative, however, is never far behind.

The second phase is childhood. This begins at approximately five-years-old, when children are old enough to begin helping around the house. While play is the dominant aspect of life at this point, children are expected to take care of younger children and begin taking minor instructions from adult villagers (Broch 1990: 27). The views of the Bonerate culture are that babies, toddlers, and young children should not be punished for misbehaving. They should have their own way in order to keep them happy. Adults calmly intervene if there is an argument between young children, never making a fuss of the situation. Children feed off the calmness of the adults and mimic these traits.

The final phase is late childhood/early puberty which begins at the time of circumcision. During this phase, adolescents begin to understand social positions within their community and begin taking an active role in society (Broch 1990: 27). Children at this age take on a more important role in the family and perform chores such as agricultural work, cooking, and fishing (Broch 1990: 27-28).

Both parents and close relative members raise the children. The Bonerate culture is “socially dense” meaning everybody knows each other and depends on each other for support. Fathers and grandfathers spend a lot of time with the young community members, showing them the way of life (Broch 1990: 30). Both parents share parenting responsibilities. The father is seen as the authoritative figure while the mother is the protector. The guidance they give their children is accepted without discussion (Keats 2000: 342). The majority of children have a spiritual upbringing with an emphasis on interdependence with others. The Javanese Indonesian concepts of rukhun (meaning harmonious social relationships) and hormat (meaning respect for other people) are prevalent ideas in raising Indonesian children (Keats 2000: 345).

The education system of Indonesia is based on many of these same ideas. “Under skilled and determined guidance, a school system will have intellectual, moral and social standards that are in advance of those common in society, but the gap between them will never be very wide” (Beeby 1979: 280). Many of these standards stem from the Pancasila, which are the basic principles of the independent Indonesian state (essentially their constitution). The five parts of the Pancasila are belief in one supreme God, humanitarianism, national unity, democracy, and social justice (U.S. Library of Congress). In the primary school setting of Indonesia, teaching these beliefs are at the root of curriculum. Indonesian schools have grown tremendously in recent years. As the table below shows, the increase in number of students and teachers from 1945-1990 has been by the millions (Bjork 2005: 54).
The school system is similar to that of the United States. Children start out in primary school for about six years, go on to secondary schools, which are divided into junior and senior levels, and finish with higher education (Beeby 1979: 30-32). Throughout their schooling, children are not only being taught the basic reading, writing, and arithmetic; they are being taught how to be a participant in society. Many of these lessons started at home in the child's early years, and formal education solidifies what parents had been teaching all along. By combining education with child rearing practices at home, the Indonesian culture effectively raises successful children.




Gender roles in Indonesia are vastly different than here in America. In fact, there is no single word for “gender” in the many Indonesian languages (Davies 19). However this does not mean the concept of gender is unimportant. Indonesians express their gender differences in other ways (19). Most Americans would agree that that there are two gender roles. How about five? There are many similarities and many differences between the gender identities in America and Indonesia. It is very interesting to see what factors influence these roles and how these roles are played out on a day to day basis. The differences in gender roles reflect the many other differences in the culture of Indonesia.


For example, government discourses clearly describe their ideal gender roles. Men are considered to play active roles outside of the house, while women are primarily responsible for housekeeping and providing in the household (41). But why are these government discourses the way they are? Why are men automatically thrown into the role of bread-winning while women are all but forced to be what members of American culture would call a “stay at home mom?”

It starts with the traditional Indonesian cultural identity of women, which from an American perspective seem quite degrading. Women are considered to not be able to reason as well as men . This is largely due to the belief that they are overly passionate and emotional, which is assumed to misguide their decision making (41). They are also considered to be less controlled than men. This is supposedly most evident when Indonesian women are overly “materialistic and gossipy” than men. They are even “largely excluded from formal public activities” (Hagen 124). These negative beliefs about women are reflected in the Indonesian cultural belief that women are incompetent managers of the household (Davies 41). This is interesting because Indonesian women do the majority of the household management, including taking care of the husband’s family and unexpected guests (Adachi 240). These gender difference ideals have existed for hundreds of years, but relatively recently, from 1965 to 1998, the roles became culturally cemented and became evident in the government’s views. The current female gender role situation reflects “their decreasing social importance” (Davies 41-44).

