Although Indonesian society has dramatically changed over the past few decades, it still remains a traditional one with a wide variety of rituals and social and culturally-determined customs. Even today, in more modern Indonesia, youngsters struggle with issues related to, for example, love and sex.
In a traditional, family-oriented society like Indonesia, boys and, in particular, girls, are supposed to refrain from sex (read; intercourse) until they are married. The vast majority of Indonesia's youngsters not only accepts, but also completely agrees with, this situation and voluntarily obeys by this rule. The ultimate goal of a love affair is getting married.
This is not specific Indonesian, however, but applies to most countries in Asia. But in Indonesia, predominantly in Sundanese (West Java) and Javanese (Central and East Java) culture, lovers have to deal with one extra condition; Indonesian young women and young men have to respect their elder sibling(s) when it comes to marriage. This means that a young woman or man can only marry when her/his elder sibling is already married. In order not to "embarass" her/his older sibling, the younger one has to wait until the older one is "safely" married.
What is the implication of this condition ? It can have a dramatic impact on the lives of young men and women in Indonesia and may even result in broken-off love relationships out of respect for older sisters. This especially applies for highschool or college love affairs whereby lovers may have to wait for several years, sometimes even a decade, before being "allowed" to get married.
Lovers may have to end their relationship because an older sibling is blocking the way to their marriage. Keeping the other "on a string" would not be fair. Instead, breaking off the relationship will set the other free and create new, better chances, for a love relationship that doés have the potential of resulting in marriage. Occasionally, however, the younger brother or sister does get the green light after having asked the older sibling special permission to marry first.
This article appeared earlier in e-magazine Business Trends Asia
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Coming up in April and May...
3 April: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Workshop on “Added Value of Dutch Graduates in Asia”,
at Career Day
18 April: Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam
Training on Social Culture in Singapore
25 April: Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam
Consultant Southeast Asia at Consult Day Asia-Latin America
2 May: Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam
Training on Social Culture in Singapore
16 May: Mead Johnson, Nijmegen
Workshop on Social Culture in Thailand and the Philippines,
in association with the Royal Tropical Institute
21 May: Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion /
Dutch Development Bank, The Hague
Guest speaker at seminar “Sowing the Seeds of Success in Southeast Asia”
_____________________________________________________________________________
For more information, Business Trends Asia
Friday, January 18, 2013
Culture clashes in HK, Singapore
In economic powerhouse China, an extremely wealthy upper-class has emerged in recent years. International luxury brands have rushed to the country to cater to the wealthy mainland Chinese. This same group of rich Chinese has started to venture out of the country, whether for leisure trips, for medical care, or to acquire property overseas.
Apart from long-haul destinations in Europe and the Americas, places in the Asian region have become popular spots for mainland Chinese to visit. As far as international visitor numbers to the Indonesian island of Bali are concerned, for example, the Chinese are closing in on the traditional source markets of Australia and Japan. And cities and resort areas in Thailand and Vietnam are also welcoming increasing numbers of Chinese tourists. At the same time, Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok have become popular shopping destinations for Chinese.
In particular Hong Kong has seen an spectacular infux of mainland Chinese, whether for shopping or for medical care. Over 28 million mainland Chinese visited Hong Kong in 2011, an increase of 60% since 2008. Mainland Chinese buyers accounted for around 20% of purchases of apartments in Hong Kong, last year. Along with contributing economically to Hong Kong, they also bring their own cultural identity, which sometimes clashes with that of Hong Kong citizens.
A recent trend whereby pregnant mainland Chinese women travel to Hong Kong to deliver their child and thus receiving better medical care as well as Hong Kong residency status, has enraged Hong Kong’s 7 million citizens. Estimates indicate that 4 out of 10 births in Hong Kong in 2011 were from mainland Chinese and the Hong Kong authorities have now lowered (and pledged to actually enforce !) quotas on births from mainland Chinese.
