ABSTRACT
There has been much discussion of Indonesia’s changing policies toward ethnic Chinese and the phenomenon of anti-Chinese sentiment. However, cases where Chinese Indonesians and native Indonesians live peacefully side by side are worth investigating. This paper explores the notable tolerance and maintenance of a relatively peaceful coexistence between the Sundanese and Chinese in areas with peaceful relations of long standing between their communities. In particular, we investigate the area called Kampung Toleransi (Kampong of Tolerance), an officially designated name of the City Government of Bandung in 2018. The results show that Kampung Toleransi is a symbol of a religious and ethnic harmony. We argue that it is self-evident that the two ethnicities are living harmoniously due to general tolerance of religious and ethnic differences. By maintaining peaceful coexistence, the two communities obtain mutual benefit.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge that this research project was generously funded by Universitas Padjadjaran through a competitive research grant.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
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8. Fossati, “Embedded diasporas: ethnic prejudice, transnational networks and foreign investment,’; Tan, ‘From sojourners to citizens: managing the ethnic Chinese minority in Indonesia and Malaysia,”.
9. See Tong, “Identity and Ethnic Relations in Southeast Asia: Racializing Chineseness.’; Urban. ‘The Eternal Newcomer: Chinese Indonesian Identity from Indonesia to the United States.”
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15. Dewi, “Chinese Indonesian Women in Local Politics: The Political Rise of Tjhai Chui Mie in Singkawang. ”
16. See Poerwanto, “The Problem of Chinese Assimilation and Integration in Indonesia. ”
17. Hoon, “Assimilation, multiculturalism, hybridity: The dilemmas of the ethnic Chinese in post-Suharto Indonesia,’; Suryadinata, ‘Chinese Politics in Post-Suharto’s Indonesia: Beyond the Ethnic Approach? ”
18. Hoon, “Assimilation, multiculturalism, hybridity: The dilemmas of the ethnic Chinese in post-Suharto Indonesia. ”
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21. See above 18.
22. Friedman, “Global Crises, the Struggle for Cultural Identity and Intellectual Porkbarreling: Cosmopolitans Versus Locals, Ethnics and Nationals in an Era of De-Hegemonisation. ”
23. See above 18.
24. Suryadinata. “Kebijakan Negara Indonesia terhadap Etnik Tionghoa: Dari Asimilasi ke Multikulturalisme?”
25. Hoon and Kuntjara, “The Politics of Mandarin Fever in Contemporary Indonesia.’
26. Sutami, “Kekhasan Pengajaran Bahasa Mandarin di Indonesia.’
27. See above 25.
28. Central Bureau of Statistics. “Mengulik Data Suku di Indonesia.”
29. Susanti and Koswara, “’Menyatukan Perbedaan melalui Seni Budaya Sunda.’ Mediator. ”
30. Lan, “Heterogenitas Orang Keturunan Cina (Tionghoa) di Indonesia Dalam Perspektif Sosial-Budaya. ”
31. Mackie and Coppel, “A Preliminary Survey.’; Tan, ‘The Ethnic Chinese in Indonesia: Issues of Identity. ”
32. Ibid.
33. See William, in Ridwan, “The Art of the Arranger in Pop Sunda, Sundanese Popular Music of West Java, Indonesia. ”
34. See Kunto, “Wajah Bandoeng Tempoe Doeloe. ”
35. Susanti and Koswara, “Menyatukan Perbedaan Melalui Seni Budaya Sunda. ”
36. Kustedja, “Jejak Komunitas Tionghoa dan Perkembangan Kota Bandung. ”
37. Skober, “Orang Cina di Bandung 1930–1960: Siasat Etnis Cina Bandung dalam Menghadapi Kebijakan Penguasa’; Kunto, ‘Semerbak Bunda di Bandung Raya. ”
38. See above 35.
39. Kunto, “Wajah Bandoeng Tempoe Doeloe.”
40. Pratiwi et al., “Akomodasi Komunikasi Etnis Tionghoa dan Sunda di Surya Kencana Bogor.”
41. Ispranoto, “Semangat menjaga kerukunan di Kampung Toleransi Bandung. ”
42. Wiyono, “Menengok ’Kampung Toleransi’ Islam dan Budha di Gang Sempit Bandung. ”
43. Lukihardianti, “Ridwan Kamil Resmikan Kampung Toleran.”
44. Muslims with low economic status usually hold weddings and death ceremonies at home.
45. Eid al-Fitr, called Idul Fitri or Lebaran in Bahasa Indonesia, is the annual Muslim holy festival marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.
46. Eid al Adha or Idul Adha in Bahasa Indonesia is the Muslim holy festival celebrated on 10–13 Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of Islamic calendar, marking the slaughter of sacrificial animals, e.g. cows or goats, for those who can afford it, as a form of obedience to Allah and as a social responsibility to society
47. Dewi, “Chinese Indonesian Women in Local Politics: The Political Rise of Tjhai Chui Mie in Singkawang.’; Tanggok, ‘The Thatung in Ca Ngo Meh (Lantern Festival) Ritual in Hakka Society in Singkawang, West Kalimantan-Indonesia.”
48. Cap Go Meh is a Chinese festival marking the final day of the Chinese New Year, which is called as Imlek in Bahasa Indonesia. It is celebrated 15 days after Imlek with a joyful fanfare, including Barongsai (lion dance) performance and food festivals
49. Ong et al., “Performing ’Chinese-Ness’ in Singkawang: Diasporic Moorings, Festivals and Tourism.”
50. See above 41.
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Notes on contributors
Susi Yuliawati
Susi Yuliawati is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. She obtained her doctoral degree from Universitas Indonesia, and her research interests are corpus linguistics, language and culture, and language and gender.
Reiza D. Dienaputra
Reiza D. Dienaputra is a professor in the Department of History, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. He obtained his doctoral degree from Institut Teknologi Bandung, and his research interests are visual history and multiculturalism.
Agusmanon Yunaidi
Agusmanon Yunaidi is an associate professor in the Department of History, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran. He obtained his doctoral degree from Universitas Padjadjaran, and his research interests are colonial history and multiculturalism.