But we still haven’t figured out WHY.

Other than being a member of the national culture, Indonesians have one major thing in common-their Faith. Islam is by far the most prominent religion in Indonesia and its teachings are reflected in many areas of society. Consequentially, the government’s expressions of what gender norms should be are extremely similar to the Muslim beliefs on the subject (45). The Islam faith relates masculinity to chivalry-including providing generosity, loyalty, honor, and respect (45). Muslim beliefs also support the government’s expectations of women discussed above.

Outside of these two main gender roles and identities the Muslim beliefs are pretty strict. Within the faith, there is no popular model of same-sex couples, unmarried couples, or unmarried parents (46). This leads me to my next three-count ‘em-THREE gender identities. They are the Calalai, Calabai, and the Bissu Shamans.

The Calalai are females who aspire to be neither men nor women (132). This gives them the freedom to express both sides, but often comes at a price. Calalai are constantly pressured by other members of society to marry and have children because Allah, their god, gave them the ability to reproduce (132). The Calabai are outwardly feminine males who reject the cultural norms of masculinity. Instead of working in the fields or the marketplace, Calabai commonly assume feminine roles in society, with occupations dealing with cosmetics, hair dressing, cooking, and planning weddings (133). Perhaps most interesting, however, are the Bissu Shamans. The Bissu are considered predifferentiated beings that have “the perfect combination of male and female parts” (133). This is considered to allow them to mediate with the spirit world, which is displayed by the roles Bissu play in various ceremonies. It is considered a great honor to be a part of a ceremony affiliated with a Bissu (133). With so many options, I wondered how one might decide exactly what gender identity they fall under. I then found that first of all, no matter what gender identity you assume, you will always be considered the biological sex that you were born. Muslims believe that Allah made everyone the way they are supposed to be, so Calabai and Calalai will always consider themselves males and females, respectively . After that, it can get a little more interesting. For example, it is not uncommon for some Indonesians to depend on sexual experimentation with different gender identities to determine which exactly they are attracted to (25-26). This is a perfect example of gender interactions that, as members of another culture, we would never even dream of.

The Banda Islands are a group of 10 small volcanic islands forming part of the province of Maluku that make up “The Spice Islands”. The Spice Islands produce many spices, primarily popular Pepper, Mace, Cloves and Nutmeg, which was once one of the world's most valuable commodities. Up until the middle of the 19th century I the Banda Islands was the only place on earth where the spices nutmeg and mace could be found. Rice is the staple Food of Indonesia, accounting for more than half of the calories in the average diet, and the source of livelihood. With plenty of rainfall and volcanic soil, wet-field also known as sawah (irrigated rice farming) was the method used for rice cultivation. Irrigated rice farming first begins by breaking up the soil, which will then soften and dissolve in the water. Most farmers did not have access to large domesticated work animals, and so to clear, toil, and harvest crops and land they used pointed sticks, hoes, or their hands. Also planted in the fields where crops such as sweet potatoes, tapioca, corn and sago which is a sticky starch scrapped from the trunk of a palm tree.( Hansen)(pg9)
Indonesia was also a foraging society that hunted animals, collected fish and gathered plants for food. Fish was readily available source of protein for consumption. Indonesians fished along the coast, as well as the rivers, lakes, coastal swamps, artificial ponds, and flooded rice fields. Members in the Indonesian villages were forced to co-operate to regulate the supply of water to their fields. (Covarrubias)
Each region of Indonesia has it’s own distinct cuisine. A mixture of ingredients and cooking styles are expressed from China, India, Europe and other parts of Asia. Since rice is the staple of Indonesia most meals include rice and are accompanied by veggies, fish, meat and poultry. (Hulton)Typical drinks introduced by the Dutch included coffee and teas.



