Lesehan Talk 02: Imlek, Food of Luck, and "Cina" vs Pribumi

Food could lead to a bigger conversation. Here, I talked to Dewi, Ossie, and Sarah on growing up in Chinese-influenced culture and how the division between “Cina” and Pribumi are visible in Indonesia.

In this article, I would like to highlight how life is for what people refer to as Cina-Indo / Peranakan / Cina / Keturunan / Chinese - Indonesian. I put quotation marks for these terms on this article, because to me they’re locals. However, these labels do exist and I used this so highlight their role in society. The other term I use is Pribumi, a term created by the Dutch to call local Indonesians who are not descendants of other cultures such as European, Arabian, Chinese, or Indian. These terms, Cina and Pribumi, are used on a daily basis until today; not just as an identifier, but also as a term that detach one to another.

It seems like there is a never-ending competition to be original and to be the first ones who own and claim a certain culture. I feel that this issue is not just exclusive for Imlek or Lunar New Year because our fight to end this competition, to treat others equally, to respect others, and to love each other without judgment, is still a long way to go.

I would also like to give a short introduction of 5 big ethnic groups of Chinese descendants in Indonesia: Hokkien, Khek (Hakka), Tiociu, Hainan, and Konghu (Kanton).

Sop Merah, a “Chinese-Surabaya” food, adapted from Peranakan Belanda (Dutch-descendants’ tomato soup). The famous “Cina-Surabaya” version is filled with sumptuous amount of chicken, green peas, carrots, and sausage or spam. Picture: by Dewi Natalia.

Dewi Natalia

Surabaya, East Java.

Identified as: Hokkien, Indonesian. 

Dewi sees herself as Hokkien and Indonesian. She was born and raised in Surabaya, East Java from a father who is a Hokkien from Lombok island and a mother who is a Hokkien from Surabaya. She lived in New South Wales, Australia, in between 2017 to 2019, before going home in 2020. 

Imlek is only 3 days left from now, what’s your plan for that day?

It’s 2 days left because Imlek starts the day before Lunar New Year. It is very clear that I will not clean up the house, I will not cut my hair, but I will eat lots of food!

How will this year affect Imlek?

Usually Imlek is very sacred for us (Chinese Indonesian). You can choose not to go home for Christmas or Idul Fitri, however it’s not even a choice for Imlek. You must go home and be present for Imlek. Unless you’re too far away and the ticket is too expensive. But really, if anything is possible, then just go home, visit your elders, and eat together with your family.

This year is different. My brother is away in Kalimantan during this covid-19 time, so he is not going to come home to Surabaya. To me, this will be my first year to spend Imlek with my family after 2 years in Australia. I feel excited, though my father is not here anymore. He passed away last year and that was why I had to fly back here.

Now I stay with my mother and Mak, so we will stay at home most of the time. Except, I will probably go to my Aunt’s home as. 

You were in Australia for a while, did you celebrate Imlek there?

Yes. I did not go home twice for Imlek. It was expensive to go home and I had to work. One Imlek, I celebrated with my boss from the restaurant I worked at. He’s from Indonesia and so we had all the food I associate with Imlek in Indonesia! Celebrating Imlek abroad with other Indonesians means so much when you’re far from your family. 

As someone from East Java, I’ve met so many people from Jakarta and Medan. That’s how I know too that even as Cina Indonesia, we have different cultures! 

Like what?

We have different languages. For example, I speak Hokkien. But my friends are Hakka, we have different terms for grandma. I call my grandma Emak, but others would say Nai Nai or Bobo. 

Tell me about Imlek food at your house! 

Sop Merah. Because merah (red) represents fortune. It has all the goodness of green peas, sausage, Ma Ling (popular brand for spam), and carrots. We also eat noodles in my house. It just tastes so good because it’s cooked with Minyak Babi (Pork Lard). That’s so haram, it’s not for you unless you eat whatever. Hahahahaha. 

In 2001, Gus Dur finally made Imlek an official national holiday and that the limit of celebrating Imlek only at home vanished. Did you notice the difference before and after that?

I don’t remember much, but before that, I had to go to school first before visiting my family and have dinner on the night before Imlek and during Imlek day. But after it became a holiday, I did not need to do that. I could spend the whole New Year day with my family!

