Indonesian cultural history

Introduction

Indonesia is a vast country that has been home to many varied cultures since long before it was unified under the Republic in 1945. Its diverse indigenous peoples include the Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese and Betawi of Java; the Dayaks of Borneo; and the Bataks of Sumatra. Indonesia also has an enormous range of languages: more than 700 distinct dialects are spoken on its 17,000 islands. Although Indonesian is the official language nationwide and is spoken by most Indonesians (except those who live in Papua), everyone has some degree of proficiency in their own regional dialect as well as at least one other language such as English or Dutch (the former colonial language).

Prehistory

Java Man, who lived about 1.8 million years ago, was the first hominid to be discovered on Java and is one of the most important prehistoric finds in Indonesia. He lived during a period in which there were many species of hominids living on different islands in Southeast Asia.

Homo floresiensis (also known as “Flores Man”) was discovered on Flores Island by an Australian team led by Mike Morwood in 2003. These were small people who lived about 18,000 years ago; they have been nicknamed Hobbits because of their small size (about three feet tall) and big heads!

Historical periods

Indonesia is a vast country with many different cultures, languages, and customs. There are many different historical periods in Indonesia. The first period is the prehistory period; it lasted until 1st century CE. The second period is the historical period and it started from 2nd century CE till now (20th century).

Colonial period and rise of nationalism

The Dutch colonial period was a time of great change in Indonesia. The Dutch East India Company, or VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), arrived in Indonesia in 1602 and established trade relations with local rulers. Over time these relations developed into political control through military force and economic dependence on the Dutch products that were only available through them.

The Indonesian people resisted this exploitation by forming various nationalist movements including Sarekat Islam (Islamic Union), which sought independence from European control; Budi Utomo (“Noble Endeavor”), which promoted cultural revivalism; and Perserikatan Nasional Indonesia/Perhimpunan Nasionaal Indonesia (PNI/PNI). These organizations were later absorbed into Partai Nasional Indonesia or Partindo–the first modern political party formed by Sukarno after being exiled from Java following an uprising against Dutch rule there called “Social Revolution”–and eventually became part of the Indonesian Nationalist Party or PNI when it merged with other groups after WWII ended in 1945

Revolution and transition to the New Order Regime

Indonesia’s struggle for independence was a long and bloody one. The Dutch were not willing to give up their colonial possessions without a fight, and they unleashed massive violence against the Indonesians who resisted them. It took years of guerrilla warfare before Indonesia finally won its independence in 1949, but even then there were still conflicts between different groups within the new country–especially between religious groups like Muslims and Christians–and these conflicts sometimes led to violence as well.

After Indonesia became independent from the Netherlands in 1949, it became known as Republic of Indonesia (or Republik Indonesia). However, it wasn’t long before another military regime came into power: The New Order Regime led by General Suharto (1921-2008). This new regime took over after President Sukarno resigned in 1966 due to health problems; he died three years later without ever returning from exile in Malaysia where he had fled following his resignation. Under Suharto’s leadership there was much less corruption than under Sukarno’s rule because people weren’t able to get away with stealing so easily anymore thanks largely because most citizens didn’t have access

Indonesia is a vast country with many different cultures, languages, and customs.

Indonesia is a vast country with many different cultures, languages and customs. The Indonesian people have been shaped by their diverse range of peoples who have brought with them their own customs and traditions.

Aborigines are one of these groups; they live on islands near Papua New Guinea and Australia. Early migrants from China also brought their own traditions which later influenced other Asian immigrants to Indonesia including Chinese Indonesian peoples like the Hokkien or Cantonese who today make up about 10% of the population (around 4 million people).

Conclusion

Indonesia is a country with a rich cultural history. From prehistoric times through the colonial period, Indonesian people have built their culture and traditions from the resources available in their environment. The language and customs of each region evolved over time as well, becoming more unique as each group developed its own identity apart from others within Indonesia or even outside its borders.