Introduction

Perhaps the most important factor in spurring the development and adaptation of cultures in the Indonesian archipelago was trade. In the centuries prior to European colonization, trade with India, China, Persia, and Arabia brought new products and ideas and drove the creation maritime kingdoms on the islands. In fact, it was this thriving trade that later brought the Portuguese and Dutch to the shores of Java, Sumatra, and so many other islands. The narrow straights that separate the Malaysian Peninsula from the archipelago provided the perfect bottleneck through which local rulers could force international trade to stop, trade, and pay dues. Furthermore, the islands were abundant with spices, medicines, rare and aromatic woods, gems, and exotic birds, among other valuable items, making them both a waypoint and a destination for trading vessels. Historical evidence suggests that traders and merchants were active in the Indonesian islands as early as the 7th century CE (van Leur 111; Zainu’ddin 33). In total, this trade sustained empires and drove cultural developments in Indonesia for most of its pre-colonial history.

International Trade

Though research on the earliest history of Indonesia is yet limited, by the time Chinese scholar and traveler I-Tsing (I-Ching) visited the islands in 671, there already existed a lively international trade (Zainu’ddin 33). The earliest trade with Indonesia was probably with India (van Leur 90), and then later initiated by Indonesians with China (Zainu’ddin 33-34). That trade was part of a greater chain that stretched from China in the east to Europe in the west (illustrated below). Thus, the early kingdoms of Indonesia were able to profit from both the east-west trade as well as the wealth of natural goods present on the islands (SarDesai 45). It is important to note that Indonesia was not only a necessary stop for many of the cargo-laden ships, but often a destination. Chinese traders came to sell porcelain, jade, and silk and Indians came to sell textiles cloths (SarDesai 45). Arabs came seeking the rare timber of Indonesian forests as well as medicines, dyes, ivory, tin, and spices; the Chinese often sought ivory, tortoise shells, rhinoceros horn, pearls, and perfumes (Zainu’ddin 43).



This international trade coupled with a vibrant market for foreign goods then frames the development of maritime empires and the importance of inter-island trade as well as the introduction of new religions to the island chain.

Domestic Exchange

“For the merchant the focal point of the town was the market square where person to person bargaining went on, trading that may have been on the basis of barter, or may have involved coinage, giving scope to the activities of money-changers” (Zainu’ddin 45). The large markets in the cities of Indonesia contained every good imaginable to the people of the time. The complexity of such a market system supported not only the merchants, but money-changers and rulers as well. On the local level, markets such were likely very important in coastal towns. For the inland villages, markets were less important but still necessary to exchange rice for cloth and the iron used for agricultural instruments (Zainu’ddin 43). For coastal towns, the way of life for many people depended on merchants on their way east or west as well as on those seeking the goods of Indonesia itself.

Rulers and Kingdoms

Along these lines, Indonesia developed two different types of societies: those based on trade and those based on agriculture (SarDesai 44). Where agriculture (especially along rivers) could sustain large populations independent of trade, monument building cultures flourished. The coastal towns however depended on both the food produced by those agricultural societies as well as the wealth generated by international trade. Thus the largest and most powerful empires in Indonesia were those that could control the source of food, inner-island trade, as well as international shipping. Individual rulers maintained a dominant position in Indonesian society by charging dues and taxes, backed by the force of powerful armies and navies. “The dominant economic and political position of the ruling princes and aristocratic groups is a certainty for the whole early period of Indonesian history” (van Leur 92). Rulers would have monopolized trade, owned ships, demanded payment from merchants, and eliminated competition from other princes. Their scope was so great that, in 1025, the Cholas of southern India attacked several cities to weaken the power of the ruling elite, thus making trade more profitable (Fryer and Jackson 28). For centuries, these rulers dominated the waters of Indonesia; it was not until the coming of Europeans could their grasp on power in the islands be broken.

Conclusion

International trade as well as the domestic exchanges that formed the basis of it shaped Indonesian societies in many ways. The two types of societies, agrarian and maritime, grew up around their relative importance in the trade system. Whole empires formed to capitalize on the trade from China, India, Arabia, and even further west. The sea lanes brought the islands Hinduism, Buddhism, and later Islam as well as a myriad of peoples and cultures. Thus, it can be said that Indonesia was shaped by the “dominating role of the sea as a medium for human movement and cultural diffusion” (Fryer and Jackson 24).


