The Persistent Cultural Heritage of Anti-Colonial Non-Alignment

For those interested in political history of the global South, Bandung, some three hours by train east of Indonesian capital of Jakarta, holds a very significant place.  As the host city of the 1955 Asia Africa Conference that brought together leaders of newly independent/established Third World countries ranging from Nasser in Egypt to Nehru of India to Sukarno from Indonesia.  The Conference brought together a coalition of these new countries on collective behavior with intensifying Cold War as the global backdrop.

The result of the Conference, while not immediate, was inspirational, to say the least.  In the decade after the Conference, large numbers of new countries emerged, throwing off colonial status with the moral and diplomatic support (usually in the field of the UN) from the major participants of the Conference.  Furthermore, the Non-Alignment Movement, a collective of nations vowed to not be sucked into either the Soviet or the American “camp,” emerged in the Conference’s aftermath.

Seen from a long historical perspective, the Conference played little actual role in the Cold War itself.  To sustain development and obtain needed capital and technology, even the non-aligned movement members were forced to seek at least temporary alliances with one of the superpowers during some point in their early histories.  This is not to mention many of the Conference participating countries suffered distinctively pro-American or pro-Soviet coups later on, and the Third World leaders could do little to assist in any way.

But, seen from a “micro”-level, it feels that, as the host of the Conference and an eager initial supporter of the global South’s independent agenda, Indonesia does show a strong heritage of independent politics and social development that is in almost stark contrast to neighbors with deeper, more comprehensive ties to colonial masters (Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore are all prime examples in Southeast Asia).  The collective behavior of the Indonesian people is still a fertile ground of “non-alignment” today.

First of all, upon walking through the cities and towns of Indonesia, it is refreshingly surprisingly to see just how little foreign influences there are.  Aside from leftover architectures, loanwords, and kitsch themed restaurants, the Netherlands features very little in the lives of all Indonesians, both at the official or grassroots level.  Like other Western countries, it is largely seen as “just another country over there.”  Other Western countries like the US also have not managed to culturally gain ground among the people.

Maybe being a Muslim majority country does help to stay independent in identity.  TVs still recite calls for prayers at set hours, and traditional Muslim wears are common even in the trendiest of shopping streets.  Yet, devotion to Islam has not made the country conservative or exclusive.  Many Indonesian girls go around without headscarves and even in short-pants that display their entire naked legs and contours of their buttocks.  The contrast of such with traditional garb illustrates a sense of liberal inclusiveness.

Foreign languages remain highly, well, foreign.  English is not spoken by common people, and if one is spoken to on the streets in English, it is probably best to suspect scam artist (the author was charged maybe five times the market rate for a short taxi ride by a driver with proficient English, a rarity even in Jakarta).  It is as if people think they don’t need to learn.  Unlike in Manila, foreign language schools are few and far in-between, while working overseas is not something that many people seem to consider.

Ultimately, though, the heritage of independence from foreign influences maybe driven by the optimistic prospect for the country’s future.  A gigantic country of 250 million, world’s 4th largest, with increasingly well-developed infrastructure and a spirit for entrepreneurship, should be on the cusp of another economic revolution.  When that happens, it will be the foreigners begging to come in.  The author thinks that ordinary Indonesians, realizing this fact, might as well just proudly be themselves.

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