The Country of Indonesia:
A
country formed of land and water, Indonesia is the world’s largest
archipelago. Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, 17,508
islands stretch over 5,600 kilometers (3,500 miles). Indonesia is a
A "melting pot" of roughly 300 ethnic groups speaking more
than 500 different languages and dialects. Most Indonesians are descended
from the Malay people who populated the islands emigrating from the
Asian mainland thousands of years ago. Other ethnic groups include Chinese,
Arabs, Indians, and Europeans. The flora and fauna of the country offer
an incredible variety. Indonesia is the home of the orangutan, deep
black wild cattle, miniature deer, clouded leopards, wild warthogs,
anteaters, pythons and the Komodo dragon. Thousands of bird species
fly through the jungles and over rice paddies. There are freshwater
dolphins, and fish that climb mangrove trees looking for insects. Due
to its geographic location, Indonesia offers more plant species than
either the African or American tropics. The humidity is soaring twelve
months a year, the sunlight is strong and the volcanic soil provides
fertile grounds. Hibiscus, jasmine, allamanda, frangipani, bougainvillea,
orchids, and lotus lilies more than half a meter wide fascinate the
traveler. 3
The
People:
The
archipelago’s size and terrain enhance the diversity of the nation.
Traveling through Indonesia can turn into a journey through time. Part
of the population appears to live in the Neolithic or bronze age (e.g.,
Island of Irian Jaya), while others write articles for the Asian
Wall Street Journal (e.g., Island of Java, capital of Jakarta).
Indonesians identify themselves in local terms, and show an incredible
tolerance toward other cultures. However; they also show signs of class
consciousness. One major theme of Indonesian mythology and wayang
(shadow puppets) is the struggle between the light-skinned noble princes
and the black giants (i.e., aboriginals from the mountains and jungles).
Some village women still cover their faces with white powder in an attempt
to beautify themselves. Other Indonesian women take all precautions
against exposing their skin to the sun to prevent a darkening of their
complexion.4 All this is quite familiar. The good
cowboy of the wild West wears a light colored hat, while the bad guy
usually wears black. Darth Vadar and the Emperor Palpatine are robed
in black while Luke and Leia Skywalker’s suits are white.
Religions
in Indonesia:
Article
29 of the 1945 Indonesian Constitution affirms that the Indonesian state
is founded on the belief in One God. This statement is repeated as the
first of the five principles of the country’s state philosophy
(Pancasila). Indonesia recognizes five world religions: Islam,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism and Protestantism. The government sees
Catholicism and Protestantism as two distinct religious communities
concentrated in different areas of the country. Chinese religious practices
are seen as part of Buddhism, and some local religious traditions are
considered part of Hinduism, such as in Bali. The official recognition
of the major world religions reminds of Constantine’s Edict of
Milan (313), and appears especially remarkable considering the fact
that 88.8% of the population are Moslem.5
The first world religions to be established in Indonesia were Buddhism
and Hinduism. The founder of Buddhism was Prince Siddharta Gautama (566/563
- 486/483 B.C.E.) who sought to find a way to end the cycle of suffering
in the world. The basic Buddhist teachings are summarized in the Four
Noble Truths or the Middle Way. The Middle Way of conduct guides the
follower towards enlightenment. The major issues are: insight or wisdom,
morality and meditation. Buddhist merchants from the Asian mainland
are documented in Indonesia since the 5th century. In the 7th century,
the kingdom of Sriwijaya (Southern Sumatra) converted to Buddhism and
grew into a famous Buddhist learning center that attracted pilgrims
from as far away as China. By the 15th century, Buddhism faded away;
however, many aspects of its teaching can still be found especially
in Central and East Java.6 Enduring religious
monuments on Java from the 8th century, bear witness of the introduction
of both Buddhism and Hinduism to Indonesia. These include the Borobudur
Buddhist Temple, a world heritage site close to modern day Yogyakarta
captured in some of the works exhibited, and its nearby neighbor the
Prambanan Hindu Temple.
Similar to most religions, Hinduism believes in good and bad powers.
According to Hinduism, the world is an ordered place of a good nature
which is constantly challenged by bad disorganizing forces. Gods are
seen as personifications of order while demons personify disorder. Every
person, animal and thing is part of the ordered universe. Appropriate
behavior according to the specific space in the ordered world is seen
as a person’s religious duty. Appropriate behavior maintains order,
while inappropriate behavior can lead to chaos. Indonesians adopted
only part of the large number of Indian Hindu deities, and changed the
iconography of some gods. The wealth of the Indian mythological tradition
connected to Hinduism became the source of Javanese court poetry and
the shadow puppet theater (wayang purwa).7
Both religions coexisted peacefully in the early Indonesian kingdoms.
