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Serving
Students at
Santa Ana
College and
Santiago
Canyon College
INDONESIA
Culture
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Cultural
Orientation
Indonesia
encompasses at least 583 separate languages and dialects, many of them
as different from each other as Welsh is from English. Since independence
many people have developed a strong sense of national pride, and maintain
traditions of dance, painting, woodcarving and stonecarving.
Indonesians
are open change; however, they prefer to work and make decisions collaboratively.
It is important to Indonesians that all individuals in the group are in
agreement; the will of the majority is not forced on those in the minority.
Most will defer to the facts presented filtered by how they feel about
the issue and teachings in their religion. The desire for harmony
overrides most other considerations. Those educated abroad
may be more apt to rely on facts for truth and be more independent in their
decision making.
Family
Most Indonesians
are Muslim in some measure but have blended Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity
into their spiritualism . There is a strong belief in the supernatural
for protection and security. The nuclear and extended family are
basic to security and economic support with marriage being used to reinforce
economic and social alliances. Common law has become one of the major
stabilizing factors maintaining the traditional rural societies.
The military is the main arbiter of power in the government.
In most
organizations there is a strong authoritarian hierarchical system that
demands obedience of subordinates. Although there are strong ethnic
identities, there is also a strong national identity that is taught to
all children in the primary years. The Chinese and Arabs are
sometimes the targets of ethnic antagonism, but the need for harmony is
an overriding factor. Although the husband is considered the head of the
household, the wife is not inferior in status, and both are expected to
cooperate in maintaining their household and family. Equal rights
for women have always been upheld in the community.
Gifts
Gift giving
is a traditional part of Indonesian culture. Small gifts are given
often to celebrate an occasion, a trip, visiting a home, workplace tours,
and for services rendered. A gift is not opened in front of
the giver.
Appropriate
Gifts
Food makes
an appropriate gift for most occasions; meat products must be halal (kosher).
When giving flowers, give an even number as an odd number is considered
to be unlucky. At Chinese New Year, it is customary to give a gift
of money in a red envelope to children and to the nongovernmental service
personnel you deal with on a regular basis; this gift is called a hong
bao. Give only new bills in even numbers and even amounts.
Gifts
to Avoid
Do not
give pork or alcohol, or related products such as pigskin or alchol-based
perfume to Muslims. Hindus do not eat beef or use cattle products
such as leather. Muslim Indonesians consider dogs unclean; do not
give gifts or toys representative of dogs. Avoid any gifts of cutting
tools; to the Chinese, they suggest the termination of a friendship.
The Chinese associate all of the following with funerals; do not give them
as gifts: straw sandals, clocks, storks or cranes, handkerchiefs,
and gifts or wrapping paper where the predominant color is white, black,
or blue.
Personal
gifts from a man to a woman is inappropriate. The Chinese traditionally
decline a gift three times before accepting. Continue to insist;
once they accept the gift, let them know you are pleased that they have
done so.
Date
of Independence
Independence
from the Netherlands was proclaimed August 17, 1945. The Hague recognized
Indonesian sovereignty on December 27, 1949.
Links
to More Information
ExecutivePlanet.com
Business Culture Guides Destination
Indonesia
Social
Profile
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