Tagged: #indonesianhistory

---

Spiritualism Indonesia. (Ok this is me. Well, me in a somewhat perplexed, cynical, and whimsical mood, which is much my permanent state. I've just turned 61 and 3 years into retirement as I start to write my 30th Postcard. This Postcard was intended to discuss my ponderings on various subjects during my October 2023 adventure in Indonesia. Surprisingly for me it turned into a discussion of spiritualism in Indonesia. I've explored Indonesia many times previously. I've written previously of my adventures there, one of these can be read at this link. 

I'm the least spiritual person I know, unless we are speaking spirits from the fine waters of Scotland or Kentucky. Though I was raised traditionally Irish Catholic, well it never really worked for me. Putting aside my observations of rampant hypocrisy and lashings of violence dished out during my foundational school years, my connection to God could be summarized as: "At my birth someone forgot to make the required phone connection between the temporal and spiritual planes".

So let me begin by setting the locational context, some historical background, and finish with a little discussion of the adventures that unfolded)

---

Spiritualism Indonesia.

Spiritualism Indonesia, what would I know? I’m coming to the end of my October 2023 month spent in Indonesia. My intent was to pursue my usual writing subjects: History; and how it impacts the present, politics, architecture, culture, food, and commerce. I certainly experienced all those things that my part of Indonesia had to offer, but something unexpected happened. I experienced, for me anyway, profound human spiritualism in Indonesia. So, I’m skipping my usual subjects for the moment, whilst I share some of that experience. I’ve also written about spiritualism on the island of Bali, Indonesia. That Postcard is available by following this link.

With a population of 278 million, Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country. There is no official state religion, but only six religions are recognized in the Constitution: Islam (87%), Catholicism (3%), Protestantism (7.5%), Buddhist (0.73%), Hinduism (1.7%), and Confucianism (0.03%). This does not mean that Indonesia is intolerant of other religions, far from it.

Indonesia – Pancasila and religion.

‘Pancasila’ is the first principle of Indonesia’s philosophical foundation. The concept requires citizens to state their belief in “The one and almighty God”. So yes spiritualism in Indonesia is government business.

“Pancasila is an explicit recognition of divine providence, it is meant as a principle on how to live together in a religiously diverse society.“

Constitutional Court Indonesia.

All religions are generally tolerated. But there are areas with overwhelming Muslim majorities which are fundamentalist in nature, they enforce Sharia Law.

Welcoming and accepting of all? Well not quite. The Indonesian government has a discriminatory attitude towards its many tribal religions, atheism, and agnosticism. Appropriate time to mention my own lack of recognized religiosity. Most people would describe me an atheist, infidel, or simply a nonbeliever. That’s correct, though I would prefer the term fellow traveller, as I’m certainly not a spiritual anarchist, I have always sensed a spiritual side to life. Traveling internationally requires risk management of many issues: political disturbances, hygiene, financial scams, personal security, and notably in Indonesia, to keep your lack of formal religion to yourself. Previously I discussed my preparations for this Indonesia adventure at this link.

Indonesia is capable of unleashing extreme violence, I’ve written of that before at this link.

Spiritualism Indonesia and the risk to non-believers.

Blasphemy remains a punishable offence in Indonesia, and it applies to citizens and foreigners. If I were to speak openly in Indonesia about my personal religious views, I would indeed be guilty of blasphemy. I’m not stupid, I’m also not in the business of recruiting others to my view, so I never discuss such things. A blasphemy charge in a province that enforces Sharia Law would be very serious. Such a charge against a tourist is unlikely in most of Indonesia, but it does happen. EG: Russian tourists on the Indonesian Island of Bali, have been deported for being naked, drunk, and disorderly in Hindu Temples. Charged under a provision of the Blasphemy Laws. And it’s not just temples. Indonesian religious beliefs are taken very seriously.

Alina Fazleeva, Russian yogi influencer, was deported and barred from entering Indonesia for six months. She offended Balinese Hindus by posting images of herself posing naked on Babakan Temples’ 700-year-old sacred tree.

Where were you on 7th October 2023?

