Culture of Indonesia
Indonesian children dress in various traditional costumes.
The
Culture of Indonesia has been shaped by long
interaction between original indigenous customs and multiple foreign influences.
Indonesia is central along ancient
trading routes between the
Far East and the
Middle East, resulting in many cultural practices being strongly influenced by a multitude of
religions, including
Hinduism,
Buddhism,
Confucianism and
Islam, all strong in the major trading cities. The result is a complex cultural mixture very different from the original indigenous cultures.
Examples of cultural fusion include the fusion of Islam with Hindu in Javanese
Abangan belief, the fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism and
animism in
Bodha, and the fusion of Hinduism and animism in
Kaharingan; others could be cited.
Indonesian art-forms express this cultural mix.
Wayang, traditional theater-performed puppet shows, were a medium in the spread of Hinduism and Islam amongst Javan villagers. Both Javanese and Balinese dances have stories about
ancient Buddhist and Hindu
kingdoms, while
Islamic art forms and architecture are present in Sumatra, especially in the
Minangkabau and
Aceh regions. Traditional art, music and sport are combined in a martial art form called
Pencak Silat.
Western culture has greatly influenced Indonesia in modern entertainment such as television shows, film and music, as well as political system and issues.
India has notably influenced Indonesian songs and movies. A popular type of song is the Indian-rhythmical
dangdut, which is often mixed with
Arab and
Malay folk music.
Despite the influences of foreign culture, some remote Indonesian regions still preserve uniquely indigenous culture. Indigenous
ethnic groups Mentawai,
Asmat,
Dani,
Dayak,
Toraja and many others are still practicing their ethnic rituals, customs and wearing traditional clothes.
Traditional performing arts
Music
Indonesia is home to various styles of music, with those from the islands of
Java,
Sumatra and
Bali being frequently recorded. The traditional music of central and
East Java and Bali is the
gamelan.
On June 29, 1965,
Koes Plus, a leading Indonesian
pop group in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, was imprisoned in
Glodok,
West Jakarta, for playing Western-style music. After the resignation of President Sukarno, the law was rescinded, and in the 1970s the Glodok prison was dismantled and replaced with a large shopping mall.
Kroncong is a
musical genre that uses guitars and
ukuleles as the main
musical instruments. This genre had its roots in
Portugal and was introduced by Portuguese traders in the 15th century. There is a traditional
Keroncong Tugu music group in
North Jakarta and other traditional Keroncong music groups in Maluku, with strong Portuguese influences. This music genre was popular in the first half of the 12th century; a contemporary form of Kroncong is called Pop Kroncong.
Angklung musical orchestra, native of
West Java, received international recognition as
UNESCO has listed the traditional West Java musical instrument made from bamboo in the list of intangible cultural heritage.
[1][2]
The soft
Sasando music from the province of East
Nusa Tenggara in
West Timor is completely different. Sasando uses an instrument made from a split leaf of the Lontar palm (
Borassus flabellifer), which bears some resemblance to a
harp.
Dance
Balinese topeng dance drama.
Indonesian dance reflects the diversity of culture from ethnic groups that composed the nation of Indonesia. Austronesian roots and Melanesian tribal dance forms are visible, and influences ranging from neighboring Asian countries; such as
India,
China, and
Middle East to European western styles through colonization. Each ethnic group has their own distinct dances; makes total dances in Indonesia are more than 3000 Indonesian original dances. However, the dances of Indonesia can be divided into three eras; the Prehistoric Era, the Hindu/Buddhist Era and the Era of Islam, and into two genres; court dance and folk dance.
There is a continuum in the traditional dances depicting episodes from the
Ramayana and
Mahabharata from India, ranging through
Thailand, all the way to Bali. There is a marked difference, though, between the highly stylized dances of the courts of
Yogyakarta and
Surakarta and their popular variations. While the court dances are promoted and even performed internationally, the popular forms of dance art and drama must largely be discovered locally.
During the last few years,
Saman from Nanggroe
Aceh Darussalam has become rather popular and is often portrayed on TV.
Reog Ponorogo is also a dance that originated from the district
Ponorogo, East Java, which is a visualization of the legendary story Wengker kingdom and the kingdom of Kediri.
A popular line dance called
Poco-poco was originated in Indonesia and also popular in
Malaysia, but at early April 2011 Malaysian Islamic clerics ban poco-poco dance for Muslims due to they believe it is traditionally a Christian dance and that its steps make the sign of the cross.
