Indonesian Social Life

In this chapter:

• Family life is very important in Indonesia and it is common for extended families to live together
• The pace of life is slower in Indonesia and the term jam karet (time that stretches like rubber) is popular
• Natural disasters have a big impact on Indonesia, and each year many people lose their homes and are killed or hurt by events like earthquakes and landslides
• Lifestyles are changing in Indonesia and some changes are happening very quickly.
• Many Indonesians are studying for longer and the quality of education is also improving
• Issues like overpopulation, unemployment, politics and the environment are becoming more important in Indonesia

Family life

Family is very important in Indonesia and it is very common for extended families that include grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to all live together in one place. Although this is true both in the cities and in the rural areas of Indonesia, it is becoming less common in city life.

Generally speaking, most Indonesian families are close and work hard to help each other. People have a responsibility to their families and especially to their elders. Indonesians are expected to respect the experience of their elders and follow their advice. They are also expected to look after their parents in old age.

Children learn from an early age how to help around the home. In rural areas they may work on farms when they are not at school. In the cities they may try to find a job, such as selling clothes at the market.

Social life

The pace of life in Indonesia is slower. People use the term jam karet which can be understood as 'time that stretches like rubber'. This concept reflects the way that Indonesians prefer to take things as they come, rather than plan every moment of their day. This means that things like parties or business appointments are not planned and kept in the same way that they are in Australia.

Particularly in their social life, Indonesians prefer not to make detailed plans and be expected to arrive places at particular times. This is one of the reasons that Indonesian meals tend to be simple combinations of rice and sauces that can easily cope with the sudden arrival of a few more people.

Sometimes in rural areas if there has been a very good harvest, the members of a kampung may decide to hire a travelling wayang show and celebrate. They may also pay the local gamelan orchestra to play at important events.

In the cities, Indonesians prefer to meet at street stalls for coffee and conversation. People can spend hours just talking with friends and catching up on events.

Natural disasters

Indonesia is regularly affected by natural disasters. There are many active volcanoes on the islands and earthquakes are also common occurrences. Every year many people die or lose their homes as a result of natural disasters in Indonesia.

One of the biggest natural disasters in recent history took place on 26 December 2004 when there was a major tsunami that hit several countries in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, the province of Aceh was the worst affected

Changing lives

Lifestyles in Indonesia are changing for a number of reasons. Indonesians are working hard to keep up with all the changes in their society.

One of the main reasons for change is the continuing improvements in education in Indonesia. All children in the country are required to attend primary school but more families are finding the money to keep their children at school longer. With better education comes the opportunity for better jobs.

There are now also more Indonesians attending universities both at home and in other countries (see image 3). This level of education exposes people to new ways of thinking about things and often challenges traditional morals and values. This is not always considered a good thing.

Population control is also a serious issue for Indonesia. With so many people living on just a few islands, Indonesians are encouraged to consider having fewer children in order to prevent the country from becoming overpopulated.

While better education does mean better jobs, it also means that more people are moving to the cities to look for jobs. As new manufacturing businesses open up, there are more jobs on offer. Cities in Indonesia can be very crowded and many people live in cramped conditions as they struggle to make a living. Unemployment can be a problem as a lot of people compete for a few jobs.

At the same time, in some of the more remote parts of Indonesia, traditional lifestyles are being threatened by new corporate ventures like mining and logging. These industries have a big impact on the local environment and can force people out of traditional homes and leave them struggling to survive.

Newer industries like tourism are starting to grow in Indonesia. While this is bringing a lot of money into the country, some tourists have a big impact on the environment. In some areas people are being moved out of their villages to make way for new tourist resorts.

Many tourists, however, are now visiting in order to see the wide variety of plants and animals that Indonesia has to offer. This is helping with projects designed to protect species that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Indonesians today are more involved in the political life of their country. Now that democratic elections are held regularly and people have more say in the running of the country, they are expecting more from their government (see image 4).

This has also been reflected in the Indonesian media. Old censorship laws have been changed and now allow Indonesian newspapers and other media greater freedom to inform the people. New technologies like the internet are also becoming more widely available and Indonesians now have access to areas of information that are new to them.

Life in Indonesia is changing rapidly and Indonesians are now trying to keep up with the modern world without losing the traditions that make them and their country unique.