Why more Chinese Indonesians are learning Mandarin, and nurturing their children’s sense of belonging to Chinese culture
Their culture was repressed for decades under Suharto’s anti-Chinese policy, but nowadays Chinese Indonesians are learning Mandarin and educating their children in the language. While most identify as Indonesian, China’s rise makes them proud
Are more Chinese Indonesians studying Mandarin and sending their children to Chinese schools to resolve an identity crisis, or because they feel they “look the part”? Research by Chinese national Anna Luli at an Indonesian university tends to suggest both.
Between 1967 and 1998, Indonesia’s assimilation policy under the New Order regime of dictator Suharto repressed Chinese culture, largely because of its assumed associations with communism – an ideology that is still banned in the country.
Consequently, Chinese Indonesians were forced to adopt Indonesian-sounding names, Chinese schools and publications were shut down and expressions of Chinese culture and language became illegal.
The situation began to change under the presidency of Abdurrahman Wahid (1999 to 2001), who brought the curtain down on the anti-Chinese policy. There is now a more Chinese- inclusive national discourse, and Chinese Indonesians are encouraged to re-embrace their heritage while affirming their sense of belonging to Indonesia.
Some Chinese Indonesians have since made an effort to learn the Chinese language or provide Chinese-language education for their children.
However, it is not easy for Chinese Indonesians to return to their roots, because the parents of most of the generation in school today were born after 1965 and grew up under Suharto’s repressive regime.