COMMUNITY – INDONESIA
INDONESIAN CULTURE
A collection of colonial, immigrant, and indigenous traditions, Indonesian culture is anything but uniform. There are at least 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia, each with their own set of customs and distinctive cultural objects. Most people here define themselves by their local culture, rather than a national culture.
Religion strongly influences life in Indonesia. Islam is the main religion practiced in Indonesia, leading to the largest Muslim population in the world despite being a secular country by law.
The six official religions acknowledged in the country is Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
Indonesians keep tight relationships with members of their family. Moving out of their parents’ home is uncommon, even when maintaining a stable income of their own. Many choose to live under their parents’ roof unless they absolutely have to move in search of jobs or partners.
Many cultures in Indonesia have a special ceremony for even the tiniest of milestones. From a child’s first step on the ground to a certain number of months of pregnancy, Indonesians will typically celebrate with food and dance. Many cultures also celebrate life events, like weddings and funerals, with a mix of mesmerizing traditional customs and celebrations.