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Social order and its challenges
An essay about Indonesian culture
Preserving social stability
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Recommended: Social order and its challenges
Indonesians are generally spiritual and value self-control to maintain harmony within and between the tangible (human, flora and fauna) and intangible (God, gods, and spirit) worlds. People must know their place in society which is often determined by age, role in society, experience, and knowledge. Parents and older generation are to be respected, and consulting them in important matters is highly valued. The group is more important than the individual, thus maintaining group harmony is important, even at the individual’s expense.
A demonstration of civility and respect, greeting is important in Indonesia. When greeting or leave-taking, Indonesians slightly bow, put both hands in front of their chest, nod their heads, or shake hands. Hugs are only exchanged between close friends and kissing is not common. When meeting for the first time, many shake hands, but not always the case between opposite genders. Indonesians usually introduce themselves by their complete name, which might not contain a last name. People address each other using the first name, but add an honorific, such as...
“The Sambia: Ritual, Sexuality, and Change in Papua New Guinea” is a book written by Gilbert Herdt. It is based on a case study Herdt did during the 1970’s of the culture of the Sambia people. His study took place in Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. He didn’t know much about their language, however through out his time there he was able to learn their language and customs. As he settled into their village, he mostly slept in the clubhouse with the other Nilangu villagers; however, eventually they built a house for him to stay at. Herdt had a great interest in gaining new knowledge about the Sambia culture.
Indonesia thrives on gang activity and foolish men that don’t know the true definition of gangster. Also, the Indonesian gangsters or preman seem to be in constant denial of what happened decades ago. This denial is mostly because of the fact that no one really questioned them of their wrongdoings until now. When they sit and actually think about what happened and the endless families that they separated because of alleged communism, most realize what they did was wrong. Some on the other hand will not realize this because they were raised in that way of thinking and their minds are not as malleable anymore.
A bag of nutmeg back in the colonization era could buy you a house in downtown London. Nutmeg was a very well known and expensive kind of spice back then in Indonesia, voyagers from other countries would sail across the world to get a bag of it (Legacy of the Dutch). The price of nutmeg was approximately 119 rupees, or in Indonesian, rupiah, it would be 24,000 rupiah (the Dutch east India company and economy of Bengal). Nutmeg was a spice that was very valuable to the Dutch back then and also to Indonesia. Spices were very valuable in the colonization era back then, one of the most valuable spices were nutmeg, nutmeg is a spice that was used as sickness remedies for certain kinds of sicknesses such as colds and fevers. Nutmeg was believed to be used for curing headaches, fever, and even bad breath, nutmeg could be used for cooking and was believed to be able to cure plagues, during those times, nutmeg was considered very expensive, one bag of nutmeg was enough to provide someone with enough
Formal greeting calls for a prolonged handshake with the left hand to support the right arm and direct eye contact to show respect
Another unique custom in Indonesia is the Walking Dead. When a person dies, it is important that they return to the village they were born in. Villages were far apart, and it would be difficult to carry the body over the rough terrain. People would help the dead to walk back to the birthplace. Roads and more availability of vehicles has made it easier to transport the corpse.
. Armenians are patriarchal in nature, and typically have the man of the household serve as the breadwinner. Mothers are usually seen as caring and nurturing, while fathers are typically viewed more as authoritative and disciplinarian (Bakalian, 1993). While men are seen as the breadwinners and are usually the sole decision makers, women are traditionally expected to be wives and mothers, and are responsible for maintaining and transmitting family traditions (Minnassian, 2010). Armenians are generally considered a collectivistic culture, with strong family values at their cornerstone. Due to a longstanding history of oppression, as a collective, Armenians tend to be weary of others and are usually suspicious when seeking services. As an extension
The Minangkabau culture is very distinct, in that they are commonly known for having the “largest and most stable matrilineal society in the world”. (Golden, 151). The Minangkabau have more than four million people who reside in West Sumatra (Stark, 1) area and have a well-established trading system with other parts of Indonesia. They are a great contributor to the trading system and have been able to influence others with their culture. Even with having a matrilineal system, it is the males who take the chief role in the society. The male’s role is another reason why the commercial industry is so successful. In the end it is adat that governs the Minangkabau culture.
