Nationalism no longer a draw for the young generation

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Young people nowadays see far beyond the symbols that usually identify this nation. The red-and-white flag, the Indonesia Raya national anthem, the Garuda Pancasila coat-of-arms, and the big "N" are no longer the first things that come to mind whenever they think of Indonesia as a nation.

"(Indonesia is) a sad place," said 22-year-old Herman Sutiono Nainggolan, a student at the Jakarta Institute of Theology. "For me, Indonesia means poverty, repression, immature democracy and a government without the support of the people."

Herman, who is also a member of the City Forum (Forkot) student movement, is only one of a number of young people interviewed who sees Indonesia as a colorful picture.

Although many older people believe that the younger generation could not understand what it means being an Indonesian due to the influence of Western cultures as the consequence of globalization, the young take nationalism beyond political boundaries.

Indonesia to 25-year-old Geeta T. -- who is Indian-Indonesian and has been studying abroad for years -- is the spirit of the people, where the capability of the leader or the government have become irrelevant issues.

The people's spirit, however, was fast disappearing, said 18- year-old Chandi Salmon Conrad, a U.S. citizen, but born here, and chairman of the student body at the Al Azhar Islamic High School I.

"Maybe because the government is more concerned about physical development than building the nation. This nation is now liable to disintegrate," said Chandi, whose father is American while his mother hails from Cirebon, West Java.

All these young people shared the same concern, that the old approach used in the teaching of nationalism and national symbols at schools would only make them opposed to being part of the nation.

The most glaring example is the flag hoisting ceremony held every Aug. 17 that was mandatory for government employees, the military and school students during the Soeharto rule.

Chandi has his own reasons. He said that celebrating Independence Day was a meaningless event that failed to make him feel it was special or to give him something to think about.

He suggested that the government must be able to invoke a sense of belonging that would make people say something like, "Hey, this our country's Independence Day, let's do something."

Rico Perdana Putra, 21, a student at the University of Indonesia and chief of the university's Radio Telekomunikasi Cipta (RTC) radio station, added that the commemoration of Independence Day was a tradition. He doubted that those who participated in the ceremony understood the significance of that event of 57 years ago. On the other hand, he said, it was a good way of reminding the nation of the pledge and to maintain the union.

Fajar Ari Nugroho, 19, a student at Gunadarma University, added that the commemoration of national independence had become more and more meaningless with time. It had become a ritual, an excuse for festivities, he said.

Street singer Ramadhani, 22, suggested that it would be better if the whole nation took a minute of silence to remember the achievements of national heroes.

An anchor at a TV station, Swastika, 24, said the Aug. 17 ceremony was superficial because it failed to touch on the essence of the event itself, which was to reflect on the meaning of being a nation.

"Personally, I dislike the flag-raising ceremony. What's so cool about standing up for hours in the morning? And I don't feel anything special for Independence Day," high school student Intan Nirwani, 14, added.

"Your nationalism cannot be measured by attending a flag ceremony. I feel more nationalist when I represented the country in two debate contests in Malaysia and when I joined in the student movement occupying the People's Consultative Assembly building in 1998," said Aviva.

High school student Robert Mulyarahardja, 17, said he would probably feel touched by the Indonesia Raya national anthem if he won an international award and the song was played during the award presentation ceremony.

Meanwhile, Geeta said the ritual had a strong point: By hoisting the flag on Aug. 17, Indonesians were reminded that they were one and that the nation was flourishing.

Although many among the older generation may worry about the attitude of the younger generation on this issue, artist/singer/composer Titiek Puspa and anthropologist Yunita T. Winarto dismiss those concerns as unfounded, thanks to people like 22-year-old Adi Putra Binarta, a student at Trisakti University, who declared, "Indonesia means my motherland. Wherever I work later, maybe abroad, Indonesia is still my homeland. My identity. I will defend it."