They share the same origin, the Vedic religion of India. They share
many aspects, such as the belief in reincarnation and rebirth, and the
belief that appropriate behavior creates a pathway to heaven. The tradition
of peaceful coexistence is still carried on today in Bali where many
important ceremonies are performed by both, a Buddhist and a Hindu priest.
Islam, the strongest religion in Indonesia, is a religion of submission
to the One God. It was founded by Mohammed (570/571-632) in Arabia,
and quickly spread through the Middle East and subsequently through
the world. The six principal beliefs in Islam are: belief in God, belief
in angels, belief in the prophets (including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Jesus, Mohammed), belief in the Holy Books (including the Torah of Moses,
the Psalms of David, the Gospels of Jesus as prophet and the Qur’an
of Mohammed), belief in life after death, and belief in God’s judgment
and predestination. All Moslems are obliged to perform duties as prescribed
in the five pillars of Islam: (1) the statement of the affirmation A
"there is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His messenger;"
(2) prayers five times daily; (3) fasting during the month of Ramadan;
(4) giving alms to the poor; and (5) a pilgrimage to Mecca at least
once during one’s lifetime. The origins of Islam in Indonesia have
been much disputed. Some scholars argue that the new religion was introduced
by Moslem merchants from Gujarat in Northwest India during the 14th
century. Others claim that Moslems from other areas in India or from
Arabia, Persia, or even China were more influential in the conversion
to Islam in Indonesia.8
Islam caught on first in northern Sumatra, and then spread to Java.
It is interesting to note that Indonesia is one of the few countries
where a Moslem military conquest did not purely supersede the existing
religions. The most attractive aspect of Islam for the Indonesian people
might have been its egalitarianism and its scientific spirit. While
Hinduism kept the common man in feudal bondage, Islam taught that all
men are made equal. Islam also influenced the arts deeply, especially
during the 15th and 16th centuries. Arabic styles and themes provided
models for the local literature, textile decoration and gamelan
(Indonesian percussion orchestra).
The first Catholic missionaries began their work in Indonesia in the
16th century. They were directed by Portuguese Church officials. However;
in 1605 the Dutch East India Company prohibited Catholic missionary
work in Indonesia. Spanish Catholic missionaries became active in the
second half of the 17th century, but it took until the second half of
the 19th century that the Catholic missionaries could officially perform
their work. Only then, did the Protestant-dominated Dutch colonial power
acknowledge the Catholic Church’s autonomy to carry out missionary
work. Their main influence is reflected in tangible evidence of social
work, such as building and managing schools for Indonesian children
and building and managing hospitals Their main territories today are
the islands of Flores and Timor.9
Protestantism became important with the advent of the Dutch East India
Company in the 17th century. Primarily interested in trade, the Dutch
were under obligation to uphold the Protestant faith. As the ruling
political power, they could build on the already established Catholic
communities through conversion; however, Protestant missionaries also
worked in isolated areas which had never been approached by Islam or
any other religious movement.10
Unity in Diversity:
The
extraordinary diversity of the country and its inhabitants is reflected
in Indonesia’s national motto. The national eagle carries a banner
in its claws with the inscription Bhinneka Tunggal Ika translated
A "Unity in Diversity" or "We are many but we are one."
This motto has become crucial in the government’s attempt to unite
the expansive and diverse country. There are numerous attempts to create
unity and spread a national consciousness, such as elaborate nationalistic
ceremonies, a national fitness program called senam pagi
(translated as morning exercise) which is practiced every morning even
in remote villages. Since 1928, the standardized modern Indonesian language,
Bahasa Indonesia, has become a major unifying factor.
It is almost universally known by all Indonesians as a second language,
and it is the only language used in broadcasting and official publications,
advertisements and on traffic signs.
Another crucial unifying factor is the state ideology as formulated
in the concept of Pancasila (translated as "Five Principles").
The five principles or sila are displayed on all government buildings.
They are: (1) Belief in God; (2) Humanitarianism; (3) Nationalism, the
Unity of Indonesia; (4) Representative government by consultation and
consensus; and (5) Social welfare and justice.11
The political process in Indonesia seems rather inefficient to Westerners
and has been in active transition since 1998. It was built on old Javanese
customs, and its method was based on discussions or consultations (musjawarah)
with subsequent agreements or consensus (muskafat). Resolving
political, policy-related or personal differences in this manner can
turn into rather prolonged deliberations which are aimed at a unanimous
decision. Indonesians traditionally do not believe in the Western-style
democracy, because they perceive decisions based on a majority-rule
of 50%-plus as dictatorship of the majority. According to the Indonesian
principles, the minority is just as important as the majority. Needless
to say, this practice turns decision-making into a quite elaborate process.