On October 7th I was sitting in a Cafe in Kuta on the Island of Bali, a short stop over before an internal flight to Yogyakarta. (Wikipedia, provides an excellent introduction) Most people are familiar with Jakarta, Indonesia’s crowded, busy capital City, so it’s easy, due to the similar name, to confuse it with the smaller city the subject of my journey. Yogyakarta is much smaller, but its history, and culture make it just as interesting. I’ve previously written of my adventures in Yogyakarta in several Postcards, which can be viewed at this link.

Over a snack of lumpia (fried spring rolls) and a cold Bintang (Local pilsner beer, the name meaning star in Indonesian), I had posted a whimsical note to Facebook:

“Sometimes, perhaps not often, all your stars align, life flows easily and fluidly. Other days the stars won’t either align or shine. All you can do is hang tough, take a pause, take the ‘high ground’ reorientate, get back up, have another go, and remember. Someone always has more serious setbacks than yourself”.

Peter Veal. Facebook Post Oct 23.

Hamas attacks Israel – Hate, murder, and retribution.

Then of course I heard of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. How prophetic my words, now in addition to Ukraine, Israel and Palestine would feel the destructive violence unleashed by ignorance, jealousy, greed, racism, and bigotry. In Bali, The Hindu Island of the Gods, as it is described, well I was feeling none of Indonesia’s spiritualism, just sad and hopeless about humanity or lack of it, certainly my usual whimsical manner had passed.

We considered heading home to Australia, prompted by the angry protests that broke out in Kuta, and images of protests in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta. Australia too was seeing similar protests erupt.

We decided to push on. After all we are neither Palestinian nor Israeli, Yogyakarta is not as extreme as Jakarta, and we hoped we could simply avoid such protests, and I guess we thought our Australian and New Zealand passports would see us through. So off we went.

Next Stop Yogyakarta.

Welcome to Yogyakarta: Birthplace of spiritualism Indonesia.

The City of Yogyakarta on the island of Java, Yogyakarta is regarded as an important centre for classical Javanese fine arts and culture such as ballet, batik textiles, drama, literature, music, poetry, silversmithing, visual arts, and wayang puppetry. Yogyakarta is proud to be the location of the Planet’s oldest and largest Buddhist and Hindu Temples. Renowned as a centre of Indonesia education, Yogyakarta is home to a large student population and dozens of schools and universities.

Yogyakarta’s religious mix.

With a population of 390,000, the religious mix is a little different from Indonesia generally: Islam (82.3%), Catholicism (10.75%), Protestantism (6.5%), Hinduism (0.13%), Buddhism (0.34%), and Confucianism (0.01%). The history of the development of spiritualism Indonesia is told through its religious development.

The relative low levels of Buddhism and Hinduism is revealing when you know that firstly all of Indonesia was essentially Buddhist (4th Century AD), until arrival of Hindu traders (5th Century AD).   Islam arrived in the 13th Century and gradually dominated. Buddhism became less significant; adherents became Muslim or followed the Hindus to the Island of Bali. Hindus having exited Java Island from the mid15th Century AD and established kingdoms on Bali. Today Bali has 4.4 million people of which 87% are Hindus.

The Christian population shows the influence of European colonization and empire building. Portuguese Catholicism arrived in the early 16th Century, and Dutch Protestantism in the late 16th Century. I’m not sure why at Independence from the Dutch, Indonesia decided to record Christians as Catholic and Protestant, though I suspect it was intended to ‘keep an eye’ on who was being loyal to which former European oppressor. I also suspect that nominal Indonesian Christians are as secular as most in the Western world, thus the percentage of Catholics and Protestants officially recorded, says as much about the inability to safely record yourself as atheist/agnostic as any serious commitment to those Western religions.

Borobudur: 8th Century Buddhist Temple.

I’ll admit to cynicism when it comes to temple visits in Indonesia. This stems from experiences 15 year previously on the Indonesian Island of Bali. It’s impossible to visit Bali without meeting a Hindu temple or at least a Hindu altar. They are ancient, old, new, large, small, in spectacular locations, in everyday streetscapes. The temples often share one, not so endearing characteristic, they are highly commercial and monetized. Hard to appreciate another cultures spiritualism when you’re constantly pestered by touts. Commonly tour guides, and assorted spivs sell anything but enlightenment. Welcome to the not so endearing aspect of Indonesia spiritualism.