[3]
Drama and theatre
Wayang, the Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese
shadow puppet theatre shows display several mythological legends such as
Ramayana and
Mahabharata, and many more. Wayang Orang is Javanese traditional dance drama based on wayang stories. Various Balinese dance drama also can be included within traditional form of Indonesian drama. Another form of local drama is Javanese
Ludruk and
Ketoprak, Sundanese Sandiwara, and Betawi
Lenong. All of these drama incorporated humor and jest, often involving audiences in their performance.
Randai is a folk theatre tradition of the
Minangkabau people of
West Sumatra, usually performed for traditional ceremonies and festivals. It incorporates music, singing, dance, drama and the
silat martial art, with performances often based on semi-historical Minangkabau legends and love story.
Modern performing art also developed in Indonesia with their distinct style of drama. Notable theatre, dance, and drama troupe such as
Teater Koma are gain popularity in Indonesia as their drama often portray social and political satire of Indonesian society.
Martial Art
The art of silat was created and firstly developed in the islands of
Java and
Sumatra. It is an art for survival and practiced throughout Indonesian archipelago. Centuries of tribal wars in Indonesian history had shaped silat as it was used by the ancient warriors of Indonesia. Silat was used to determine the rank and position in old Indonesian kingdoms.
Contacts with
Indians and
Chinese was further enriched silat. Silat reached areas beyond Indonesia mainly through diaspora of Indonesian people. People from various regions like
Aceh,
Minangkabau,
Riau,
Bugis,
Makassar,
Java,
Banjar, etc. moved into and settled in
Malay Peninsula and other islands. They brought silat and passed it down to their descendants. The
Indonesian of half-Dutch descent are also credited as the first to brought the art into Europe.
Silat was used by Indonesian freedom fighters during their struggle against the
Dutch colonists. Unfortunately after Indonesia achieving their independence, silat became less popular among Indonesian youth compare to foreign martial arts like
Karate and
Taekwondo. This probably because silat was not taught openly and only passed down among blood relatives, the other reason is the lack of media portrayal of the art.
Efforts have been made in recent years to introduce and reintroduce the beauty of silat to Indonesian youth and the world. Exhibitions and promotions by individuals as well as state-sponsored groups helped the growing of silat's popularity, particularly in
Europe and
United States. Indonesian 2009 Silat movie
Merantau is one of Indonesian efforts to introduce silat to international scene.
Another martial art from Indonesia is Tarung Derajat. It is a modern combat system created by Haji Ahmad Drajat based on his experience as a street fighter. Tarung Drajat has been acknowledge as a national sport by
KONI in 1998 and is now using by
Indonesian Army as part of their basic training.
Painting
What Indonesian painting before the 19th century are mostly restricted to the decorative arts, considered to be a religious and spiritual activity, comparable to the pre-1400 European art. Artists name are anonymous, since the individual human creator was seen as far less important than their creation to honor the deities or spirits. Some examples are the
Kenyah decorative art, based on endemic natural motifs such as ferns and hornbills, found decorating the walls of Kenyah long houses. Other notable traditional art is the geometric
Toraja wood carvings. Balinese painting are initially the narative images to depict scenes of Balinese legends and religious scripts. The classical Balinese paintings are often decorating the
lontar manuscripts and also the ceilings of
temples pavilion.
Under the influence of the Dutch colonial power, a trend toward Western-style painting emerged in the 19th century. In the Netherlands, the term "Indonesian Painting" is applied to the paintings produced by Dutch or other foreign artists who lived and worked in the former
Netherlands-Indies. The most famous indigenous 19th century Indonesian painter is
Raden Saleh (1807–1877), the first indigenous artist to study in Europe. His art is heavily influenced by
Romanticism.
[4] In 1920's
Walter Spies began to settled in Bali, he is often credited with attracting the attention of Western cultural figures to Balinese culture and art. His works has somehow influenced Balinese artists and painters. Today Bali has one of the most vivid and richest painting tradition in Indonesia.
The 1920s to 1940s were a time of growing nationalism in Indonesia. The previous period of romanticism movement was not seen as a purely Indonesian movement and did not developed. Painters began to see the natural world for inspiration. Some examples of Indonesian painter during this period are the Balinese
Ida Bagus Made and the
realist Basuki Abdullah. The Indonesian Painters Association (
Persatuan Ahli-Ahli Gambar Indonesia or PERSAGI, 1938–1942) was formed during this period. PERSAGI established a contemporary art philosophy that saw art works as reflections of the artist’s individual or personal view as well as an expression of national cultural thoughts.