Balinese religion can more simply be described as “a mixture of animism, Hindu beliefs, Buddhism, and ancestor worship” (Cross 37). A key concept in the Balinese belief system is the principle of balance. This applies to the society, environment, family, and individuals. The most important kind of balance in Balinese religion is the balance that must be maintained between opposite forces, known as Rwa Bhineda (Cross 38). Good versus Evil, Male versus Female, and Light versus Darkness are just a few examples of the opposites emphasized in their belief system, but the most vital of the opposites is Cooperation versus Chaos. With this pair of opposites, it is absolutely crucial within Balin...
Although we are now entering globalisation era, there are many hindrances especially multiculturalism and communication between countries. This paper analyses on the differences and similarities between Indonesia and US from different aspects like language, paralinguistic, non-verbal communication, cultural dimensions and communication styles; that emerge from contextual factors like politic, economic, social and culture; as well as the system that they use and their effectiveness. Recommendation will be made based on the analysis to define a strategy towards an effective cross-cultural communication process.
The Asian culture is a collectivist culture, meaning “it stands for a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive in-groups, which throughout people’s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty (Rudenstam, 2012, p.260)”. Rudenstam defines individualism as: giving priority to one’s own goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes, and collectivism: giving priority to the goals of one’s groups and defining one’s identity in terms of group attributes (Rudenstam, p.1).
Effective communication with people of difference cultures can be especially challenging. The way people interpret the world can be strikingly different between cultures. Intercultural communication occurs when a member from one culture produces a message that is absorbed by a member of another culture. How that message is understood by the communicating party is a vital part in intercultural communication. For example, in Cambodia it would be considered rude to discuss business in a social setting (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.). However, in the United States this is a common practice and is almost an encouraged event. Another important factor and consideration in intercultural communication is the importance of understanding cultures, values, history and beliefs. For instance, in Cambodia, if you deliver a present that is wrapped in white paper, this is considered to represent mourning. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to assimilate into a culture and be mindful of communication between cultures (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.).
If I were to choose one place in the whole world which would be the best setting to learn the lessons of life, it would be at home with my family. I am from the islands of Samoa located in the Pacific. I grew up in a family of five people in a society of strong culture and religious atmosphere. I love being with my family because they play a vital role in my life. Most of my time was spent on helping out with the family chores, going to school and fulfilling my church callings. In this essay I will discuss how my culture, my family and my church has changed and molded my character for the better.
Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia. Consists of more than 18,000 islands, Indonesia provides a beautiful views, cultures, and tourist resort. The capital of Indonesia and the largest city is Jakarta, located in Java Island. The Indonesian’s currency is rupiah. Indonesia is a republic country, and the government system is democracy Absolutely, Indonesia also have a lot of tribes with different languages and religion. Indonesia got the freedom from the Netherlands in 1942, and Japan in 1945.
The use of language in a society is crucial to form a strong bond between people. Being a bilingual Bruneian family that uses “bahasa rojak” is seen as the most conventional way to sustain our communication in Brunei’s society. Also, we show respect and achieve solidarity as my family and I adjust our languages as we travel. These are the ways that my family communicates amongst others, to obey to general consensus in language and us.
When a typical Filipino thinks about the influences of the Spaniards, Religion and Christianity would immediately come to mine. Since without a doubt, the spreading of Christianity was their main priority of coming in the Philippines. However, often shadowed are the contributions of the Spaniards in other aspects in Philippine culture. Specifically, the idea that the Spaniards; particularly, the friars brought the natives the whole new world of “culture”. Hence their name culture heroes of the Filipinos.