The Chinese of Sukabumi

This book explores the historical and contemporary experiences of the Chinese in Sukabumi, Indonesia, including their migration to the region, their economic activities, and their relationships with the local population. The book also examines the cultural practices of the Chinese in Sukabumi, including their religion, language, and traditions, and how they have adapted to the local culture. Through extensive research and analysis, the author provides a detailed account of the ways in which the Chinese of Sukabumi have navigated their place in Indonesian society, and the challenges they have faced in doing so. Presented as a co-published edition with Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia, and released in memoriam to the late Mely G. Tan, this edition of The Chinese of Sukabumi honours this original comprehensive study of the social and cultural adaptation of the Chinese community in Sukabumi with the aim of bringing it to a wider international audience. It is an essential resource for scholars and students of Southeast Asian studies, as well as anyone interested in the cultural and social dynamics of the Chinese diaspora.

Auteur

Mely G. Tan was a Peranakan who lived briefly in Sukabumi during the Second World War. The Chinese of Sukabumi is based on her study conducted in 1956-1957 while a student at the Sinological Institute of the University of Indonesia in Jakarta. Her research was carried out under the direction of Professor G. William Skinner, who was then in Indonesia. After completing her research in Indonesia, and following completion of her study at the Sinological Institute, Tan went to Cornell University to do graduate work in anthropology. She was awarded her M.A. degree in 1961. She conducted her doctoral work at Berkeley (1963-1968). Following her return to Indonesia, Miss Tan undertook further field research among the Chinese. She designed and directed a project which studied a number of desa in the Tangerang area (West Java) with special emphasis on the social interaction between Peranakan and indigenous farmers. Writing extensively on economics and Chinese Indonesians, she passed away in Jakarta in April 2024, aged 93 years old.

Contenu

Chapter 1 Historical Development.- Chapter 2 Ethnic Distinctions in the Economy.- Chapter 3 Peranakan Substinence Patterns.