From the 1940s on, artists started to mix Western techniques with Southeast Asian imagery and content. Painters that rooted in the revolutionary movement of the World War and the post-World War period started to appear during this period, such as Sudjojono,
Affandi, and Hendra.
[5]
During the 1960s, new elements were added when
abstract expressionism and
Islamic art began to be absorbed by the art community. Also during this period, group of painters that are more concerned about the reality of Indonesian society began to appear, taking inspiration from the social problem such as division between the rich and the poor, pollution, and deforestation. The national identity of Indonesia was stressed by these painters through the use of a realistic, documentary style. During the Sukarno period this socially-engaged art was officially promoted, but after 1965 it lost popularity due to its presumed communist tendencies.
[6]
Three art academies offer extensive formal training in visual art:
Bandung Institute of Technology founded in 1947; the
Akademi Seni Rupa Indonesia (Indonesian Fine Arts Academy) or ASRI, now known as ISI, in Yogyakarta was inaugurated in 1950; and the
Institut Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Arts Institute) or IKJ, was opened in 1970.
Sculpture
Indonesia has a long history of stone, bronze and iron ages arts. The megalithic sculptures can be found in numerous archaeological sites in Sumatra, Java to Sulawesi. The
native Indonesians tribes have their own distinct tribal sculpture styles, usually created to depict ancestors, deities and animals. The pre-Hindu-Budhist and pre-Islamic sculptures can be traced in the artworks of indigenous Indonesian tribes. The most notable sculptures are those of
Asmat wooden sculpture of
Papua, the
Dayak wooden mask and sculpture, the ancestral wooden statue of
Toraja, also the totem-like sculpture of
Batak and
Nias tribe.
The stone sculpture artform particularly flourished in the eighth to tenth centuries Java and Bali, which demonstrate the influences of Hindu-Buddhist culture, both as stand-alone works of art and also incorporated into temples. Most notable sculpture of classical Hindu-Buddhist era of Indonesia are the hundreds of meters of relief and hundreds of stone buddhas at the temple of
Borobudur in central Java. Approximately two miles of exquisite relief sculpture tell the story of the life of
Buddha and illustrate his teachings. The temple was originally home to 504 statues of the seated Buddha. This site, as with others in central Java, show a clear Indian influence. The examples of notable Indonesian Hindu-Buddhist sculptures are; the statues of Hindu deities; Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, Durga, Ganesha and Agastya enthroned in rooms of
Prambanan temples, the
Vishnu mounting
Garuda statue of king
Airlangga, the exquisite statue of Eastern Javanese
Prajnaparamita and 3.7 meters tall
Dvarapala dated from
Singhasari period, and also the grand statue of Bhairava
Adityawarman discovered in Sumatra. Today, the Hindu-Buddhist style stone sculptures are reproduced in villages in
Muntilan near Borobudur also in Bali, and sold as garden or pool ornament statues for homes, offices and hotels.
Today in Indonesia, the richest, most elaborate and vivid wooden sculpture and wood carving traditions can be found in
Bali and
Jepara, Central Java. Balinese handicrafts such as sculptures, masks, and other carving artworks are popular souvenir for tourist that have visited Indonesia. On the other hand the Jepara wood carving are famous for its elaborately carved wooden furnitures,
folding screens also
pelaminan gebyok (wedding throne with carved background).
Architecture
For centuries, the most dominant influences on
Indonesian architecture were
Indian, although European influences have been particularly strong since the nineteenth century and modern architecture in Indonesia is international in scope.
As in much of
South East Asia, traditional buildings in Indonesia are built on stilts, with the significant exceptions of Java and Bali. Notable
stilt houses are those of the
Dayak people in
Borneo, the
Rumah Gadang of the
Minangkabau people in western Sumatra, the
Batak people in northern Sumatra, and the
Tongkonan of the
Toraja people in
Sulawesi. Oversized saddle roofs with large eaves, such as the homes of the Batak and the
tongkonan of Toraja, are often bigger than the house they shelter. The fronts of Torajan houses are frequently decorated with buffalo horns, stacked one above another, as an indication of status. The outside walls also frequently feature decorative reliefs.