How is the struggle being labelled as “Keturunan”?

A lot. The most recent one is when I had to take some cash from my father’s bank because he passed away and we did not have his debit card. I went to the counter and the first thing the customer service said to me was, “Permisi, Mbak Keturunan, ya?”, then they told me that I had to work with a notary to take some cash. It was not even 10 million rupiahs? The effort and time to go to a notary just to take some cash because you’re seen as “Keturunan” is mentally draining.

What is the most overlooked stigma for “Keturunan”?”

That we are rich! Come on!

They think that we have tons of money that we need to go to a notary to get some cash from the bank? They think that we have tons of money because they think those Cece-cece with light colored skinwho drive cars represent every “Cina-Indonesia”.

What do you think can we do as a society to help get rid of this?

Honestly I don’t have an exact answer for this. What we want is to be treated equally. Just like the case with the bank or even other administration things that we have to go through. If the system allows everybody to live equally, then there’s not such thing as being Indonesian, Keturunan, Cina, or Pribumi.

I was born in Indonesia and I identify myself as Indonesian.

Really, what makes me different from other Indonesians?

Food served on Imlek at Dewi Natalia’s family. On first photo: Sop Merah, Mie, Pangsit. On second photo: Babi Kecap. On third photo: Sate Babi. Picture by Dewi Natalia.

Ossie Ashari

Blitar, East Java.

Identified as: Hokkien, Indonesian.

Ossie identifies herself a Hokkien who was born and raised in Blitar, East Java. Her parents are Hokkien as well and are locals from Blitar. Her grandfather from her mother is from China, married to her Bobo (grandmother), a Chinese descent and a local of Blitar. 

Ossie is running her family’s grocery shop business, while working on her pottery brand, NOA.

How is it like growing up in Blitar and being identified as “Keturunan”?

We have some sort of union here. It takes place in a Rumah Duka (Grieving House) called Paramita as we burn our elders’ ash and hold the ceremony there. If you arrive in Blitar and decide to live here, you’ll register yourself there. Once you’re registered, you will get a book full of the address of people identified as Cina Indonesia. 

Imlek is just 1 more day, what’s you and your family going to do this year?

I think we’ll just celebrate it at home, especially since I just got tested negative a couple days ago after having covid-19 for around 2 weeks. This year will be so much different from last year. We usually celebrate Imlek in my aunt’s house. She’s the second oldest one in the family, but she lives in Blitar and many of the family member are in Blitar, so we go to her house one day before Imlek and on Imlek day.

On the day before Imlek, we serve food for our ancestors. It’s usually their favorite food. There’s a very unique thing about that!

What is it?

We would check every one hour if they’re full already or not. We’ll ask them and throw a coin. If it’s the tail then they’re still eating and if it’s the head, then they’re finished eating. My family say that the food served for the ancestors tastes strange. But if you think about it, it is basically food that has been on the table for hours and becomes cold. So that’s why it tastes strange? 

What food served in your family other than the food for ancestors?

Mie. Any kind of Mie or Bakmi.

We don’t really have something that really should be on the table for Imlek. So we just make what we really like and quite common. Aside from Mie, we also have Bakso because my aunt makes a really good one! 

But eating and catching up with family is something really important, especially on the day of Imlek. It feels so festive as well, because there are just so many people and everybody has different name for you to call

Such as?

You know, names are so complicated in Chinese families. Everyone has different terms. Whether you’re Hokkien or Khek, whether you’re Totok who still holds so much to your culture or you’re a modern Chinese Indonesian, you will have different names to refer to other family members. When we have a celebration like Imlek where everybody is there, I usually have to ask politely. 

“Permisi, ini manggilnya gimana, ya?” (“Excuse me, how should I call you?”)

So to some degree and to some people, names are important?

Yeah, how you put that person in your family, and to what extent you’d respect them. But there are also others who don’t make a fuss about it. They’d adapt a western term or something more modern. Keeping up with a tradition is not for everyone. It could be too much. To me, I only keep up with those that I think are very relatable to these days. But a tradition that is outdated, is not something I’d like to keep.

What is that?

Marriage could only be done from the same ethnic group.

