The Melting of Malay Cultural Identity of Official Resort in Bintan Regency Riau Island Province

ACCOMAC (Juli, 2017): 69-73

GENNY GUSTINA SARI

Faculty of Social and Political Science, Riau University, Kampus Bina Widya, Indonesian email: [email protected]

Abstract.This research aims to identify the melting of Malay cultural identity of official resort Bintan Regency in the Riau Islands Province. By analyzing two International scale tourist attractions that is Southeast Asia's largest Outdoor Treasure Bay in the Village of Lagoi Nikoi Island and on the island of Bintan. The Riau Islands are very bold in sustaining cultural Malay but its look very contrasting with the presence of international resorts. Using Qualitative research methods and techniques of observation and in-depth interviews, this research produces conclusions about the melting of Malay cultural identity of official resort Bintan Regency in the Riau Islands. The results from the field data shows www.nikoi.com and www.treasurebaybintan.com website site had been managed very well using the full language of English and it is adjusted to the international market. Melting of Malay cultural identity for the employees of the resort become insignificant compared to the magnitude of the wages they received while working at the resort. There is a pride for the people of Riau Islands could work in the expensive resort so they do not care about the preservation of Malay culture. The fusion of the cultures can be seen from the orientation of work and physical appearance.

Keywords: New Media, Cultural Identity, Bintan

Introduction which reached 800 meters or 50 time size as Olympic Swimming Pool. Indonesian as known as one of tropical country with beautiful, interesting and natural Nikoi has been known by its private island marine tourism, make most of foreign tourists in the north east of Bintan Island. located fell like in heaven and marking Indonesia areas nearest from singapore, make a lot of visitors as one of tourist destination in the world. were the citizents of singapore. Since it was a Include Bali Island, Treasure Bay Pool and Nikoi private island make it selective and it can only Island in Bintan Island also is one of the most accessed by upper class. For one day, the price famous maritimes tourism island in the world. In for rental in island reached 150-200 thousand 2013th, Treasure Bay was inaugurated with dollar, and for single bedroom reach 3.6 million name Cristal Lagoons by former Presiden Susilo rupiah. Nikoi Island was named “The Best Bambang Yudhoyono. Using technique of Private Island 2016th” by Conde Nast Traveller seawater distilation, Treasure Bay now as know magazine. as the largest swimming pool in Southeast Asia Economic is one sector that gets benefit from this phenomenon, as well as the local

69 GENNY GUSTINA SARI.Melting of Malay Cultural Identity of Official Resort In Bintan Regency Riau... community. But without realizing, every effect possessed by a tribe are obtained makes some value of Malay Culture being in an untested, unintentional or melted. With incoming new culture make some even unnotice manner. anxiety that it can bring more changes to the 2. Cultural Identity Search. Identity Indigenous cultures of Malay. When the rules search include a process of form capital owner take all above else. And of exploring, questioning and testing course new media became one way to promoting on another identity, someone must this tour. keep searching and learning about Rika Ristinawati’s research indicates that it. This search can be done through human and society are one that can’t be more in-depth research or ask separated. In this day human can’t judge by his family, friends, or trace it personality but by how great his ability to imitate scientifically. Somewhat different lifestyles in which mass media has taken a big from the identity inherited and role. New culture can not be put as an icon, but learned by the next generation by like a tool for transforming society into more unconsciously, cultural identitiy consumptive. search needed a process of finding Malay is one of ethnic or tribe that spread cultural identity, tracking and all over Southeast Asia. That history and culture learning some of culture. have a connection with long journey of the 3. Cultural Identity was obtained by Indonesia, even before the Malay Kingdom really identity with clarity and confidence existed. With ethnic communities in half of in self-acceptance through an Southeast Asia, and there are many countries in internalization of culture that then Southeast Asia representing with its original forms our identity. language. But, cultural aspect has impact and 4. Conformity: Internalization. connected each other. Formation of identity can be In Malay tradition, there is a kind of phrase obtained through internalization “Adat Bersendikan Syarak, dan Syarak that constitutes to conformity. Bersendikan Kitabullah”. This implies that Thus, internalization process was directly or indirectly, the tradition of Malay serves to make norms of a person culture in Riau be based on Islam. On the other to be the same (conformity) with side, Raja Ali Haji ever said in Twelve Gurindam dominant norms or make that (1847), that “Tak kan Melayu Hilang di Bumi”. norms assimilated into dominant The sentence was used to show how Malay culture. At this stage people can Society believes in their customs and culture. see themselves from some point of The importance of their culture and custom so i view of dominant culture, not from arised much expression, like “Let the child die, the origin culture. but not Custom” or “Let our wife die, not 5. Resistance and Separatism. custom”. All of these phrases have been existed Resistance and separatism are in every generation and ingrained to the Malay. identity of culture was formation Liliweri (2003: 35-46) explain that cultural from a particular community identity is formed with a process, there are (sometimes a minority community several stages: of ethnicity, tribe, and even 1. Cultural Identity Accidental. At this religion) as exclusively community stage, cultural identity is formed behaves to reject dominant norms accidentally or unconsciously. This culture or separete themselves culttral identity is formed because from the majority. of the influence of a more dominant 6. Integration Cultural Identity, form cultural display, so that people will by cultural integration, in which follow-up to form a new identity. someone or group develop of new Many of the cultural identities identity that be the result of the

