Ethnic Chinese live in perfect harmony in Bali

By I Wayan Juniarta

DENPASAR (JP): Bali has been a perfect place for the many ethnic Chinese who have regarded the island as their homeland for hundreds of years.

They lived in the island's urban and rural villages, mingled harmoniously with local communities and became part of them. These were only some of the facts about the long and harmonious relationship between the Balinese and Chinese communities revealed at a recent seminar held in Denpasar on July 2.

The one-day seminar focused on the merger of Balinese and Chinese arts and culture. The event, involving academicians, artists, scholars and everyday residents, was aimed at revitalizing and forming a stronger base for the relationship between the two ethnic groups.

Among the speakers at the seminar were sinologist Myra Sidharta, who presented a paper titled The History of Chinese People in Indonesia, and Ida Bagus Sidemen, a noted historian from Bali's Udayana University who delivered a paper The History of Chinese Coins in Bali.

Nyoman Wijaya, also from Udayana University, presented a paper on Yap Seng Teng, a famous Chinese man who was the teacher of Balinese artist I Gusti Made Deblog.

"Violent conflicts have been breaking out everywhere in the country, many of them racially motivated," said Budi Argawa, chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Tionghoa Social Community. He added that ethnic Chinese were frequently the target of violence.

Wirya Subrata, the chairman of the seminar's organizing committee, explained that many young people, both ethnic Chinese and Balinese, were not aware of the historical background and facts of the relationship between the two ethnic communities.

"This seminar is mainly aimed at educating them and deepening their knowledge and providing them with accurate facts," said Wirya.

He said many Chinese-Indonesians fled to Bali during riots in Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia. They found Bali welcoming and accepting of them.

"Yet, if some of them behave improperly it could ruin the 'rules of the game', because they may not understand the interethnic setting here," he said. They could unintentionally place a strain on the current relations between the two communities, he added.

According to him, many of the newcomers could act in ways which violate cultural and social norms.

Sociologist I Gede Pitana Brahmananda said most ethnic Chinese living in Bali mixed with the locals, and were committed to and involved in communal activities.

"This was one of the reasons why they were totally accepted by the locals," commented Pitana.

Historian Nyoman Wijaya had a different take on the matter. He said the Balinese community was tolerant of outsiders, including the ethnic Chinese.

The Balinese divide the ethnic Chinese community into two categories; Cina Bali, those who are integrated with the Balinese community, customs and culture, and Cina Jawa, or those who retain their exclusivity.

"Yet, the Balinese are more tolerant toward ethnic Chinese who are artists, dancers or traditional healers, compared to their treatment of Chinese merchants," explained Nyoman.

He cited an example. "The Balinese gave Yap Teng Seng and Yan Fong (famous Chinese artists in Bali) a warmer welcome compared to that received by famous traders Sing Bie and Cio Po Nie, who wanted to buy the island of Bali.

Yang Fong, a famous traditional Balinese dancer and choreographer, has been accepted as a member of the Balinese art community. During the seminar, he performed four dances.

"My colleagues have never considered me Chinese. I have never had a thought of being a member of a certain ethnic group. I am just an artist who wants to create something artful and beautiful. That's me."

Among other artists, the late Yap Seng Teng was highly respected in Balinese art circles. "His extraordinary talents as a painter and traditional Chinese healer won him respect, love and friendship," Nyoman said.

Ida Bagus Sidemen delivered interesting facts on the use of Chinese coins, known as pis bolong, by the Balinese.

There are at least six different kinds of Chinese coins found in Bali, each with a different function. Pis gobogan, pis pretima and pis jimat are considered as having strong supernatural powers, and therefore the Balinese use them in the construction of sacred objects or as talisman.

"In the past, such coins were used for commercial purposes. But the coins are now used in many Hindu rituals, either as decorations for temples or as ritual elements in various offerings," he said.

He said a comprehensive study must be conducted to reveal more facts and information about the history of the relationship between the Balinese and the ethnic Chinese.

The seminar served as a reminder to the youth that a peaceful and harmonious relationship was possible between different ethnic groups if prejudice and hatred did not exist.