'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.