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128 strategies for the success of their lives.
The description of historical reality can be seen in the Ethnic History of China in its dynamics during the colonial era (Dutch) 19th century/early 20th century in Bali. Dilthey states that humans as historical creatures can only be understood through history, in a verstehen way (Kuntowijoyo, 2008: 3,4).
One of their characters that stands out is the tendency to easily blend in with their social environment. The cultural aspect becomes an important part in the assimilation of the Chinese in Bali, on the other hand its characteristic of being diligent in entrepreneurship, makes it a successful trader and is able to place it in an important position, as an intermediary in trading activities in cities and villages.
His ability to deal with trade made them as trustees of the colonial government which linked him to the indigenous government and the people of Bali.
Language and religion are forms of assimilation carried out by the Chinese.
This intermingling strategy has succeeded in creating peace and security which is an important condition in the smooth running of trade. Furthermore, this becomes a social capital to empower their skills, in the midst of the sometimes volatile historical dynamics vortex.
For this reason, it is necessary to explore further the role of the Chinese in the history of Bali in the colonial period;
Why are they able to do that; What are their contributions to the present day. The answer to the problem will be obtained through research and writing conducted in accordance with historical methods that end in historiography about the dynamics of ethnic Chinese in colonial history in Bali.
Description of the Chinese Community in Bali
A. Profile and Settlement
The arrival of Chinese people in Bali is estimated to have occurred in the 6th century, through the trade of sea lanes, with merchandise produced in his country, such as bowls, plates and jars.
They were part of Chinese migrants who came and later spread in several areas in the Dutch East Indies. In their new place, they live according to the customs and culture prevailing in their home country.
Usually this group is called totok Chinese. Children resulting from marriages between Chinese migrants and local natives or fellow Chinese, are referred to as peranakan Chinese. They became the focus of research in the history of the Chinese community in the Dutch East Indies, including in Bali in
129 the 19/20 century. In general they come from the provinces of Fukien and Kwantung. The population of Kwantung Province is the majority of other ethnic Chinese who migrate abroad (Nio Joe Lan, 1952: 252).
In Bali, Chinese people mostly live in urban areas, while others spread to rural areas, such as in Carangsari, Blahbatuh, Kintamai, Pupuan and Petang.
In urban areas, they usually choose to live around markets or trade centers. This is understandable considering their profession as traders. The Chinese community occupies a walled house and forms a settlement in a Chinatown, which is chaired by a captain (Serat Purwatjarita Bali, without a year without a yard). This form of settlement, is characteristic of overseas Chinese communities. Not only in Bali, but in Java (Batavia/Jakarta), South Kalimantan, West, where since the 18th century the Chinese community has been active as a trader and other business entrepreneur. Its success in this economic activity even led them to obtain special privileges from native rulers and VOC people. They are given permission to occupy strategic areas and form special settlements, usually close to centers of economic activity, such as ports, and have a position as head of port/sahbandar
(Beschrijving van T Groot Eijland Borneo, 1780).
Chinatown in Denpasar was originally a shop/shop house building located in the Banjar Wangaya Kelod area which runs along the right and left of Jalan Kartini now. While in the Wangaya Kaja region there are only a few shop houses in the vicinity where there are many indigenous houses. Now, the existing Chinatown complex is located along Jalan Gajahmada. In this place, Chinese people build a shop house as a place to live, as well as to sell. They generally sell daily necessities, such as plates, cups, soap, toothbrushes, as well as businesses in photography and entertainment services. In 1919 the Chinese built a new trade center along and towards Puri Pemecutan and Puri Denpasar, next to Tukad Badung from West to East (Nyoman Wijaya, 2003: 55-57).
Livelihood
Dutch Colonial Government in Bali in the mid-19th century did not change the position of the Chinese in the trade in Bali. Their ability to run trade, and their experience since the kingdom of Bali, the government (colonial) still gave trust to the Chinese people as
130 intermediaries with all the privileges that accompanied it. With a leap system the government gives the right to collect tax in every merchandise transaction and every economic activity. The right to collect taxes on companies in Tabanan and other areas in Bali is entirely in the hands of the Chinese. Meanwhile, the export tax on cattle, pigs and opium trade is also their right. Coffee farmers usually sell their crops to Chinese traders (H.
Van Kol, 1903: 233,415).
In village-level trade, Chinese traders have a large role to play. They play a role in the sale and purchase of daily necessities for villagers, including clothing, oil, sugar and spices. While Chinese traders buy crops from local residents, such as coconuts, rice, coffee, pigs and cattle. Bicycles also become merchandise which they sell in the village. These imported bicycles are sold by installments or cash. To expedite their work, this Chinese trader strives to establish good communication with the local population. This was implemented by strengthening the interaction through their participation in each customary activity, such as giving donations in the form of money and goods in traditional activities in the banjar and the village.