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles – meddles in Indonesia.

So, with such trepidation, I journeyed to Borobudur. Evidence suggests that Borobudur was constructed in the 8th Century. It was subsequently abandoned following the 14th Century decline of Hindu kingdoms in Java and the Javanese conversion to Islam. Borobudur was lost to time and the jungle until rediscovery in 1814, by an unlikely historical character. Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, was also a dab hand at Indiana Jones style archaeology. Thomas used his power as the British ruler of Java to have the ancient temple cleared of soil and jungle. Predictably, he also started plundering its carvings, stone and specifically the heads of Buddha statues. Borobudur has been called the temple of 1000 Buddha, most of them headless. Sir Thomas Raffles is know for many things, but no one at my school mentioned his monetizing of spiritualism in Indonesia.

Borobudur has since been preserved through several restorations. The largest restoration project was completed in 1983 by the Indonesia government and UNESCO. Followed by the monument’s listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Very little architectural exploration – But human contact in spades.

In an earlier life I practiced architecture for 20 years, I quite like wandering around old buildings. And Borobudur does not disappoint. I was planning on shooting pics of Budha statues, headless and otherwise, and describing the architectural space encountered. Then I ran into the local school kids:

 These children from regional villages were combining Indonesia’s spiritualism and religious history studies with ‘Interview a Foreigner Week’. How precisely the latter was to happen seemed dubious. As their English was about as good as my Bahasa Indonesian, very limited.

Rock stars are memorable – Then there is me.

My first reaction was that they had mistaken me for someone. The word ‘Rock Star’ was tossed around! Perhaps they thought I was Chris Hemsworth or ‘Thor’. Chris had after all recently been in Indonesia promoting a new movie.

The similarity is staggering as both:

• Are, Australian;
• Not known for our spiritualism, Indonesia style or otherwise;
• Weigh 100 Kg (220 Pounds);
• Make a ‘dog’s breakfast’ of the Kings English;
• He’s 40, very handsome, 190 Cm (6 foot, 3inches); I’m
• 61, 175 Cm (5 foot, 9inches), oh
• And we are both still breathing.

Note to self, translation between languages can be deceptive. So why the interest?

Boys will be boys – Even very old examples.

Although Borobudur, is world heritage, I was one of very few foreigners present. I realized most of these children had never spoken at length with a non-Indonesian. And I spoke Bahasa with a smile. Put simply: I was a ‘Rock Star’, because these children were curious, funny, accepting of difference, and oh so willing to engage. And then I panicked! With limited language, what and how to communicate? Teenage boys – Speak the international language understood by all teenage boys: Girls, posing, bragging, and physical horse play!

Want to look half smart? Hang with clever, intelligent, confident and ambitious women.

And then I really panicked, the Wanita arrived! And they meant business. I had noticed these young ladies hanging back from the rowdy raucous boys. Of the same age and school, they were obviously much more mature. As is the case with young women compared to their male peers. ‘Rock Star’ again, I was getting very confused. Fortunately, their English was much better than my Bahasa, what to speak about? Fashion? Jeweler? Handbags? Cool sunglasses? One look at me says, “Dude, this bloke knows nothing about fashion”.

I need not have worried, they simply dominated the conversation, with confidence, and intent that I never expected:

• How come I speak such weird English?
• What’s it’s like for women in Australia?
• Are there careers opportunities in Australia for women?
• Are women paid the same as men?

Indonesia has a shining future with youth like this.

You get the point. These young ladies were aspirational. They wanted to go places, see things, have careers, be independent, set new parameters for Indonesian women. Above all they were curious, open, and interested in our obvious differences. They wanted to learn. And they lifted my earlier sad and hopeless mood. With kids like this, the future must be bright, we just need to decide it will be so.

Just when I thought I might get back to exploring Borobudur, the university contingent arrived. Tertiary education has increased in Indonesia, significantly so for women as it dramatically increases female employment opportunities. I at once noticed their English language fluency skills, these were the earlier teenage ladies, 5 years advanced.

