Indonesia is a country rich with natural resources and trading potential. The country itself is a group of islands referred to as an archipelago. The islands are located southeast of Asia and north of Australia. Settlers of the country found different ways to adapt based on their specific location’s resources. As it developed, trading and agriculture became Indonesia’s main focus.
Before homo sapiens existed, the ‘Java Man’ or homo erectus lived on the archipelago. A skullcap of the creature was found on Indonesian soil (“Discovery”, 2004). The first settlers of Indonesia most likely came from southeastern Asia. The geography in this area has many waterways and the coast, making them a seafaring community. As people ventured further and further from the coast, they started to explore the nearby islands. A Smithsonian article, “The Great Human Migration” (2008) reveals that around “45,000 years ago, or possibly earlier, [people] had settled Indonesia.” This settlement succeeded the southeastern civilization by about 25,000 years. There are two theories as to why Indonesia was settled. One theory states that “over generations, farmers of land and sea edged south from China” (Taylor, 2003, pp. 7). As the population grew and people traveled, Indonesia was found and soon inhabited. An alternate conjecture is that sea routes brought people to the land (Taylor, 2003, pp. 7). At this point, humans were already somewhat civilized. They had a basic knowledge in technology and they were able to domesticate animals. Many populations inhabited Indonesia and created small civilizations that sometimes blended together. This is how the rich culture of today’s Indonesia was born.
Trading potential and abundant resources drew people to Indonesia. Although disease hit many that attempted to reside on the island, they adapted to the conditions and made use of the land. The geography of the land changed significantly when farming techniques were introduced. Rice is a staple in the Asian diet, even today. As most settlers were of Asian decent, rice cultivation was adopted in Indonesia as well. Settlers had to clear forests in certain areas to allow enough sunlight for rice production (Taylor, 2003, pp. 8-9). They created axes to cut the trees and domesticated water buffalos for plowing purposes (Taylor, 2003, pp. 9). Along with these two types of living, there were some that stayed near the ocean. They took advantage of the sea for fishing and created a great trading area. There is much diversity in how people settled in the archipelago, but the origin of its people’s shaped the way they survived and utilized the land.
The first settlers of Indonesia conquered the obstacles of their environment in order to become successful. The PBS series Guns, Germs and Steel talk about these important steps to becoming a civilization. Indonesian settlers adapted to the many diseases of the jungle and its animals. Natural selection slowly makes the settlers immune from the diseases, while outsiders are still vulnerable – a great biological warfare tactic. Another important achievement was their ability to domesticate the water buffalo. Domestication can protect an animal species while providing many benefits to the human as well. The water buffalo in this case helped with agriculture by eliminating manual labor like plowing fields. This helped produce more food more efficiently. Last of all, the people utilized their abundant resources. The close proximity to the ocean offers fishing and trading opportunities. The archipelago was also rich in metals that the natives took advantage of. Indonesia became an essential stop for many trade routes around the world.
While it is not sure exactly how Indonesia was inhabited, it is known to have diverse settlers. Most of the settlers were thought to be from neighboring nations. The different cultures that lived in the area blended to create its unique culture.
Cited Sources
The Discovery of Java Man in 1891. (2004, January 1). Retrieved September 12, 2014, from http://www.athenapub.com/13dubox1.htm
Gugliotta, G. (2008, July). The Great Human Migration. Retrieved September 10, 2014, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/human-migration.html
Taylor, J. (2003). Early Beginnings: Histories Through Material Culture. In Indonesia: Peoples and Histories (pp. 7-11). Sheridan Books.
Before homo sapiens existed, the ‘Java Man’ or homo erectus lived on the archipelago. A skullcap of the creature was found on Indonesian soil (“Discovery”, 2004). The first settlers of Indonesia most likely came from southeastern Asia. The geography in this area has many waterways and the coast, making them a seafaring community. As people ventured further and further from the coast, they started to explore the nearby islands. A Smithsonian article, “The Great Human Migration” (2008) reveals that around “45,000 years ago, or possibly earlier, [people] had settled Indonesia.” This settlement succeeded the southeastern civilization by about 25,000 years. There are two theories as to why Indonesia was settled. One theory states that “over generations, farmers of land and sea edged south from China” (Taylor, 2003, pp. 7). As the population grew and people traveled, Indonesia was found and soon inhabited. An alternate conjecture is that sea routes brought people to the land (Taylor, 2003, pp. 7). At this point, humans were already somewhat civilized. They had a basic knowledge in technology and they were able to domesticate animals. Many populations inhabited Indonesia and created small civilizations that sometimes blended together. This is how the rich culture of today’s Indonesia was born.
Trading potential and abundant resources drew people to Indonesia. Although disease hit many that attempted to reside on the island, they adapted to the conditions and made use of the land. The geography of the land changed significantly when farming techniques were introduced. Rice is a staple in the Asian diet, even today. As most settlers were of Asian decent, rice cultivation was adopted in Indonesia as well. Settlers had to clear forests in certain areas to allow enough sunlight for rice production (Taylor, 2003, pp. 8-9). They created axes to cut the trees and domesticated water buffalos for plowing purposes (Taylor, 2003, pp. 9). Along with these two types of living, there were some that stayed near the ocean. They took advantage of the sea for fishing and created a great trading area. There is much diversity in how people settled in the archipelago, but the origin of its people’s shaped the way they survived and utilized the land.
