Indonesia culture

Indonesia is a country full of diversity, home to numerous different ethnic groups, languages and religions. However a common language and the national motto of ‘Unity in Diversity’ help to bind the 17,500 islands and their inhabitants together.

Religion

The range of religions practised in Indonesia is diverse, although around 90% of Indonesians identify themselves as being Muslim, the largest Muslim population of any country in the world. There are six religions recognised by the government - Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism - meaning citizens must identify themselves as belonging to one of these on official identity documents. The Indonesian constitution or state philosophy, Pancasila, provides freedom of religion, although religions other than the official six are considered beliefs and are not legally practised. Nor is atheism recognised, and blasphemy can lead to imprisonment.
The Islam practised in Indonesia is predominantly of the Sunni tradition, and is more concentrated in areas including Java and Sumatra. Those who adhere to the Shi’a tradition number around one million. Despite a large percentage of the population following Islam, Indonesia is not an Islamic state, although some groups have called for this over the decades.
Protestantism is more concentrated in the provinces of Papua and North Sulawesi, whilst most of the population of the island of Flores are Roman Catholic. Buddhism is mostly practised around Jakarta, by Chinese and some indigenous Javanese peoples. Hinduism meanwhile, known formally as Agama Hindu Dharma and followed by most of the population of Bali, differs somewhat from the Hinduism practised in other countries in that the caste system isn’t applied. The sixth religion mentioned, Confucianism, has had a changing position in Indonesian religions, losing its official status in 1978, to then have it reinstated from 2000 onwards.
Other religions in addition to those officially recognised are practised around Indonesia, but citizens must affiliate themselves to one of the six on identity cards etc. There is a small Jewish community, and Animism and Kebatinan are also practised. The constitution gives freedom of worship according to religious belief, although the first principle of Pancasila, the Indonesian state philosophy, is of the belief in one supreme God.

Diversity and values

Indonesia is made up of 17,500 islands, and thirty-three provinces, meaning that the cultural landscape is also a diverse one, mixing both foreign and indigenous customs.
Estimates put the number of different ethnic groups at three hundred or more, and these include indigenous populations such as the Asmat people of New Guinea, and the Mentawai tribe living in the rainforest of an island near Padang. They live a hunter/gatherer lifestyle that is a far cry from the city life of an expat in Jakarta.