There are even some who are married to
local residents/Balinese, and follow social institutions that apply in Hindu Balinese, such as ngayah in temples. In Lebih and Carangsari villages, Chinese people enter as members of traditional villages, with the same rights and obligations as the local Balinese (I Wayan Ardika, 2008: 5). While in Negara and Denpasar cities many Chinese people make a living as wholesalers and retailers. . As retailers, they toured villages in the Badung region to Blahkiuh, Plaga, Krobokan, Pedungan and Banjar Tampakgangsul.
Why they are able to carry out their role as business people who reach out to the wider community in cities and villages, then that can be seen from the historical journey in Bali. During the Badung kingdom whose economic activities were focused on trade centered in the port of Kuta (6th century), the Chinese traders also dominated the transaction of goods in that place. In fact they have a close relationship with the king of Badung. When the colonial government came to power in Bali, the Chinese had long carried out their roles in economic activities in Bali, especially as traders. This prompted the Dutch colonial government to make them as one of its trusted trading partners. This condition is
131 possible because at that time the population of Bali in its economic activities were still oriented to agriculture and animal husbandry.
As an intermediary trader, the Chinese collect goods and sell them directly to exporters who are monopolized by the Dutch. It is these Chinese intermediary traders who make direct contact with residents to remote villages. It could be said that this intermediary trader was part of the Dutch colonial economic system.
Besides trading, Chinese people are also active in the industrial field.
With a business license granted by the colonial government, they established a coconut oil factory and a rice mill in the village of Kapal. Coconut and rice as oil and rice are imported from Badung village. As an area that can provide a guarantee of life and security, Badung has become a destination that is highly sought after by Chinese people to live permanently, especially in Denpasar.
They were able to overcome their trading rivals which consisted of Europeans and Arabs, as well as a smaller number of other Eastern foreigners. According to the 1930 population census, the number of Chinese people living in Denpasar
reached 1075 people, almost double compared to ten years ago. In the 1920 census, the number of Chinese in Denpasar reached 613 people (C.
Lekkerkerker, 1923: 9). The increasing number of Chinese residents in this city is also due to the fact that the colonial government deliberately brought them to work as intermediary traders or distributors. They also carry out their function as lenders for farmers with fairly high interest rates. Therefore Chinese creditors are referred to as Chinese mindering (Onghokham, 2005: 27).
Integration in the Field of Social Culture
In urban areas such as Denpasar, in general the Chinese are registered as members of the administrative banjar.
While the Chinese who live in rural areas, such as Lebih Gianyar Village, and Carangsari Badungmasuk are members of traditional villages, many of them even embrace Hinduism. If at the beginning of the 20th century there were still differences in the level of assimilation/acculturation of the Chinese community at the urban and rural levels, now that is not so visible anymore.
Balinese and Malay/Indonesian languages are used by Chinese people both living in cities and villages, although
132 they are still interspersed with terms in Chinese, such as kamshia, which means thank you. Now the use of Balinese in the Chinese community, especially in the city shows the origin of his birthplace. When born in Bali, he will usually use the language of Bali, but if born outside the territory of Bali, usually they will use the Indonesian language. Chinese language itself is apparently not popular as a language used daily by the Peranakan Chinese community. Even since the 1800s, peranakan Chinese could hardly speak and write Chinese characters (Elizaeth Seeger,1951: 97).
Changing the Chinese name to Indonesian name is one indication of the acculturation process. Presidential Decree No.127/U/Kep/1966 concerning name change for Indonesian citizens of Chinese descent, became the legal basis for the renaming of the Tionghoa community in the later period. In Bali, Chinese people who live in cities like Denpasar, generally use the name Indonesia. At present, children born to Chinese families will automatically get the name Indonesia. In the village many Chinese changed their name to the name of Bali.
The Chinese community in the villages of Blahbatuh and Carangsari in the 1900s even changed their original (Chinese)
names to Balinese names, such as Putu, Made, Nyoman and Ketut. The renaming in turn becomes access to their integration process with the local community (Bali), because with the same name encourages a sense of togetherness between the two groups in a socio-cultural manner.
The efforts of the Chinese to integrate themselves with the local socio-cultural environment, were also realized through administrative and adat activities.
In cities like Denpasar, they are actively working together to clean up the neighborhood of the Banjar area or play an active role in fundraising activities through the procurement of the banjar teruna teruni teruni bazaar. (Interview with Edi Suyono 37 years, on October 11, 2019, on Jl. Seroja Denpasar). While in the village of Carangsari, many Chinese participated in mutual cooperation to work traditionally in temples. They also joined as members of traditional villages.
