In
this era marked by the growing movement of people between rural and urban
areas, across regions and continents, practically all nations need to develop
positive ways to work with the social reality of people from various
ethno-cultural backgrounds with diverse languages and religious practices
residing in, visiting, or journeying through their countries. In Indonesia, for
instance, diversity becomes very important to highlight due to the fact that
Indonesia is known as the largest archipelago and one of the most culturally
and linguistically diverse nations.
We
all know that the basic framework of Indonesian diverse life is based on the
Pancasila ideology (the five principles). It particularly holds that the
diversity of ethnicities, religions, and races are the assets or wealth of the
nation. Through Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,
the concept of togetherness and ethnic unification will bring back the spirit
of the Indonesian people to uphold unity in diversity. This principle was actually
proposed after the Indonesian Independence by the Indonesia’s first President,
Ir. Soekarno.
As
proposed by Soekarno, Bhinneka Tunggal
Ika or Unity in Diversity is a concept that concerns not only tolerance of
religious differences but also that of physical, cultural, linguistic,
political and ideological differences. Commemorating the birth of Pancasila
which takes place on June 1st, Indonesia highlights the theme of
“Pancasila in United Action for Resilient Indonesia (Pancasila dalam Tindakan Bersatu untuk Indonesia Tangguh)”. Let’s
take a closer look at how Indonesians live hand in hand with diversity from the
following portrayals.
Religious
tolerance in Unity in Diversity is depicted from the acceptance of various
religions in Indonesia. While Indonesia is a home to the largest number of
Muslims in the world, however, its constitution guarantees religious rights for
all. At least six world religions find adherents in Indonesia, including Islam,
Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. In addition to
its diversity, the physical portrayal of Bhinneka
Tunggal Ika is apparent in architectural arts in places of worship such as
mosques, churches, Hindu and Buddha temples. These buildings have been around
for a long time and utilized by Indonesian people for various activities such
as worship, deliberation and other social activities. Hindu architecture has
also long inspired mosques, palaces and graves in terms of physical designs.
Moreover, acculturation has become the primary feature of the architecture of
Islamic mosques in Indonesia.
The
concept of Unity in Diversity exists also in how diverse the languages are
spoken throughout Indonesia. There are more than 700 vernacular languages and
dialects used in Indonesia, which are spoken by various ethnic groups such as
Acehnese, Batak, Sundanese, Javanese, etc. However, since the Independence, Bahasa Indonesia has increasingly been
spoken as a second language by most of the population and more recently
increasingly as a first language as well, coexisting alongside other native
languages in Indonesia. Moreover, in Eastern Indonesia, where there is the
greatest diversity, many of the languages are Papuan, related to the languages
of Papua New Guinea.
Having
shared the brief reflection on the very vast topic of the Indonesian ideology
of Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
or Unity in Diversity, some conclusions are drawn prior to this matter. In
Indonesia, diversity in all aspects of life is not described as a threat to the
unity of the Indonesian nation, but it is expected to be able to act as a
source of wealth for the Indonesian nation throughout its history. Moreover, Unity
in Diversity encompasses a larger portion, including religious, physical, and
linguistic diversity. All of these forms need to be implemented hand in hand in
order to create a harmonious life. Let’s then celebrate the moment of
reincarnating the values of Pancasila and Bhinneka
Tunggal Ika by embracing all forms of diversity. anw.
Komentar
Posting Komentar