For example, if you’re Hokkien, you could only marry other Hokkien. Your family would not approve if you’re married with a Khek for instance. It’s because of some negative views on Khek people that says they are rude and stingy, also because they speak different language so it would affect the language used at the home.

Another example, if you’re Chinese Indonesian, you could only marry other “pure” Chinese Indonesian - not those whose parents are mixed. I have an aunt who married a Javanese and my Emak did not approve of it, so they got married in another town instead. But now, they’ve made peace and we celebrate Imlek together. 

Is there any overlooked stigma as “Keturunan”?

I’d say that. The one where we are seen as people who only marry someone from the same “ethnic group”. Ironically, that perspective is not just from others, but it is how we see ourselves -

a perspective to see that we could only marry someone the “same” as us.

So what can we do now to let go of all these perspectives?

I think today those perspectives are not as strong as they were, especially if you’re in cities like Jakarta or Surabaya. Well maybe, older people like our parents or aunts still see the world from that point of view. But, as young people, what we can do is to act with kindness.

If you start with this intention, then you would be able to see and love people without all the labels they identify with.

Imlek at Ossie’s house: Sate Babi, Bakso Goreng, Mie, Pisang Goreng, and Sop Apukat. Picture by Ossie.

Sarah Danita

Identified as Ponti.

Resides in Jakarta - from Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

Sarah is a local of Pontianak with her mother from Banjar, Kalimantan, and her father from Palembang, South Sumatra. She was born and raised in Pontianak, a town known as the big  settlement of Khek or Hakka people. Back in 1777, a Khek named Low Lan Pak, established the Lanfang Republic. This republic was created to protect Chinese immigrants from the Dutch. In 1884, Lanfang Republic was abolished by the Dutch. 

Sarah moved to Jakarta in 2011. She’s a Social Strategist at a creative agency and a gyoza cook at Weekend Gyoza by the weekend (if she’s not tired to fold). She is dating a “Chinese-Indonesian” whom she claimed as less “Chinese” than she is.

Sarah, please enlighten us about Pontianak!

Oh don’t get me started. I grew up in Ponti with tons of local food where you get bits of Malay food like in Malaysia, Singapore, or coastal part of Sumatra, and so much influence of Chinese food with ingredients from Kalimantan. There’s a big influence of Kopitiam culture in our coffee. Jalan Gajah Mada, where the China town is located, is called Coffee Street. In the morning, rows of stools lining up the road with coffee shops selling Kopi Saring. The culture of Kopi Pancong is surely unlike how they serve coffee anywhere else. It’s heavily influenced by Strait Chinese.

I learned that the Chinese in Pontianak are Khek people? 

Yeah. They’re descendants of Khek and they married with locals here, from Malay (Melayu) to Dayak. That’s why the food in Pontianak is so heavenly. It’s bits of this and that. For me who’s resided in Jakarta for 10 years, Pontianak has raised the bar for food and I get disappointed so many times with the food in Jakarta.

Tell us more about Ponti food!

Nah*, this! Ponti food is all about “meracik” (combining).

We have Bubur Ikan, Kwetiau, Bakmi, Mie Kepiting, but the heart of it is the Bumbu on the tables. It’s Minyak Bawang (Garlic Oil), Soy sauce, Kecap Manis, Sambal Bawang (Garlic Sambal), and this - Jeruk Sambal, a local lime to Pontianak (Kalamansi).

So when you eat out with your friends, there’s always that person who is just so good at combining all those things together and you can ask them to combine it for you.

What must-eat Ponti meal would you recommend?

Nasi Telur at Ayong 999.

I mean, what could be more genius than this? We grew up eating fried egg and warm rice, so Nasi Telur with bits of Minyak Bawang, Soy sauce, and Kecap Manis, then served with Tumis Sayur is just wonderful! 

Did it exist when you were a kid?

I don’t know, I don’t think so. I knew it from my ex-boyfriend who is a Chinese Dayak and at that time, Ayong 999 was the one that served Nasi Telur. 

Back to Jakarta, how do you find good food there?

After years of exploring, I’ve decided that generally the food in Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), North Jakarta, could meet my Ponti standard. Chris, my partner, gets annoyed though anytime food has to be like Ponti standard to me. But, there is one good dimsum place in PIK called All Time Resto.