The steps towards
assimilation/acculturation are also carried out through the introduction of typical Chinese culinary delights, such as:
steamed buns, bowls and noodles. Cakes and Chinese special food is a favorite food for the people of Bali and other
133 regions in Indonesia. Cupcakes even become a cake that is often used as a means of complementary offerings by the Balinese Hindu community. Meanwhile incense (hio) and Uang Kepeng (pis perforated), which are also important tools for praying for Chinese people, are important prayer equipment for the Balinese Hindu community. Now, noodles in various kinds of processed foods are preferred by a wide range of people not only in Bali but in almost all parts of the world. This phenomenon shows that the efforts of the Chinese community to always blend in with their social environment become part of their life struggle strategy, to achieve a prosperous life goal in a new area that is far away and has different socio-cultural conditions. Not only did they succeed in adapting the culture of their new social environment, but they were also able to introduce their culture (culinary) and it was accepted and adapted by their community environment.
Besides culinary, the Chinese community also integrates themselves with the socio-cultural environment of Bali through the field of religion. The conversion of the Chinese into Hindus in Lebih and Blahbatuh villages proves this.
On the other hand in the first half of the
20th century there was an acculturation process through the conversion made by some Balinese into Christians.
Christianity entered Bali through a Chinese evangelist named Tsang To Hang, a messenger from the CFMU (Chinese Foreign Missionary Union) evangelism. In 1931 Tsang To Hang went to Bali with the main objective to serve the interests of worshiping Chinese Christians in this place. In the same year the evangelist succeeded in baptizing (a ceremony that served to legalize a person to become a Christian) 12 Balinese. A year later this number increased to 300 people. This shows an extraordinary increase in numbers, while also proving that Balinese society in general is open to outside influences. Until now the events above were the beginning for the growth and development of Christianity among the Chinese and Balinese communities.
Ethnic differences between them, integrated in a unity through religion, Hinduism and Christianity. Given the Balinese people who are open and the tendency of Chinese people who always want to blend in with the social and cultural environment of Balinese Hinduism, this condition allows the creation of diversity in the lives of Balinese people. Now there is a family
134 consisting of husband and wife, each of whom are of Chinese and Javanese descent, and are Muslim. They live with their three Hindu and Christian children.
(Interview with Lily Trisnawati, 30 years old. Address Jl. Seroja Denpasar).
Integration in education matters is based more on the concept of national education, including for Chinese students. So students of Chinese descent are required to attend national education, because they are born and will work in Indonesia. An important point of the concept is integrated education on a national scale. Chinese people try to follow the nationality concept in educational activities. In Denpasar there is a Catholic Christian educational institution from elementary school to high school called Swastiastu. This school has students from Bali, Java and most of them are of Chinese descent. For this reason the name Swastiastu is intended as a form of assimilation of the Chinese community with the socio-cultural environment of Bali. Now the school has changed its name to St.
Joseph's High School. Nowadays, there are quite a lot of Chinese people attending education at state universities in Denpasar, although they are still limited to certain fields of science.
Conclusion
The role of the Chinese in the dynamics of history in Bali during the colonial period, was more dominated by its ability to run its trading business. This ability is a characteristic of his soul that always directs his life's struggle for the success and glory of his business/trading business. For this reason, they tend to try to create conditions and conditions that are safe, so that they can run their business smoothly, because security is a guarantee for the smooth and successful trading activities. In a place far away from their ancestral lands, they need to adapt local conditions by mixing with the local socio-cultural environment/Bali.
Assimilation is carried out through the fields of adat, religion and education.
The tendency to adapt to the social environment, not only creates a harmonious relationship with the people of Bali, but also with the Dutch in Bali.
Even the Dutch colonial government gave confidence to these Chinese traders as intermediary traders, linking trade at the city and village level as a source of agricultural products. The basic needs and daily necessities of the Dutch and other city dwellers were met by Chinese traders who bought directly from farmers outside of Denpasar. On the other hand,
135 Chinese traders bring necessities, such as clothes for the villagers. As an intermediary trader has a good relationship with the population of Bali and the people of the Dutch colonial government.
The tendency to always blend in with the social environment of Balinese society that is open, now has an influence on the creation of a diverse and integrated community life in Bali. Chinese cuisine such as noodles has become a widely preferred food among people in Bali. The tolerance of religious life, and the participation of Chinese, Balinese, Javanese and others in the field of education, proves that the history of the Chinese people who tend to blend in with their social environment during the colonial period, has had an influence on integrated Balinese society. This condition creates a safe situation that is relevant for cultural tourism businesses in Bali.
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List Of Informan
Name : Eddy Sofyan/34 tahun Occupation : Wiraswasta
Address : Jl. Seroja, Gg.
Metugangga, Br.Sengguan Denpasar
Name : Lily Trisnawati /30 tahun Occupation : Wiraswasta
Address : Jl.Seroja, Gg.
Metugangga, Br.Sengguan Denpasar
136