religion and colonialism (tatok)

History of Religions in Indonesia Part II
“Religion and Colonialism”
TATOK


In the era of colonialism in Indonesia was an event marked by many changes that occurred in the history of Indonesia. At the beginning of the struggles for formation of Indonesia, identity is a very important issue. Identity is always in competition and contestation. Identity is identities’ encounter and influence each other. In one side, in order to understand history of Indonesia in the colonial era, identity is always correlated with culture, traditions, language, worldview, and religion. In the other side, which is externally, understanding identity correlated with the encounter with others, the social status, and the socio-political situation that was happening.
In addition to the development and establishment of social organizations identity is the key developments in the early revival of nationalism (Ricklefs). The formation of this identity is also marked by a very intense struggle among the religious organization. The most prominent struggles between groups are between groups influenced by the idea of Pan-Islamism with groups that based on tradition of pesantren (Kartodirjo, 1966). In fact the struggle of identity includes the entire social dimension. Therefore, the form of the effort to build identity is very different too.
Some forms of the process in develop identity are including the creation of organizations. Organisation’s formation occurs as a consequence and in particular event is only used as a temporary means to get group’s purpose. In the event of Banten’s rebellion (Kartodirjo, 1966) it seems that the religious movement that seems as spiritual movement actually is a manifestation of efforts to mobilize people in a particular purpose. It means that the revival of a new class in society is a consequence of the effort to build identity. In some society classes there are the roles of 'mediators' who have a profession linking between colonial governments, religious leaders, and the community (Hisham, 2001). These things is a sign that identity associated with the role of religion lies in the most effective function of religion in the society struggle.
There are many causes that can be traced in the Indonesian history that are important factors about the struggles of identity. In the era of colonialism that was at the peak of the crisis, the Indonesian people who are experiencing various forms of cultural encounters especially between the regions, the emergence of social movements with diverse motivations, and the fact that in Islam there are a variety of inherited tradition of Sufism, all are the diverse factors that interrelated. In addition, the new concept of ideologies develops and introduced to Indonesian society as a means to oppose colonialism.
With such causes, then the form of the identities’ encounter happened in some variation. Some religious groups try to find new form by join in a particular ideological movement group. But it is always in the process to find a form of identity. Therefore we can say that identity is always a bargaining process between identities in the particular context and in specific purpose. Because identity is determined by consciousness, it is actually a cultural process of identity development in Indonesia; the era of colonialism is a sign of the double consciousness of the people who are trying to find their identity to be Indonesian.