The first settlers of Indonesia conquered the obstacles of their environment in order to become successful. The PBS series Guns, Germs and Steel talk about these important steps to becoming a civilization. Indonesian settlers adapted to the many diseases of the jungle and its animals. Natural selection slowly makes the settlers immune from the diseases, while outsiders are still vulnerable – a great biological warfare tactic. Another important achievement was their ability to domesticate the water buffalo. Domestication can protect an animal species while providing many benefits to the human as well. The water buffalo in this case helped with agriculture by eliminating manual labor like plowing fields. This helped produce more food more efficiently. Last of all, the people utilized their abundant resources. The close proximity to the ocean offers fishing and trading opportunities. The archipelago was also rich in metals that the natives took advantage of. Indonesia became an essential stop for many trade routes around the world.
While it is not sure exactly how Indonesia was inhabited, it is known to have diverse settlers. Most of the settlers were thought to be from neighboring nations. The different cultures that lived in the area blended to create its unique culture.
Cited Sources
The Discovery of Java Man in 1891. (2004, January 1). Retrieved September 12, 2014, from http://www.athenapub.com/13dubox1.htm
Gugliotta, G. (2008, July). The Great Human Migration. Retrieved September 10, 2014, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/human-migration.html
Taylor, J. (2003). Early Beginnings: Histories Through Material Culture. In Indonesia: Peoples and Histories (pp. 7-11). Sheridan Books.
Citation:
University of Texas Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/indonesia.html
University of Texas Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/indonesia.html
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/0/39109217/5568857.jpg?950)
Citation: Indonesia: Settlement Points. (n.d.). Retrieved September 15, 2014.
For more information on Indonesia's famous Java Man and how he was discovered, click below!
For additional information of Indonesia's background and beginning, check out this website! It gives a brief overview of Indonesia's history.
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This website gives a great overview of the culture in Indonesia and also gives additional information that can be valuable to understanding the people of Indonesia (population, festivals, etc.).
This website is great for the everyday details about life in Indonesia. It even gave appropriate gestures, greetings and such.
Citation: Maps of Indonesia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://maps.nationmaster.com/country/id/1
Figure 1: Agriculture %
Figure 2: Population
Figure 3: Oil Production
Indonesia is one of the most populous countries in the world.
Religion in Indonesia
The main religions of Indonesia are: Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. Although there is a wide selection of religions that are practiced, one seems to dominate the archipelago: Islam. The origin of Islam began in 7th century Saudi Arabia. It occurred when the prophet Muhammed was contacted and surrendered his life to Allah (Frederick, 1993). After that, he traveled, spreading the word of the new faith. As for Indonesia, like many of its cultural aspects, Islam was introduced through traders. The religion quickly spread; replacing the dominant practices of Buddhism and Hinduism.
Indonesia houses 13% of the world’s Muslim population (Islam). This plays a significant role on how their society works. Islamic influences come from trade with other Islamic nations. Although the country has thought of making Indonesia an Islamic state, they opted for a more secular government. Many of the Muslims have adopted a consumer life style very much like other western countries (Islam). Since Islam is not the only religion present in Indonesia, it does not dominate the people’s way of life. All the religions wish to live harmoniously and so they do. Even though Islam is the most popular of religions in Indonesia, there are many sacred places for the other practices. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world (Sacred, 2005). But, Hindus have the largest selection of sacred places in Indonesia. The first is Pura Besakih, where the holy Mount Agung stands along with a temple. Two other temples include Pura Tanah Lot and Pura Tirta Empul. The latter has a spring that is said to have curing powers (Sacred, 2005). Having all of these different sacred places shows Indonesia’s diversity and acceptance. There are no connections with Indonesia’s government and religions. Because Indonesia is home to so many different people and cultures and religions, the government chooses to stay secular. If the government were to choose one religion to side with, the people of other faiths would feel excluded and it could be detrimental to the political system. This makes Indonesia a lot like the United States, it gives their people freedom to believe what they want. Indonesia started as a country of diversity and blended cultures and it still remains that way today. There is a majority of Islam, but other religions are accepted and advertised throughout the islands. I like that Indonesia has adopted such a peaceful way of life in which people can interact freely with one another. Works Cited Frederick, W., & Worden, R. (1993, January 1). Indonesia: A Country Study. Retrieved October 23, 2014, from http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/ Gamache, M. (2005, January 1). Muslim Reach. Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/10/indonesia/indonesia-illustration Islam in Indonesia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2014, from http://www.indonesia-investments.com/culture/religion/islam/item248 Sacred Sites in Indonesia. (2005, January 1). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from http://www.sacred-destinations.com/indonesia/sacred-sites Unit 2 - Islam. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 24, 2014, from https://mrgrayhistory.wikispaces.com/UNIT 2 - ISLAM |
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Food
Indonesian cuisine has an apparent Asian influence. Dishes consist of rice with a protein and some vegetables. Most of Indonesia is Muslim, so pork is not a common food because the pig is considered sacred. Soups are another common part of meals. Food vendors stroll the streets with a single dish, many serve a meatball and noodle soup. Similar to kebabs, Indonesians like grilled meat served on a stick called 'satay'. Indonesian groceries are somewhat inexpensive and most are locally grown. Not a lot of Western processed food is consumed, because it is not as trusted as the locally grown produce.