In recent months, there have been several incidents in Hong Kong whereby the culture of the so-called “sophisticated” Hong Kong Chinese clashed with the culture of the “nouveau-riche farmers” from the mainland: quarrels, even fights, in the subway, cynical writings on Facebook and blogs mocking the rude behaviour of mainland Chinese.
A similar culture clash is currently taking place is in Singapore. Although the majority of the population in Singapore is ethnic-Chinese and the island-nation’s political and economic power is controlled by ethnic-Chinese, Singaporeans consider themselves a world apart from mainland Chinese. The recent influx of mainland Chinese tourists, businessmen and students has resulted in anger and nationalism among Singaporeans.
Singapore’s thriving real estate sector is dominated not only by wealthy (primarily ethnic-Chinese) Indonesians, but also by mainland Chinese, who are buying exclusive US$500,000- 1,000,000+ condominiums.
In May 2012, a mainland Chinese businessmen crashed his brand-new Ferrari into a taxi, thereby killing himself and 2 others. This accident outraged Singaporeans and further fueled the anti-mainland Chinese sentiment in Singapore. Harsh anti-Chinese comments were posted on social media. Other voices in Singapore are expressing their concern over the increasingly heated anti-mainland Chinese debate in the country.
Although Singapore is an immigrant society with third-, or fourth generation immigrants from China and India, the cultural divide between the Singaporean Chinese and the newcomers from mainland China is deep.
This article appeared earlier in e-magazine Business Trends Asia
Apart from long-haul destinations in Europe and the Americas, places in the Asian region have become popular spots for mainland Chinese to visit. As far as international visitor numbers to the Indonesian island of Bali are concerned, for example, the Chinese are closing in on the traditional source markets of Australia and Japan. And cities and resort areas in Thailand and Vietnam are also welcoming increasing numbers of Chinese tourists. At the same time, Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok have become popular shopping destinations for Chinese.
In particular Hong Kong has seen an spectacular infux of mainland Chinese, whether for shopping or for medical care. Over 28 million mainland Chinese visited Hong Kong in 2011, an increase of 60% since 2008. Mainland Chinese buyers accounted for around 20% of purchases of apartments in Hong Kong, last year. Along with contributing economically to Hong Kong, they also bring their own cultural identity, which sometimes clashes with that of Hong Kong citizens.
A recent trend whereby pregnant mainland Chinese women travel to Hong Kong to deliver their child and thus receiving better medical care as well as Hong Kong residency status, has enraged Hong Kong’s 7 million citizens. Estimates indicate that 4 out of 10 births in Hong Kong in 2011 were from mainland Chinese and the Hong Kong authorities have now lowered (and pledged to actually enforce !) quotas on births from mainland Chinese.
In recent months, there have been several incidents in Hong Kong whereby the culture of the so-called “sophisticated” Hong Kong Chinese clashed with the culture of the “nouveau-riche farmers” from the mainland: quarrels, even fights, in the subway, cynical writings on Facebook and blogs mocking the rude behaviour of mainland Chinese.
A similar culture clash is currently taking place is in Singapore. Although the majority of the population in Singapore is ethnic-Chinese and the island-nation’s political and economic power is controlled by ethnic-Chinese, Singaporeans consider themselves a world apart from mainland Chinese. The recent influx of mainland Chinese tourists, businessmen and students has resulted in anger and nationalism among Singaporeans.
Singapore’s thriving real estate sector is dominated not only by wealthy (primarily ethnic-Chinese) Indonesians, but also by mainland Chinese, who are buying exclusive US$500,000- 1,000,000+ condominiums.
In May 2012, a mainland Chinese businessmen crashed his brand-new Ferrari into a taxi, thereby killing himself and 2 others. This accident outraged Singaporeans and further fueled the anti-mainland Chinese sentiment in Singapore. Harsh anti-Chinese comments were posted on social media. Other voices in Singapore are expressing their concern over the increasingly heated anti-mainland Chinese debate in the country.
Although Singapore is an immigrant society with third-, or fourth generation immigrants from China and India, the cultural divide between the Singaporean Chinese and the newcomers from mainland China is deep.
This article appeared earlier in e-magazine Business Trends Asia
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