Ethnic Chinese live in perfect harmony in Bali

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.