Rural Life: About half of the people in Indonesia live in rural villages, life in these small villages are mostly called desas and are controlled by village headmen, and religious or traditional leaders. These leaders stress cooperation, and to solve problems and disputes among the villagers they hold open discussions called musyawarah, and do not stop until everyone reaches an agreement called a mufakat. Most villagers listen to the radio, shop in nearby towns, and send their children to school. The traditional type of Indonesian house stands on stilts about six feet high and use the space underneath for cattle stalls, chicken coops, or to store tools and firewood. The floors and walls are made from timber or flattened bamboo and the roofs are made using clay tiles, palm thatch, or iron. Village people work together to plant and harvest rice. Rice is served at every meal, even when the table is full of other foods like potatoes, bread or noodles. The village council meet to determine who will work in the rice field or sawah and when, once harvested it is divided to the people who helped plant, harvest, and thresh it.

Family Life: Family is very important in Indonesia. From infancy through old age an Indonesian remains close to his or her parents and siblings. It is very common for extended families including grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles to all live under one roof. Respect for one’s parents and grandparents are also considered important in Indonesia. By kissing the back of the person’s hand shows respect toward a parent or respected elder. Children are expected to listen to their parents as a show of respect as well. Sometimes when a child does not listen, results in admonition and in several cases, ostrasization.


Dress: Traditional dress for an Indonesian woman is a sarong (kain), a piece of cotton cloth about a yard wide and two and a half yards long, fastened around the waist and falling to the ankles. The cloth usually has hand-printed patterns on them which are called batik designs made from coating with wax. An overblouse called a kebaya is also usually worn with it. Kain and kebaya are worn on ceremonial occasions such as weddings using the finest fabric. Traditional dress for men is a sarong, this is usually casual dress for the evenings after they bathe. Men do not wear sarongs to formal affairs or work. For formal occasions men wear long sleeve batik shirts, and always wear the black fez hat, called the peci. The peci is worn by all men at any time, and is a mark or nationalism and patriotism.



Men’s Family Roles: Men in Indonesia are considered the Head or Household and the main providers for their wives and children. Public power and decisions frequently fall to husbands. In many areas, wives address their mates with a degree of formality, calling them Bapak or Pak, standing as fathers and married men. Men address their wives as Ibu or Bu, denoting their status. It is not unusual that fathers maintain some distance from their children, to which they then approach and address them formally. It is very common that the mother’s brother assumes the role of discipline and protector of her children. In public, wives and families must show respect to men, but in private it might be another story. In private his wife may hold the ultimate authority behind the public eye. Men get to enjoy more freedom of mobility than women, when they are not working they ride their motorbikes to gamble or visit friends. While women usually stay home focusing their attention to their family, though some visit each other to mingle. In many villages it appears that men do little actual work and get to decide how they spend their time. While the women care for the children, cook, clean, husk rice, pound coffee, garden, go to the market, and often weave and dye cloth.

Women’s Family Roles: Women in Indonesia are seen as the pivot around which kin relationships and politics turn. Indonesian women take motherhood and home very serious. Children typically feel a very close emotional bond to their mothers. In some areas they do not spank their children and the attitudes toward the very young are indulgent and loving. Many Indonesian women desire many children and resist birth control to have several. In the outer island regions the death of children remains frequent, and considered a fact of life. Large families were necessary to work the rice fields (sawah). While the men maintain a public image, women produce social reality within and between households and usually gear the family and community relationships in the directions they take. Among the islands of Indonesia where set marriage exchange between regions takes place a woman’s reproductive powers come at a price. Bride price will pay her family for losing her in movement to her husband’s village and providing children to his kin group. While many arranged marriages seem to work out, frequently women find themselves in bad situations where there is physical abuse. If it becomes unbearable, some women return to their parent’s homes called “running back” (lari kembali). The women will never return to the marriage, and bride price will not be returned to the man’s family.