The eighth-century
Borobudur temple near
Yogyakarta is the largest Buddhist temple in the world, and is notable for incorporating about 160 relief panels into its structure, telling the story of the life of the Buddha. As the visitor ascends through the eight levels of the temple, the story unfolds, the final three levels simply containing
stupas and statues of the Buddha. The building is said to incorporate a map of the Buddhist cosmos and is a masterful fusion of the didactic, the monumental and the serene.
The nearby ninth-century temple complex at
Prambanan contains some of the best preserved examples of
Hindu temple architecture in Java. The temple complex comprises eight main shrines, surrounded by 250 smaller shrines. The Indian influence on the site is clear, not only in the style of the monument, but also in the reliefs featuring scenes from the
Ramayana which adorn the outer walls of the main temples, and in the votive statuary found within.
Crafts
Several Indonesian islands are famous for their
batik,
ikat and
songket cloth. Once on the brink of disappearing, batik and later ikat found a new lease of life when former President
Suharto promoted wearing batik shirts on official occasions. In addition to the traditional patterns with their special meanings, used for particular occasions, batik designs have become creative and diverse over the last few years.
Other worldwide famous Indonesian crafts are
Jepara wood carving[7] and
Kris. In 2005, UNESCO recognized Kris as one of
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity from Indonesia.
[8]
Literature
Pramoedya Ananta Toer was Indonesia's most internationally celebrated author, having won the
Magsaysay Award as well as being considered for the
Nobel Prize in Literature. Other important figures include the late
Chairil Anwar, a poet and member of the "
Generation 45" group of authors who were active in the Indonesian independence movement. Tight information controls during
Suharto's presidency suppressed new writing, especially because of its ability to agitate for social reform.
In the book
Max Havelaar,
Dutch author
Multatuli criticised the Dutch treatment of the Indonesians, which gained him international attention.
Modern Indonesian authors include
Seno Gumira Adjidarma,
Andrea Hirata,
Habiburrahman El Shirazy,
Ayu Utami,
Gus tf Sakai,
Eka Kurniawan,
Ratih Kumala,
Dee,
Oka Rusmini. Some of their works have translated into other languages.
Poetry
There is a long tradition in Indonesia, particularly among ethnically
Malay populations, of extemporary, interactive, oral composition of poetry. These poems are referred to as
pantun. Contemporary Indonesian poets include among others,
Sutardji Calzoum Bachri,
Rendra,
Taufiq Ismail, Afrizal Malna,
[9] Binhad Nurrohmat, Joko Pinurbo,
Sapardi Djoko Damono.
Recreation and sports
The
rattan ball used in Sepak Takraw.
Many traditional games are still preserved and popular in Indonesia, although western culture has influenced some parts of them. Among three hundred officially recognized Indonesian cultures, there are many kinds of traditional games:
cockfighting in
Bali, annual bull races in
Madura, and stone jumping in
Nias. Stone jumping involves leaping over a
stone wall about up to 1.5 m high and was originally used to train warriors.
Pencak Silat is another popular form of sport, which was influenced by
Asian culture as a whole. Another form of
national sport is
sepak takraw.
[10] The rules are similar to
volleyball: to keep the
rattan ball in the air with the players' feet.
Popular modern sports in Indonesia played at the international level include
association football and
badminton. Indonesian badminton athletes have played in
Indonesia Open Badminton Championship,
All England Open Badminton Championships and many international events, including the
Summer Olympics since badminton was made an Olympic sport in
1992.
Rudy Hartono is a legendary Indonesian badminton player, who won All England titles seven times in a row (1968 through 1974).
Indonesian teams have won the
Thomas Cup (men's world team championship) thirteen of the twenty-two times that it has been contested since they entered the series in 1957.
[11] In the hugely internationally popular sport of soccer (football), Indonesian teams have been active in the
Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Sporting events in Indonesia are organised by the Indonesian National Sport Committee (KONI). The Committee, along with the government of Indonesia, have set a National Sports Day on every
September 9 with "Sports for All" as the motto. Indonesia has hosted the
Southeast Asian Games four times, in 1979, 1987, 1997 and 2011, and won overall champion title in each of these years. As of 2011, Indonesia has won champion titles 10 times overall out of 18 SEA Games it has attended since debuted in 1977.
Cuisine
Nasi goreng (fried rice), one of the most popular Indonesian dishes.
