Indonesian Americans

Indonesia's Diversity

Indonesia has about 8,000 inhabited islands and an estimated population of 231.6 million people as of 2007. Some 200 culturally diverse ethnic groups range in population from several thousands to tens of millions, most with homelands within Indonesia in which they represent the dominant culture. Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and local supernatural traditions are found there. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any nation, with about 90% of its people said to be Muslim. Some ethnic groups mostly follow one faith (for example, Acehnese are Muslim; Batak, Protestant; Florenese, Catholic; Balinese, Hindu.) Others, such as the populous Javanese, have various faiths.

Colonial Influences

The archipelago experienced Dutch influence beginning in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the Netherlands-Indies government was formed, and by the beginning of the 20th century extended control over what is now the Republic of Indonesia. British scholar J. S. Furnivall described the Netherlands Indies as a plural society, two or more social orders living side by side without mingling. These social orders were racially stratified: Dutch at the top, Chinese and other “foreign Asiatics” in the middle, and Indonesians on the bottom. The Dutch led government, big businesses, and professions. Chinese became economic mediators between urban and rural economic sectors. Indigenous Peoples were primarily farmers but increasingly came to cities during the 20th century.

The three races had relatively exclusive lives and legal rights and followed dress codes and modes of respect. Conventional separation between the races led to the growth of two interstitial categories of people, Indo-Europeans (or Indo) and Peranakan. The Indo were the offspring of wives or concubines of Dutch and local women. The Peranakan were the offspring of Chinese men with local women. Neither the Indos nor the Peranakan was socially well [Page 722]accepted by the other three races. Indos did serve in Dutch governmental, military, and business activities and gained Dutch citizenship. Peranakan were mainly in commerce and professions. Over time, each group developed a subculture that included dress, arts, newspapers, and organizations.

The New Nation

A nationalist movement grew from about 1912 through the end of the Japanese occupation in 1945 when its leaders declared independence. Revolution arose in Java and some other islands as the Dutch tried unsuccessfully to reassert control between 1945 and 1949. Indonesia became a nation in 1950 with the motto, “Unity in Diversity.” Indigenous people became citizens and others could choose citizenship, and Indonesian (based on Malay, a long-time lingua franca) became the national language. Local languages were used only in the first three grades of rural schools, and their indigenous literatures were no longer published. Indonesian served government, media, education, and business, but local languages remained used in homes and other settings.

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