Tourism, Culture and Society

Culture of Indonesia

Definition of culture by ICOMO:
Culture can be defined as the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise a community, society or social group. It includes not only arts and literature, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of the human being, value systems, traditions and beliefs. Culture encompasses the living or contemporary characteristics and values of a community as well as those that have survived from the past.

Arts of Indonesia

Indonesian Cuisine
Indonesian Cuisine has been influenced by the diversity of culinary traditions from countries such as China, India, Middle East and Europe. It does not only represent food that fills a person’s stomach but reflects Indonesia culture and influences.

Unlike Americans, meals in Indonesia are quick and usually private. They are not a form of social activity unless it is an occasion, thus it is not necessary for the whole family to eat together. In most home, the food is prepared early in the morning and thereafter left on the table the whole day. Imagine it to be like a buffet where spreads of dishes are laid on the table and you are free to take the food whenever you are hungry.

Some of the main influences in Indonesian Cuisine would be Dutch, Chinese and Middle East. The rijstaffel (rice table) which was invented by the Dutch is highly popular in Indonesia as many dishes can be displayed at one go.

Rice table

The stir fried dishes cooked in a wok and noodles were some of the most obvious influence of Chinese cooking on Indonesian cuisines. On the other hand, marinated meat on skewers known as sate is clearly a modification of the famous Kebab by the Middle East. Kebab cn also be found in Singapore.

Dried clove, credits to world harmony

Nutmeg, Credits to gastonalive

Spices
Indonesia food has very strong and interesting tastes. Some dishes can be sweet, spicy, hot or a mixture of all. One of the main reasons for the strong flavour is because of spices which are fondly used by the Indonesians. There are only several spices that originate from Indonesia such as Pala (nutmeg), cengkeh (clove) and Laos (galangal) originated from "the spice island" Maluku, Sulawesi. On the other hand, the other spices commonly used such as turmeric, lemongrass and more are from countries like India.

Must have ingredients
Some of the necessary ingredients that are found in most Indonesian cuisines are rice, coconut, banana, peanut, soya bean. Like Chinese, rice is the staple food to Indonesians on most islands such as Java. Other kinds of starch include maize, tapioca etc.

Coconut, a source of many health nutrients can be used in many dishes, can be prepared in a number of ways. Coconut oil is a common medium used while coconut which is used in curries is used to thicken and add flavours to soup. Some of the mouth watering dishes created include Rendang, Laksa ayam or desserts like cendol.


Goreng Pisang, fried banana, Credit to jotsofme

To most, banana would only be eaten as it is and not in any other forms. In Indonesia, bananas can be cooked in many ways from frying to baking or even boiling. This is a popular snack as well. The leaves of the banana can be also used for the wrapping of other food.

Peanuts which is used in the sweet and spicy sauce served with sate can be eaten either as a snack or is served as a side dish. Soya Beans which are a great source of protein can also be eaten in a variety of ways, boiled or fermented.


Satay and satay sauce, credits to penangpassion

National dish of Indonesia
Food is part of life and is part of a country. Therefore each country would have a national dish. A national dish would be defined as a dish, food or a drink that represents a particular country, nation or region. It is usually food that has naturally developed or popular in that country.

Indonesia has many popular dishes however a national dish must be one that represents all the ethnic groups and the Indonesian culture. Sate would be a good example as there is no definite recipe for the sweet and spicy satay sauce. People across Indonesia are able to adopt this dish and change it to suit their taste.

Dining Etiquette
Learning the proper dining etiquette of a different country is important. This is to avoid offending your clients, friends or even relatives who has different a custom.

Dining is mostly casual and relaxed. However during occasions, formal behaviour is required. Some of the most common dining etiquettes include as a guest, you would be shown to your place. Because of the style adopted by Indonesia, food is often placed in the middle and you will be served each of the dishes. Feel free to help yourself if you would like more after that. As a guest, you are expected to wait to be invited to eat. During formal situations, men are served before women. Unlike the westerners, fork and spoon are the most common utensils used or in some cases, people may even use their hands. Thus it best to follow suit.

Balinese food
Like any other parts in Indonesia, Bali has its own unique cuisine as well. Unlike other cuisines, Balinese cuisine has a strong flavour due to sambal condiment and spice mixtures.

Each village in Bali has their own way of cooking but traditional Balinese cuisine has to include Sad Rasa (Six Basic Flavors) .The six flavors are salty, hot, sour, sweet, bitter and sapek. The sad rasa (six flavors) have different names in different regions in Bali.

Not all tourists and visitors will not get the opportunity to taste Balinese cuisine unless they travel out of the touristy areas and head towards local places like Kerobokan, Mengwi or Ubud. This is because most tourists do not like or try the local cuisine and the hotels and restaurants do not usually serve these dishes. Tourists visiting Bali do try the Indonesian food. Some of their favourite dishes include nasi goring, mie goring and satay. These dishes which are very popular with tourists can be found commonly.

Popular Balinese dishes
Most of the famous Balinese foods are made from pork, duck or chicken. Beef is rarely used
as the majority of the population in Bali are Hindu, thus cows are a symbol of a holy animal. The two most famous Balinese dish is Lawar and Babi Guling.

Lawar, credits to baliguide

1. Lawar:
Lawar is made from pig’s blood and spices, together with an assortment of other goodies

Babi guling, credits to eatingasia

2. Babi guling:
The dish is made from a whole pig. It is important to use a young suckling pig because it’s meat is tender. The pig is suckled with spice paste and vegetables inside, and then grilled and rolled up over with dried coconut shells until it is well done.

Balinese eating habits
A typical meal in bali consists of a plate of steamed rice and several main course to go along with it. Both the rice and the main courses(e.g Darkened duck, Roast pork) are served at one go. Soup is usually poured over the meal just like a sauce.

Like us, Balinese usually eat three meals in a day. Lunch would be the heaviest and most important meal of the day. The day starts off with breakfast which can be coffee or a plate of fried rice. Lunch being the heaviest meal consists of rice and several main courses. This includes a meat or fish dish, a vegetable dish, and a soup. Next up would be dinner which is a smaller portion compared to lunch. Desserts can be in the form of fruits or fried banana or sticky rice.

Credits to blackmagicsecrets


Credits to gosublogger

Food available in Bali
Globalisation which is described as the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of political ideas through communication, transportation, and trade. Bali has been influenced by Globalisation over time and it is obvious. For example, famous brands such as MacDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC and even star bucks have several outlets in Bali. There are currently 7 Macdonald outlets in Bali with the latest outlet opened by Rekso Nasional Food (RNF) in Kebo Iwa on 23 December 2009. Most of the outlets are located in major tourist spots like Kuta Beach, Kuta Square. On the other hand, major competitor KFC has 10 outlets as compared to Macdonald. These big brands have made their mark in islands such as Bali due to the high tourist’s demands. With millions of tourists visiting Bali each year, these brands are continually opening more and more outlets. In addition, Japanese, French and even Italian cuisines can be found in touristy areas. Is this a sign that the Balinese are adopting and giving in to tourists demands?

In my opinion I expect Bali to be like Singapore in future with MacDonald found in almost every corner of the country. However I believe that as long as the Balinese pass down their traditions such as teaching the young ones how to cook Balinese dishes and they learning how to appreciate the food, the Balinese food will continue to exist. Yes tourism has introduced more food to the island and exposed the younger generation to western brands and taste. But tourism has not changed the way these dishes have been cooked. Unlike popular Indonesian dishes such as Gado Gado, the Babi Guling and Lawar is less appreciated.