Ah ya, I’ve told you that this interview would be personal and I would ask you some questions about your relationship. Could you tell me about it?

So dating a “Cina-Indo” was something that my friends felt strange about. I too feel awkward at the beginning. Not because it feels so wrong, but I was worried of how Chris’ friend would accept me. After growing up in Ponti, despite the mixed culture of Chinese Indonesian and locals, there’s still segregation between them. 

Here in a city as big as Jakarta, I felt that the line is also visible.

But I’m glad to find that his friends accept me. The first time hanging out with them was so strange, because I was the only one who is non-”chinese”. But aside from that, nothing else matters.

How was Imlek last week?

Chris spent it with his family and the following day, he came over and brought oranges and roasted ruck from his Nai Nai and his mom! In return, I sent them Bird Nest.

Oh and you know what…

What?

Chris doesn’t know shit about Imlek HAHAHAHA. I had to tell him some traditions that I know of Imlek. Last year was his Ciong (bad year), so this year would be a good restart for him. I told him he could get a haircut, but he could only do it before Imlek or two weeks after. He does not know that! He does not know that you are not allowed to clean up the house on Imlek, if you’re sweeping the floor, then there’s certain direction to keep the fortune in the house. 

In some ways, I’m more Chinese than him.

Growing up in Ponti has affected you so much?

Yes. I grew up eating Ponti food which is basically heavily influenced by Chinese food; Kwetiau, Choi Pan, and Bubur Ikan (fish porridge). Every Imlek, I used to visit my friends and my mother’s colleague. In Ponti, Imlek is not just celebrated by Chinese Indonesia, but locals like Dayak, Melayu, Jawa, everybody in town. If someone visits you, then you pay a visit back to them. So this visit could last for two weeks! 

But Imlek is just the beginning in Ponti, what’s merrier there is Cap Go Meh. There’s a parade in downtown where everyone could join and everyone too, regardless of their ethnicity could be Tatung(s)*. So you could see Tatung(s) that represent of Dayak and Khek too. 

You said that there’s some kind of wall between locals and “Chinese Indonesian”, in this case, Khek, in Pontianak? Could you tell us further?

From the shell, you could see how it seems that the culture in Ponti is a comforting mixture of Khek, locals, and Melayu. But, if you’d observe closer, you could feel the difference. 

I went to a public school in Ponti and there was this term for “Chinese Indonesians” and those who are not Islam. It’s called Noni. Non-Islam. Many “Chinese Indonesians” are not Islam, so they’re called Noni at my school by many of the teachers. 

Is there any term from “Cina-Indo” to locals there?

Not that I know of. But I know that in Jakarta, they have a name for “Pribumi”. But it’s just so rude.

What do you think we can do to see each other better without all of these labels; Noni, Pribumi, Cina?

Make friends. Make a lot of friends from various cultures and not just make them as tokens, but talk to them and engage with them. The more we listen to others, the more we understand them, and the more accustomed we are to greet other cultures with curiosity rather than suspicion. If we haven’t met many people from different backgrounds, it’d be easier for us to put stereotypes and make assumptions on others.

Not only that, I feel like we need to pause and learn our culture first to understand our shoes in the world. I think this helps us to understand others’ shoes better too. Learn how to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Change our point of view. Ask a lot of “What if?” or “How would I feel if I were them?”

Get to know people without discriminating against them. Accept that differences do exist and appreciate them. Once we do this, we won’t even bother to think about “Cina vs Pribumi” anymore.

Minyak Bawang, the heart of Pontianak food, is a pantry staple for Sarah. This Minyak Bawang is made by her mother that she brings with her to Jakarta. Picture by Sarah Danita.

*Nah: an expression of excitement (in this case)

*Tatung (Khek language): a person who is possessed by a spirit.

Source:

Sugiri Kustedja, “Republik” of Lanfang Kongsi in West Kalimantan (2016)

Margaret Chan, Chinese New Year in Kalimantan: Ritual Theatre and Political Circus (2009)

Howard W. Dick, Surabaya: A City of Work

Arie I.Chandra, Atom Ginting Munthe, Profil Pengidentifikasian Diri Suku Tionghoa di Indonesia (2013)