Religion


Art all over the world is an expression; expression of an individual, expression of family, of religion of culture, of a nation. Depending on where you are the expressions of art will differ on how much emphasis is put on each aspect of culture. In America for example, expression of the individual is where we see most of our art- it is an expression of our outlook on life and can mostly be found in the lyrics to the music we listen to. Art in Indonesia is a little different in that most of it can be traced back to a religious purposes; it can be found in many forms including music, dance, architecture, sculptures, wayang, paintings, and many more all of these art forms are a part of Indonesian culture and, again, have everything to do with their religion.

Music is one of the most widely used art forms around the world; each culture has their own form of music that represents many different aspects of their culture and values. For Indonesians music is a religious celebration, different depending on different religions, but mostly used for ceremonies. Music is an art form found in large part in Bali, included in this group is a band of talented men called Gamelan these men “perform for religious or social ceremonies because of their commitment to their village, family, or gods (Stepputat 95).” One of the most widely used instruments is the rindik; the material made to create this is mostly from “materials found growing in his or her backyard (Stepputat 90).” This instrument is frequently used in religious gatherings including dances or other celebrations.


To accompany the rindik and other beautiful instruments are the dancers. Most dancers are women but sometimes men, one traditional dance of Indonesia is the Beskalan Putri, it is “animated by a gamelan” and can be danced “by men or women;” this dances either “precedes other performances” or is performed at ceremonies (Sunardi). These dances are in one way or another related to religion, mostly Hindu or Buddhist, there is an art to each dance, while one represents a celebration, another represents a sacrifices, or healings, or performed and are dedicated to certain Gods.

One of the most unique art forms in Indonesia is wayang; it is the practice of “shadow puppet theatre (Sears 1).” This puppet theatre is used to tell stories, stories of “religious, exorcistic, political,” content or for “entertainment (Sears 1).” The puppets used in traditional wayang include “wayang kulit” (or “leather puppet”) or “wayang purwa” (or “ancient puppet”) and most of the stories told are “Javanese creations (Sears 1-2).” This art form is different and exclusive to Indonesia and the stories usually derive from a Hindu or Buddhist religious background to tell the tales of Indonesian heroes just to entertain or to pass on tradition, legacy, and culture.

Art is not exactly a drawing or painting hanging on the wall, or a sculpted pot in the corner, and this definitely rings true for Indonesia. Most of their art forms are found in medias other that the traditional art forms we think about and that is a great way for their culture to stand out and be original. All countries and places around the world have their own way of expressing art, and art in itself has its own way of expressing what medias identify more closely with the culture. Art is everywhere in all different shapes, ideas, sounds, colors, and movements and it is the people that make that art and the art that helps to define the culture.

Core Values

KaraJo Jones

“Unity in Diversity” is the motto of Indonesia and it is definitely true. There are 6,000 inhabited islands with 225 million people and many ethnic groups (Lamoureux 2003: 3). There are also many religions, though most Indonesians are Muslim, and there are many languages. Because of this diversity, the core values of Indonesians can also be diverse from one region to another. As a whole, Indonesians do share some central cultural core values. Unity and Nationalism are core values especially promoted by the Nationalist party. The extreme diversity of Indonesia made a need for unification of Indonesia when it gained its independence. The country got a national anthem, a national language, and the government pushed for unity.

Family and kin relations are highly valued by Indonesians. The main component of Indonesia is the family (Lamoureux: 2003 129). It is seen as the smallest unit of a nation, and if it is in good order, then the country will be in good order (Hitchcock 143). In Indonesia, everyone is expected to marry and start a family. Traditionally, generations of a family would stay in the same village, although this happens less today (Lamoureux: 2003 129). This value on family is shown through marriage. First, in Indonesia marriage is very important. People will ask, “are you married, yet” and the reply is “yes” or “not yet”(Cunningham: 2010). Marriage means gaining adult status and even homosexuals are pressured to marry (Cunningham: 2010). Second, marriage emphasizes family. The goal of a marriage is to advance the status of families and unite two families. Traditionally, Indonesia practiced arranged marriages (Lamoureux: 2003 129). Today there are less arranged marriages, but family still takes an active role in approving and choosing marriage partners (129).

