'Angkat Saudara': Lampung tradition to settle ethnic conflicts
'Angkat Saudara': Lampung tradition to settle ethnic conflicts
The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung
The revival of ethnic and religious sentiments as opposed to
nationalism has been blamed for many of the ethnic and religious
conflicts that have been raging in Indonesia since the era of
reform began in 1998. It is therefore a curiosity that Lampung, a
regional melting pot, has remained peaceful.
What is it that makes Lampung so different from other parts of
Indonesia that it has escaped the fate that has befallen many
other provinces?
Indeed, the province could serve as a model for other
provinces that are suffering ethnic and religious conflicts,
including the Dayaks and Madurese in Central and West Kalimantan,
or Muslims and Christians in Poso, Central Sulawesi, or in Ambon,
Maluku, where thousands of people have been killed.
Lampung's unique experience has drawn two researchers from the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) to study how Lampung has
managed to prevent any ethnic and religious conflict.
Even Jakarta, the country's most diverse city, has experienced
ethnic conflicts -- the latest involving Madurese and Banten and
Betawi natives.
Lampung has a population of 6.5 million people with its
"native residents" comprising roughly 18 percent of the total
population. The rest are Javanese, Balinese, Sundanese, West
Sumatran, Palembang and Batak and other ethnic groups.
However, even the natives believe that they are not really
native but are part Malay, part Rawas and part Semedo, who first
came from Java, Palembang and West Sumatra hundreds of years ago.
This may be traced from their different dialects, traditional
houses and clothes. This awareness of their roots has helped
create the understanding that no one can really lay claim on the
land; it belongs to all, natives and settlers.
Apart from the historical awareness, Lampung has a unique
tradition of Angkat Saudara (adopting others to become brothers
or sisters) which is believed help prevent and settle conflicts
in the multi-ethnic province.
Lampung scholar Anshori Djausal said the Angkat Saudara
tradition was usually applied for three reasons: To settle
conflicts, in marriage, and to forge friendships.
"Both parties who have pledged to follow the tradition, have
the same obligation to defend each other as sisters or brothers,"
said Anshori, who is also the dean of the state-run Lampung
University's School of Engineering.
He said people -- from similar or different ethnic backgrounds
-- adopted their rivals as brothers or sisters to settle their
conflicts or to prevent the conflicts from spreading.
The tradition is also used to strengthen friendships by
adopting long-time friends (usually from different ethnic groups)
as brothers or sisters.
Anshori, who has adopted brothers from Java, is planning to
hold a ceremony to adopt a close friend from Batak of North
Sumatra as his brother.
Lampung traditional values also help prevent and settle
religious conflicts among its multi-religious inhabitants.
Although most Lampung people are Muslims, they live together with
Christians, who mostly hail from Java, and Balinese, who follow
Hinduism.
"It's rather hard with the Balinese, who tend to be more
exclusive, but with our traditions we are sure we could solve any
problem," Anshori said.
Sociologist Abdullah Syani meanwhile said Lampung people
believe in diversity and that they should work together to
improve their welfare.
"The people are very open with newcomers, whom they consider
as brothers and sisters," said Syani, who is also a deputy dean
of the Lampung University's School of Social and Political
Science.
He shared Anshori's statement that the Angkat Saudara
tradition and other local values have helped prevent ethnic and
religious conflicts.
Both Syani and Anshori believed that a number of small
disturbances that had occurred in Lampung since the downfall of
former authoritarian President Soeharto were criminal acts
triggered by criminals.
Anshori cited an example of a brawl between the Bugis people
and Lampung people two years ago, during which dozens of people
were injured. Community leaders managed to diffuse the brawl
which was triggered by a fight between hoodlums from two
communities.
"There were individuals provoking violence at that time and
they could have triggered widespread conflicts but we, mostly
informal leaders, managed to quell it," Syani said.
Meanwhile communications expert Teguh Hadi Rahardjo noted that
the absence of a dominant culture and a single identity helped
limit conflicts.
"There is a balance between the various ethnic groups, so
there is no dominant culture here. There is also no single
communications pattern here," Teguh of Lampung University said.