Traditions of 'Cina Benteng' still alive, well in Tangerang

Traditions of 'Cina Benteng' still alive, well in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): Those who consider Chinese Indonesians
identical to middle and upper-class society would be surprised to
learn that much of the ethnic group lives in several suburban
areas of Tangerang.

The community of the Cina Benteng (literally Chinese of the
Fort) -- as many people call them -- have their own way of life
and characteristics, entirely different to those of other Chinese
in greater Jakarta area.

It's even quite difficult to differentiate them from
indigenous Indonesians as most of Cina Benteng have dark skin and
don't have almond-shaped eyes.

It's unclear where the words Cina Benteng come from. But
locals and the community itself agree that it refers to rugged
Chinese Indonesians from udik (remote villages).

They are also regarded as speakers of the rough Betawi (native
Jakartan) dialect.

But the Cina Benteng say they don't object to this negative
image since it is a fact that no one can doubt.

"It is our way of life, what else can we say," said community
figure Tjan Lian Hong, 43, who has a Confucianist temple in the
yard of his house in the Sewan Kebon area.

Chinese Indonesians can be found in several suburban areas in
Tangerang, about 30 kilometers west of Jakarta, such as Sewan
Kebon, Rawa Kucing, Kampung Melayu, Tanah Cepe and Tanah Gocap.

"I think the Chinese people can be found in any of the
villages in Tangerang," said Lian Hong.

There have been no official figures on the number of Cina
Benteng. But 70 percent or 80 percent of the entire population in
areas like Sewan Kebon are dominated by Cina Benteng, he claimed.

According to an expert on Chinese architecture, Edison Yulius,
from Tarumanagara University, the communities are the offspring
of escapees from the walled city of Batavia (Kota in West
Jakarta) during the 1740 Chinese revolt.

"Some of the Chinese escaped to several areas in Tangerang and
(other parts of) Java," he said.

The word benteng, he said, comes from the fact that Tangerang
was home to many forts built by the Dutch colonials at the time.

In the past, most of them worked as farmers. Today, the Cina
Benteng have various kind of jobs, from casual workers to
businessmen.

Some of them work as employees at private companies in
Jakarta, retaining their unique characteristics.

According to Lian Hong, their wedding ceremony is slightly
different to those held by the other Chinese, who have luxurious
and "modern" wedding fiestas, and often hire bands.

"I like modern music but I won't hire a music group for a
wedding celebration. People in my community can't accept it as
they consider it tacky," he said.

The Cina Benteng, instead, enliven the ceremony with Cokek
dances and Gambang Kromong music, Lian Hong explained, referring
to an erotic dance in which all guests join the dance while
drinking beer, followed by the Betawian Gambang Kromong music
orchestra.

The celebrations usually take place at Rumah Kawin (wedding
halls), run by local business people. Most of them are named
after the owner, like that in Rawa Kucing: "Rumah Kawin Lim Liang
Hok".

The hall is actually just a simple big "hut" with a wire-
netting veranda. A wedding fiesta along with the dance usually
lasts for at least two days, according to Lian Hong.

Like many Chinese Indonesians, the Cina Benteng bride and
groom wear western shirts and gowns for the wedding ceremony.

"But they still follow the rituals," Hok Kiang said.

In almost all houses in the community there is traditional
Chinese paraphernalia adorning the entrances and also shrines
inside the houses.

Most of their houses are modest with sago palm as their roofs.

"There are also rich families who like to have modest houses,
but they have an abundance of valuable wealth inside," Hok Kiang
said.

Like Lian Hong and Hok Kiang, many of the community members
prefer to use Chinese names.

"Some of us have, indeed, Indonesian names in our official
letters but the name is not used during our everyday lives," Hok
Kiang said.

About their dark-colored skin, many Cina Benteng believe that
it is either because their ancestors worked as farmers and were
under the sun or as a result of mixed marriages. (ind)