The
cuisine of Indonesia has been influenced by
Chinese culture and
Indian culture, as well as by
Western culture. However in return, Indonesian cuisine has also contributed to the cuisines of neighboring countries, notably
Malaysia and Singapore, where Padang or Minangkabau cuisine from West Sumatra is very popular. Also
Satay (
Sate in
Indonesian), which originated from Java, Madura, and Sumatra, has gained popularity as a street vendor food from Singapore to Thailand. In the fifteenth century, both the
Portuguese and
Arab traders arrived in Indonesia with the intention of trading for pepper and other
spices. During the
colonial era, immigrants from many different countries have arrived in Indonesia and brought different cultures as well as cuisines.
Most native Indonesians eat
rice as the main dish, with a wide range of vegetables and meat as
side dishes. However, in some parts of the country, such as
Irian Jaya and
Ambon, the majority of the people eat
sago (a type of
tapioca) and
sweet potato.
The most important aspect of modern Indonesia cuisine is that food must be
halal, conforming to Islamic food laws.
Haraam, the opposite of halal, includes
pork and
alcoholic drinks. However, in some regions where there is significant non-Muslim population, non-halal food are also commonly served.
Indonesian dishes are usually spicy, using a wide range of
chili peppers and spices. The most popular dishes include
nasi goreng (fried rice),
Satay, Nasi Padang (a dish of
Minangkabau) and soy-based dishes, such as
tofu and
tempe. A unique characteristic of some Indonesian food is the application of spicy
peanut sauce in their dishes, as a dressing for
Gado-gado or Karedok (Indonesian style salad), or for seasoning
grilled chicken satay. Another unique aspect of Indonesian cuisine is using
terasi or
belacan, a pungent
shrimp paste in dishes of
sambal oelek (hot pungent chili sauce). The sprinkling of fried
shallots also gives a unique crisp texture to some Indonesian dishes.
Chinese and Indian cultures have influenced the serving of food and the types of spices used. It is very common to find
Chinese food in Indonesia such as
Dim Sum as well as
noodles, and
Indian cuisine such as
Tandoori chicken. In addition, Western culture has significantly contributed to the extensive range of dishes. However, the dishes have been transformed to suit Indonesian people's tastes. For example, steaks are usually served with rice. Popular fast foods such as
Kentucky Fried Chicken are served with rice instead of bread, and
sambal (spicy sauce) instead of ketchup. Some Indonesian foods have been adopted by the Dutch, like
Indonesian rice table or 'rijsttafel'.
Popular media
Cinema
The largest chain of cinemas in Indonesia is 21Cineplex, which has cinemas spread throughout twenty-four cities on the major islands of Indonesia. Many smaller independent cinemas also exist.
In the 1980s, the
film industry in Indonesia was at its peak, and dominated the cinemas in Indonesia with movies that have retained a high reputation, such as
Catatan Si Boy and
Blok M and actors like Onky Alexander, Meriam Bellina, Nike Ardilla and Paramitha Rusady.
[13] However, the film industry failed to continue its successes in the 1990s, when the number of movies produced decreased significantly, from 115 movies in 1990 to just 37 in 1993.
[14] As a result, most movies produced in the '90s contained adult themes. In addition, movies from
Hollywood and
Hong Kong started to dominate Indonesian cinema. The industry started to recover in the late 1990s, with the rise of independent directors and many new movies produced, such as Garin Nugroho's
Cinta dalam Sepotong Roti, Riri Riza and Mira Lesmana's
Petualangan Sherina and
Arisan! by Nia Dinata.
[13] Another form of recovery is the re-establishment of the
Indonesian Film Festival (FFI), inactive for twelve years, and the creation of the Jakarta International Film Festival.
Daun di Atas Bantal (1998) received The Best Movie award in the 1998
Asia Pacific Film Festival in
Taipei.
[15]
Radio
The state radio network
Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) was founded in 1945. It consists of a network of regional stations located in all thirty-three provinces of the archipelago. In most cities and large towns there are also many commercial stations. Since 2006, several
digital radio stations have been based in
Jakarta and
Surabaya, using
Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and Hybrid
HD-Radio.
[16][17][18]
Religion and philosophy
Islam is
Indonesia's main religion, with almost 88% of Indonesians declared Muslim according to the 2000
census,
[19] making Indonesia the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. The remaining population is 9%
Christian (of which roughly two-thirds are
Protestant with the remainder mainly
Catholic, and a large minority
Charismatic), 2%
Hindu and 1%
Buddhist.
The
Pancasila, the statement of two principles which encapsulate the ideology of the Indonesian state, affirms that "The state shall be based on the belief in the one and only God".
