Understanding the character of the Madurese

By Sirikit Syah

SURABAYA (JP): The conflict that broke out between Madurese and Dayak in West Kalimantan at the end of December and early January has drawn the concern of government officials, politicians and religious leaders.

The island of Madura is known to be dry and unproductive, but is it true that the hard life in their homeland makes the Madurese a rough and tough people? The Jakarta Post spoke to H. A. Latief Wiyata, M.A -- a doctoral candidate at Gajah Mada University, a lecturer at the University of Jember, East Java, and an anthropologist specializing in Madurese study -- about the character of the Madurese people. Wiyata is currently writing his dissertation on Madurese culture.

Question: What is the basic characteristic of the Madurese?

Answer: The Madurese are very open and expressive. When they are treated unfairly, they will not keep silent. They will react directly. Another important characteristic of the Madurese is their seriousness in work. They have a saying 'kar-karkar colpe' (which is analogous to a hen scraping the soil to find something to eat; no matter how small the food, the hen will search for it patiently and seriously). There are facts and proof that many Madurese people are successful in working in any field, either big or small business, even when they are far from home.

Q: Are the Madurese very obedient to their religious leaders?

A: People often assume that the Madurese only obey their kyai (religious leaders). This is quite true. But it's not only the kyai they obey. In their social and cultural lives, there is a saying bappa' babu' guru' rato (father, mother, teacher, and the king/government). Those are the people they obey. The kyai have a central position, but they obey other informal leaders too. It would be better if both religious and social leaders were involved.

Q: Do the Madurese have a tendency to overreact?

A: No. They are very strict with their principle of andap asor (being humble and/or low-profile). They believe that being polite, friendly and kind is essential in social life. They are kindhearted. Whoever experiences the kindness of Madurese people will not forget it for the rest of his/her life. The Madurese don't forget other people's kindness either, and they will pay it back in any way. But once they are hurt, they will react and never forget. They believe that oreng daddi taretan, taretan daddi oreng (family/relatives become strangers, strangers become family/relatives), which depends on their social behavior towards each other.

Q: How do the Madurese socialize with other ethnic groups?

A: In principal they socialize easily with other ethnic groups, which might be due to their concept of andap asor. The socialization process is made easier if they have something in common, like religion.

Q: Can they adapt easily to new environments and communities?

A: Yes, they can. If they live by the sea, they will live like fishermen. If they live in a village, they will live like farmers. They have no problem adapting to life in industrial or metropolitan cities. But when they settle in a new place, they tend to group with their own people. There are many Madurese settlements throughout Indonesia. It might appear as ethnic solidarity, but it could also be interpreted as exclusivity.

Q: Do Madurese often marry with people from other ethnic groups?

A: Their concept tends to encourage marriage with distant relatives. Their philosophy is ma' ta' elang obur (maintain family ties). But they follow the rules of Islam, which prohibit marriages with close family members.

Q: The Madurese have the habit of carrying a weapon wherever they go. Why?

A: Yes, they usually carry celurit (a sickle specific to Madura), but it is not a sign of violence. On the contrary, it symbolizes that the person admits his weakness. Those who dare to appear in public without carrying a weapon are the ones to be suspicious of. They are suspected of having a certain kind of strength.

The Madurese have a belief about carrying weapons. They will not carry weapons in their right hands, which could be interpreted as a challenge or a threat. They usually carry them in their left hands with the sharp end pointing at their palm and fingers, and the other end parallel to their arm. Sometimes they just slip the weapon under their clothes in line with the concept of andap asor.

Q: What could provoke their rage?

A: The main factor is their dignity, and whether or not it is violated. The concept of dignity is not only personal and individual but refers to family, relatives and ethnic groups based on racial solidarity. They refuse to be embarrassed or humiliated. They would rather die, as they say tamna todus, mate (death is the only cure to embarrassment/humiliation). And ango'an poteya tolang etembang poteya mata (to die is better than to be humiliated/embarrassed).

Q: There are rumors that the Madurese want to take revenge on the Dayak living in Madura and Java. What is your opinion? Is revenge one of their traits?

A: Not only the Madurese. Any ethnic group will take revenge or get angry if it is treated unfairly. Still, it depends on the severity of the problem or conflict. In the case of West Kalimantan, I don't think the Madurese will seek revenge. First, because the conflict is still within their tolerance limit. Second, their (social and religious) leaders are involved in the efforts to overcome the problem. This is a good strategy. The conflict must be seen and evaluated, both in a legal context and a sociocultural context, honestly and fairly. Otherwise, all efforts will be useless.