De-traditionalization propels Chinese success<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The formidable economic success of the ethnic
\nChinese here took place after the minority group discarded its
\nwasteful, inefficient traditions, according to prominent
\nhistorian Onghokham.<\/p>\n
Onghokham, a scholar of Chinese descent, said in a lecture at
\nthe Jakarta Arts Center, Taman Ismail Marzuki, on Wednesday that
\nthe long-history of \"de-traditionalization\" as well as the
\nestablishment of \"anti-China\" policies have propelled the ethnic
\ngroup's ever-growing capitalism.<\/p>\n
Attended by some 100 people, the lecture on the ethnic group's
\nhistory changed course into an examination of factors which
\nhelped the ethnic Chinese here become economic giants.<\/p>\n
A participant, Maj. Gen. Maulani, for instance, identified at
\nleast three characteristics of the ethnic group which played a
\nrole in its economic success. These characteristics are high
\nentrepreneurship, a strong \"survival mechanism\", and the
\ninclination to take shelter beneath the shadow of those in power.<\/p>\n
The discussion also examined the problem of prejudice against
\nthe ethnic group which \"indigenous\" people in the society have
\nnot been able to eliminate.<\/p>\n
\"Compared to other ethnic groups, the Chinese are the most
\nrapid in abandoning their traditions,\" Onghokham said.<\/p>\n
\"The process caused a loss of identity for the group, but also
\nenabled it to concentrate its resources on other beneficial
\nobjectives, such as capital accumulation or education for their
\nchildren,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The process of de-traditionalization \"liberated\" the ethnic
\ngroup from observing numerous social obligations, in the form of
\ntraditional ceremonies, which were often expensive.<\/p>\n
The rush of Christianization, the replacement of extended
\nfamilies by nuclear ones, as well as the subsequent fading of the
\ncult of senior family members, further allowed the ethnic group
\nto focus its attention on \"secular\" goals, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Chinese families used to bury the dead along with some
\nvaluables, and turn their graves of their seniors into altars,\"
\nOnghokham said. \"Now, they opt to cremate the dead, thus doing
\naway with the complicated ceremonies.\"<\/p>\n
The process was further accelerated by \"anti-Chinese\"
\npolicies, including the prohibition of Chinese characters, plays
\nand other forms of Chinese culture, he said.<\/p>\n
According to the 61-year-old former staff lecturer at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia, the \"de-traditionalization\" began some
\n50 years ago, when the archipelago was still under the Dutch
\ncolonial administration.<\/p>\n
Explosive<\/p>\n
The question of Chinese ethnicity and their economic supremacy
\nover the so-called \"indigenous\" peoples is among several
\n\"explosive\" issues here, particularly when it is connected to the
\nsharp gaps which exist between economic groups.<\/p>\n
Large-scale businesses, many of whom are owned by Indonesians
\nof Chinese descent, control more economic resources than the
\nmajority small-scale businesses. During Wednesday's discussion,
\none participant pointed out that one businessman alone, Ciputra,
\ncontrols more than 6,000 hectares of land on Java Island.<\/p>\n
Onghokham believed that local political structures played a
\npart in creating the social and economic gaps. \"Perhaps the
\nsystem needs the establishment of minority groups who control the
\neconomy in order to maintain the status quo,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Problems such as collusion between large-scale entrepreneurs
\nand government officials have only exacerbated the situation.
\nProminent scholar Dr. Dawam Rahardjo warned late last year that
\nthe economic and social gaps between the indigenous people and
\ncitizens of Chinese origin have now reached a critical point.<\/p>\n
Resentment against the ethnic's economic dominance surfaced in
\nthe Sumatran city of Medan in April when a labor demonstration
\nturned into attacks against ethnic Chinese and their property.
\nOne entrepreneur of Chinese descent was killed during the riot.<\/p>\n
Following the riot, Jakarta's deputy governor Idroes was
\nreported to have planned to launch a census to determine the
\ncity's ethnic Chinese population.<\/p>\n
Claiming that the activity was not related to the riot in
\nMedan, Idroes said the six-month census sought to determine the
\nnumber of ethnic Chinese who had registered with the government.<\/p>\n
Idroes said 27,590 Chinese had registered in Jakarta, but that
\nsome who had lived in the city for decades had not.<\/p>\n
Ethnic Chinese make up some 5 million out of the total
\nIndonesian population of 185 million. Around 4.7 million are
\nalready citizens, while the remaining 300,000 are still aliens,
\nnamely nationals of the People's Republic of China or Taiwan.<\/p>\n
Split<\/p>\n
During the 300 years of Dutch colonial rule, with its \"divide
\nand conquer\" policy, Indonesia's population was split into
\nseveral groups.<\/p>\n
Europeans and the so-called Foreign Orientals, mostly Chinese,
\nwere deemed the better groups, while the indigenous Indonesians
\nwere considered inferior.<\/p>\n
Contacts between the groups were handicapped by cultural as
\nwell as religious differences. While the majority of indigenous
\nIndonesians were Moslems, the ethnic Chinese were mostly
\nfollowers of Buddhism, Confucianism or Taoism.<\/p>\n
Experts have considered the factors to be most influential in
\nsowing prejudice among indigenous people against the ethnic
\nChinese.<\/p>\n
\"If people could be more tolerant, and relax their attitudes
\nabout the elements of Chinese and other foreign cultures, then
\nperhaps the national unity could be realized more naturally,\"
\nOnghokham said.<\/p>\n
The historian also said that prejudice against the ethnic
\ngroup may persist unless the middle class in society obtains more
\ninstitutionalized political roles. \"If (the political machinery)
\nrests only with the bureaucracy, I'm afraid the problems will
\nremain unresolved,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/de-traditionalization-propels-chinese-success-1447893297",
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