Table of Contents
Who were the original inhabitants of Indonesia?
Austronesian people, who form the majority of the modern population, are thought to have originally been from Taiwan and arrived in Indonesia around 2000 BCE. From the 7th century CE, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished bringing Hindu and Buddhist influences with it.
Where does Indonesian come from?
Indonesian, which originated from Malay, is a member of the Austronesian family of languages, which includes languages from Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean and Madagascar, with a smaller number in continental Asia.
What language family does Indonesian belong to?
Austronesian language family
Indonesian belongs to the Austronesian language family. The Austronesian language family is one of the largest linguistic families of the world.
How many ethnic groups are there in Indonesia?
There are 633 recognised ethnic groups in Indonesia. The vast majority of those belong to the Austronesian peoples . Based on ethnic group, the largest ethnic group in Indonesia is the Javanese who make up about 40\% of the total population.
What is the social life like in Indonesia?
Therefore, individuals in Indonesia usually act deliberately and with restraint to protect their self-worth and peer perception. Conservative conduct is the norm, as people don’t want to stand out and/or risk losing face by doing something inappropriate. Harmony is also a guiding philosophy in Indonesia.
What is the history of the Eurasian community in Indonesia?
The Eurasian community from Indonesia developed over a period of 400 years, it began with a mostly Portuguese Indonesian ancestry and ended with a dominant Dutch-Indonesian ancestry after the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in Indonesia in 1603 and near continuous Dutch rule until the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in World War II.
What are the cultural influences on Indonesian culture?
An Indonesian’s regional, linguistic and ethnic background must be considered in order to fully understand that individual’s cultural influences. For instance, one can observe dominant Indonesian culture to largely reflect characteristics of Javanese and Islamic society. Yet, the Balinese population, occupying the Island of Bali, are mostly Hindu.