Gotong royang is a value among the Indonesians that means mutual aid or the cooperation of everyone to reach a goal(Lamoureux 2003: 135). This value is especially seen in villages where rice farmers all help each other plant and harvest their crop (135). Also, the Indonesians feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than them. The elderly, widows, sick, and disabled are all taken care of by those better off than them (135). Along with gotong royang and family is the value of loyalty. Because family is so important, Indonesians feel very loyal to their family. Family members are responsible for taking care of each other through any hard time. Also, gotong royang promotes loyalty among fellow villagers. The sharing and mutual help among the Indonesians makes people feel obligated to help those who once helped them (Hitchcock 1997: 140). This cycle creates a sense of loyalty among a village and among families.

In Indonesia, culture and politics are very intertwined and connected. In 1945, President Sukarno made a speech presenting the Pancasila, or five principles (Lamoureux 2003: 189). Those five principles have been the foundation of the Indonesian government. The five principles are:

1.) belief in one supreme God
2.) just and civilized humanity
3.) nationalism, the unity of Indonesia
4.) social justice
5.) democracy-settlements of problems by discussion and conference

The Pancasila was made to instill harmony and order among the people (Cunningham: 2010). Nationalism was especially instilled by the government through government controlled radio, television, and schools (Hill 2000: 7). All institutions in Indonesia had to follow the Pancasila, and courses on the Pancasila were taught at every level of education (7). The government also put a ban on anything that would create tension between races, religion, and groups to instill the harmony and order (8).



Respect and hierarchal systems are also valued among the Indonesians (Hitchcock 1997: 140). Indonesians show respect to men, elders, parents, and superiors (140). They may bow to superiors, kiss the back of their hand, or even put themselves in a lower position. They also address superiors and elders with formal titles (Cunningham 2010). Islam has instilled this sense of respect and hierarchal system. “Whoever honors his parents, his elder siblings, his teachers and his ruler, already honors God” (Hitchcock 1997: 140). Within a family, husbands respect the state and owe their loyalty to the state, wives respect their husbands, and children respect their parents (140).

Patience is also highly valued. Anger is seen as extremely rude (Lamoureux 2003: 205). It is not right to yell or act frustrated, especially in public (205). During confrontations, it is normal to use low voices, avoid eye contact with superiors, and even smile(Cunningham 2010). Indonesiasn also do not form lines and do not believe in first come, first serve (Lamoureux 2003: 205). Punctuality is also not highly valued, and it can seem rude to be overly concerned with punctuality (Cunningham 2010).

In Indonesia, modesty is a norm. Indonesians generally wear modest clothing, especially women (Lamoureux 2003: 204). Also, there is little public displays of affection and little touching between men and women (Cunningham 2010). Indonesians avoid scandal, confrontation, or any attention in public.

All the core values of Indonesia are related and relate to aspects of their culture as a whole. The environment, the crops they harvest, and their location exposed them to many cultures through the massive trade and colonization they experienced. These different cultures shaped and formed their culture and core values, and also added immense diversity. Their diversity also influenced the values of nationalism and unity that was needed to keep the country together. Politics has also played a large part in their core values. Often the government used their power to instill and promote certain values. Religion has had one of the largest parts in shaping the core values of Indonesia. Many values come directly from the religion of Islam or derived from it.

Some basic etiquette of Indonesia, not necessarily core values: (Lamoureux 2003: 204)

1.) Do not touch someone’s head
2.) Do not use your left hand for anything besides personal hygiene
3.) Do not point with your finger, use your thumb 4
.) Do not put your hands on your hips
5.) Do not cross your legs
6.) Wear modest clothing

Poster
Kaitlyn Orwig
Sim-Video

Sim-Summary
Round One: Indonesia started out with a box of trix and had to start working up from there. Unfortunately, within two minutes Indonesia was attacked and colonized by China and the people were forced to cut cotton in order to be fed. During China’s reign, Egypt came to trade successfully trade with us. Soon, China’s rule was challenged by British Isles and the British Isles took control of Indonesia. Lucky for the Indonesians, the British Isles fed the people and they were able to survive and move into the next round.

In the real word, Indonesia was in fact colonized however, it was not until the 1600’s and they were colonized by the Dutch and put under one government. The Dutch were than attacked by Japan.