We communicated in Bahasa and English. Something they insisted on, perhaps they found my Bahasa, only slightly less painful than my tortured English vowels. Again, I found this group friendly, confident, engaged and oh so interested in exploring our differences and sharing experiences. I felt more at ease as their fashion sense was a bad as my own.

Indonesian spiritualism and the global village.

 I noticed that these students had a strong sense of being part of a global village, an international perspective. Indonesia will play a significant part in the future of the Planet. They asked me many questions that prove this point:

• How come I speak such weird English? (I’m sensing a pattern here)
• Are Muslims safe in Australia?
• What is Australia’s position on the Gaza conflict?
• Why has Indonesia and Australia had a at times strained relationship?
• Is Australia a multicultural nation?
• Why is Australia not a republic?

But above all we had a lot of fun and laughs. No longer was my mood one of sadness and hopelessness about humanity. I can’t recall why precisely they blessed and applauded me, must have been one of my dad jokes, translated into Bahasa Indonesian perhaps. But now I really felt like a ‘Rock Star’.

Retail therapy and another dose of spiritualism.

 So, we left Borobudur, having seen very little of the temple and drove to Malioboro Street, Yogyakarta’s famed shopping street for some retail therapy.

On Saturday Malioboro Street is the place to see and been seen, most of Yogyakarta seemed to be heading downtown. But it was extremely hot and humid, so we decided to take our retail therapy indoors. So, into Aladdin’s Cave – ‘Hamzah Batik’:

Hamzah Batik – Yogyakarta’s public transport has a lot of attendant ‘farting’ – Not just the horses.

Our first haven was a ‘Hamzah Batik’, owned and operated by one of Yogyakarta’s most successful retailers and famous Drag Queens, who regularly hosts Drag Cabaret on the top floor of this establishment. The latter is insignificant to the story other than to suggest that Indonesia is not necessarily the religiously conservative Country you might imagine it to be.

Retail Therapy – Yogyakarta Style

Crippling humidity, more rock star fun, frivolity, and human tolerant spiritualism.

At this point we had not realized that the education system nationwide was celebrating ‘Interview a Foreigner Week’, but as soon as we emerged into Malioboro’s humidity, more ‘Rock Star’ activity.

These girls were not the fashion-conscious Wanita of our earlier encounter, they were much quieter, reserved, shy, humble, and restrained, they also spoke very little English. Nothing poise, and charm won’t overcome: Just as well my wife Lizzie and her Kiwi manner were present. Soon Lizzie had them gasbagging, not surprisingly, they were just as confident, eager to engage, pose for the camera and yes, the hand code signals! We chatted in Bahasa, during which they enquired about Australia, New Zealand, and told us of their career aspirations. They also asked me why Kiwi’s speak normal English and Aussie’s don’t!

How I derailed Air Garuda’s international language program.

And it did not stop there, the ‘Rock Star’ event continued with an interview by this vivacious and extrovert group. In what seems peculiarly Indonesian, they were the graduating class of ‘Indonesia’s Air Stewards University’. I thought I missed something in translation, but their English fluency removed all doubt, such a thing actually exists.

Hospitality Air Garuda Style

Their last exercise involved seeking out a foreigner, communicating in their language, whilst serving them traditional Indonesian sweets. I have no idea what I ate, and given the hot, humid conditions, it was probably not very wise, but there you go.

We chatted in English and Bahasa, we also had the options of Dutch or French, yes, a multilingual education opens opportunity for young Indonesian Women. And as with every similar contact I had on this extraordinary day, they were confident, engaging, and oh so interested in exploring other cultures. They also asked me why I spoke such funny English, that pattern again! We closed on a lesson in how to speak Australian, like a real Aussie. So, next time you fly Air Garuda, if the flight attendant asks, “Howse ewes goin mate”, well you know who to blame.

Conclusions on spirituality.

I started this Postcard mentioning my spiritual experience. Are what I described actually spiritual experiences or just inspiring human connections?

I have no idea, I would for the reasons explained earlier, be the last person to answer such a question.

But I do know all of this made me feel better about the World. That young Indonesians could be so open and accepting of an old Aussie dude, from a completely different historical background and culture, gives me faith and hope.

I want to believe that the humanity that connects us is far stronger than the differences that can divide us. It’s a question of choice.