Socio Cultural

15 Cultural Difussion in Indonesia

As a result of the colonization experienced by the Indonesian people, so many cultural diffusion in Indonesia is growing and influential in some cultural examples.

This is indeed much influenced in the field of culture and art, therefore from this, we describe what affects the existence of diffusion from colonialism from time immemorial to the present.

1. Diffusion in the field of sound art

Soimah has a hobby for singing Javanese mixed songs, while her friend Ivan loves rap songs from America. They are good friends and agree to create a new mixture of campursari and rap songs sung together. So that created a new type of song from the assimilation of the two cultures.

2. Diffusion in the art of writing

An example is a type of calligraphy written by Arab traders entering Indonesia, eventually imitated by Indonesian artists and producing a new and distinctive Arab-Indonesian calligraphy.

3. Diffusion in clothing

For example when an Arab religious leader who married a daughter who comes from Javanese descent who usually wear traditional clothes such as kebaya without wearing a headscarf. Because of the marriage then the princess also decided to use Javanese traditional clothing kebaya with the addition of using hijab to cover the physical body.

4. Diffusion in the field of building art

For example, in the making of several mosques located in Tionghoa which previously was a place for worshipers of the Confucians, who have a building shaped like a typical Chinese building but has a dome on top of the building, so there is a beautiful and interesting blend.

5. Diffusion in the language

A language is a tool of communication and symbol of interaction in society. The following is an example of diffusion in the language field eg between English and Indonesian. Many English vocabulary is absorbed into the Indonesian language because English itself is the language used as the international language.

6. Diffusion in the education system

The real example is the method of learning in Indonesia that uses the system memorize something and hone the ability of the left brain with a lot of learning methods running in some western countries that use problem-solving system or problem-solving, thus making a more effective learning curriculum as the role of educational institutions to educate the entire nation of Indonesia in the future.

7. Diffusion in the literary arts

As a concrete evidence, for example, some ancient inscriptions found in various regions in Indonesia, such as Central Kalimantan, West Java and Central Java and other regions in Indonesia mostly show the influence of Hindu-Buddhist culture.

Most of the inscriptions are written in Pallava and in Sanskrit. Condition ii indicates that the existence of cultural assimilation at that time and still preserved until today, as the cultural heritage of Indonesia.

8. Diffusion in the calendar system

An example is the existence of Indian dating methods that have been widely adopted by the people of Indonesia, it describes a cultural assimilation that occurred in Indonesia. The use of the dating method is the use of the Saka year in Indonesia. In addition to this, there is also Candra Sangkala or commonly called the konogram. Candra Sangkala is a number of letters in the form of sentences or drawings that are still used today.

9. Diffusion in the government system

The existence of an influence of Hindu-Buddhist culture in Indonesia feels very strong and high to affect a system of government in Indonesia. This can be evidenced by the change of government system which initially used a customary head which later turned into a royal system. And currently still apply in certain areas such as Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Solo, and others.

10. Diffusion in the trust and

In general, in a belief, the influence of Hindu-Buddhism in ancient Indonesia was very strong, for example in antiquity in Indonesia before Islam came to Indonesia, Indonesian people mostly embraced Hindu-Buddhist, Animism-Dynamism belief. With such trust, they usually perform various rites of offerings dedicated to the Creator to avoid a misfortune.

After the Islamic religion came to Indonesia then the ritual offering was merged and replaced with Islamic shari’a in the form of alms. Until today there are still many who perform this ritual in the land of Java which changed its name to the salvation or thanksgiving which has the purpose to dhikr to Allah and giving charity to fellow human beings.

11. Diffusion of the foodstuff

Cultural diffusion in Indonesia as examples of food are many influences related to the changes in foods such as martabak, klapertart, vegetable soup, noodles and so forth. This is based on the culture brought by the colonialists and traders from the East Tengan and China entered and became one of the food served in Indonesia.

12. Diffusion in drinks

One example of diffusion results in Indonesia is coffee drinks. This drink was once brought by the influence of Dutch culture, and in the end, serve as one of the daily drinks of the Indonesian nation. And now Indonesia is the biggest coffee supplier country in the world.

13. Diffusion in the art of music

Examples of diffusion in the art of music are the art of keroncong songs whose fusion is taken from Portugal cultural art. Where to date keroncong art is still very fun and unique to be enjoyed, and still maintained its sustainability.

14. Diffusion in musical instrument

One example of cultural diffusion in Indonesia is musical instruments such as musical instrument of Arabic, Tanjidor from Portugal, tehyan from China and so forth. This instrument is still used today, especially on regional events and religious activities.

15. Diffusion  in the art of building

Examples of buildings in the temple building as a form of mixing between the original art of the Indonesian nation with Hindu-Buddhist art. A temple is a form of embodiment of Indonesian nation’s cultural acculturation with India. The temple is the result of the megalithic era building of punden berundak-berak building which got Hindu Buddhist influence.

For example, Borobudur temple and Prambanan temple, in the temple is also accompanied by various kinds of buried objects called grave so the temple also serves as a tomb not merely as a house of the gods. While the Buddhist temple, only so god worship place there is no pith chest and ashes planted around the temple in the building stupa.

16. Diffusion  in tradition

The cultural diffusion in Indonesia namely the tradition of sharing fortune during the feast that occurred due to the process of acculturation of Chinese culture with Islam. Giving with sincerity is a sublime part of performing a human obligation. And more beautiful if all the virtues did in the feast. Running a tradition is certainly part of virtue.

The tradition inherited from the true ancestors is still carried out because it contains good moral values. One of Lebaran tradition that is not less popular is sharing the sustenance.

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Thus, the explanation of cultural diffusion in Indonesia may be known for you and might be useful.

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