Round 2: Indonesia was hit by a natural disaster but the colonizer at the time, the British Isles, was able to save us. In order to earn food, we had to individually wrap Coco Puffs and place twenty a piece into plastic bags. Japan came to trade but the people had to refuse. Our colonizer allowed us to leave the colony and begin spreading soft power which was actually used by other countries. Later in the round, we created an alliance with Australia. As the round came to a close, the British Isles gave us some natural resources. Again at the end of this round, Indonesia had enough food to make it onto the next round.

Round 3: The Spanish Empire wanted to negotiate our natural resources and in return free us from the British Isles. We refused. Therefore, they colonized us, took our natural resources and then granted us our freedom. Once the Indonesian people were freed, they created an alliance with Australia, Papa New Guinea and Mongolia. They were able to trade for enough food to survive into the next round. Talk between the allies began about freeing India from China’s rule.

In reality, the Indonesian people were freed, but they were freed from the Dutch and it was not until, 1949. Previously, the Japanese had occupied them during World War Two until the Dutch regained control. While our third round, which would be present day, seemed seemingly uneventful and peaceful, reality says it is not that way at all. The Indonesian people were fighting to create a democracy while avoiding internal conflict from among its people. There have been recent attempts of terrorism on the country from people inside the country itself.

Round 4: The alliance helped free India from China. India then joined our alliance. China tried to attack India, however the alliance stopped them. China tried to come back again, claiming we fought unfair, but were stopped from taking over India once again. At the end of the round, just as we thought we were short of food, Australia (an allie) gave us enough to survive on. Indonesia ended the simulation as a free yet poor country, with a strong alliance between Australia, Papa New Guinea and Mongolia.

Currently, Indonesia is fighting against terrorist attack among its on people. While events during the simulation claim that Indonesia was at peace with itself and comfortable with how things in the country were going, reality says that while Indonesia may not be struggling with outside interference at the moment, they are certainly struggling with events within their own country.

Sim-Rules
Drew Kershner
Our class decided together how we were going to act when it comes to the world simulation. An appropriate greeting for elders or people of power in Indonesia is to bow. We decided that we are all powerful people so anytime we greet one of our own we are going to bow. When we meet someone from another culture, if they are not there to steal or take over us, we will greet them by using our right hand and tapping them on the nose. This will be our sign of friendship. If they are there to attack us or take our goods we will disrespect them by using our left hand and tapping them on the head. We are not a violent country so we will use this to show a sign of disrespect.

Proxemics is defined by the distance we are away from one another when we interact with people. We decided as a group that we were going to stand close to the people we know (people from our own culture) and stand farther away from those we don't know. This will change as time goes on and we get more comfortable with the people that we meet. As we become more familiar with these other people we will get closer.

Guidelines for the gender roles of Indonesia will be those as they were taught to us by Scott. We have 15 females and 5 males in our class, so we are going to split up into families. The females will run take control and run the show when we are "at home" or when no other culture has come to us. Then when we go "into public" or when other cultures come to Indonesia the men will be the first ones to talk and take control of the situation. They will handle all outside world problems such as when another culture tries to attack us the men will be the first ones to step up.

Appropriate trade partners for our culture will be pretty much anyone who has things we need or we have supplies they need. We are a friendly culture so if someone comes to us in need of something we will most likely trade to get items that we need. We will not initiate the trade as we are isolated from all other cultures so they have to come to us we will stay on our "island" by ourselves until somebody comes to us.

Mobility is an issue for us we aren't caught up with all the technology at this time so we will be stuck in indonesia. The only contact we will have is when somebody comes to us. We have no boats no aircrafts or anything. We will be standing by ourselves for the most part while others walk around and initiate trades. This could be bad for our survival as if people don't need our recourses we could "die off" quickly.

My estimate for our power and wealth is small. We don't have a lot of power we will have a hard time "defending ourselves" if more powerful countries come to attack us. We also don't have a lot of money to take initiative and try to gain more power to go and attack other cultures. Our plan is to try to befriend everybody so they put us on their side and we can last as long as we can. We also decided that if we do end up getting a big power card we will use it for good rather than try to attack many cultures. We are going to gain alliances.

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