eISSN: 2581-0782 | pISSN: 2581-0766 70 ACCOMAC (Juli, 2017): 69-73

integration of various cultures from People can choose whether they community or society. will let others know about their Daphne A. Jameson in his journal cultural background or not. The Reconceptualizing Cultural Identity and Its Role biological components is rastling in Intercultural Business Communication (2007: culture, ethnicity, gender, age, 218-225) explain that’s Cultural Identity has an sometimes make other to give attributes: away from their competence. a. Cultural Identity is affected by d. Cultural Identity May Evoke Close Relationship. A person’s has Emotions. People may have close relationship with others like positive, negative, neutral or their family or friend. People who ambigous feelings about the have friends with different cultures, components of their own cultural will steady adopt beliefs and identity. Sometimes even attitudes from their friend. This consciously or feel unaware to their process often takes place by own identity. When someone is accident, but can change into negative about another’s cultural qualitative psychic transformation. identity, several possibilities may Therefore, it’s important to consider happened. Ting Toomey (1986) in how a modified relation cultural his identity validity model theorized identity of someone. that people develop positive or negative attitudes toward their own b. Cultural Identity Changes Over cultural identity based on Time. In the way of life, many perception about how other can people change they economy class supported that identity. By or profession field. Some people accepted another cultural identity, maybe change their nationality one side of that relation can give even religion. Although people force motivation underlying the didn’t change their original intergroup relationship in which language, but there are many interpersonal relationships can be person come up with new dialects developed. in then. Those changes make affected cultural identity society. e. Cultural Identity can be negotiated Even when there are changes, through Communication. Cultural other components of cultural identity can negotiated through identity remain an important and communication but just in one relevant of someone for a long situation. The person should be period of time. aware of the components of their cultural identity and feel comfort c. Cultural Identity Is Closely with the other to making Intertwined With Power And discussion. Even though the others Privilege. A person without group or know about they cultural identity, institution has limited control or the do not always communicate it. lost control for all of the power and Although some aspects of cultural privilege or the ability external identity are physically visible in perceptions about cultural identity. face-to-face, there are still invisible Some components of cultural aspects like religion, class, and identity may be hidden or can call profession. Even in media as ‘accidental affiliations’. For interactions, like email or phone, example, physical characteristics the components of their cultural make ethnical backgrounds identity become hidden, unless someone can explain who is it, but they express it on purpose. can be so ambiguous to others.

71 GENNY GUSTINA SARI.Melting of Malay Cultural Identity of Official Resort In Bintan Regency Riau...

This research was focused to see on how foreign, and of course looking. Those who work Malay Culture of Official Resort in Bintan as tour guide as unwritten to able adjust style Regency Riau Island can melted with observation with whatever situation start from how to wear, into tourism object in Treasure Bay and Nikoi hair-dye and tattooing his body. Authors had a Island. meeting with a female DJ and she admitted that having to get used to bikini to joint in a beach Research Methods party. Even though at the beginning she had been felt uncomfortable, but over time she This research used descriptive qualitatif thought that it was reasonable and be method. With this method, research must be comfortable and continued to wear sexy clothing focused in contextual research that makes man on her daily life. as an instrument and adapted into relation situasion and combine qualitative data collection. The workers at the Lagoi resort have As Denzin and Lincoln (in Moleong, 2005:5) say different classes. Those who making contact that qualitative research is a study using a directly with visitors usually look so cleaner, natural setting, it’s mean to interpret the more presentable and follow the modes such as phenomenon that happen in many situation. This managerial team, receptionist or employees who is means that research describing something as become the icon of a tourist attraction. While in it is in real situation, and get an objective the second class are the workers who are not conclusion; researchers try to understand sign related or communicate with visitors like by interpreting the various problems in every cleaning service, office boy, technicians and situation. others. This research was conducted in Bintan Capability to using internet and knows Regency of Riau Island province in September about communication technology also be an until November 2016. The workers in Treasure assessment for company or manager Bay and Nikoi Island are the informant. recruitment employees. And of course, payment Technique data collection used Observation and was very different from both classes. The in-depth interviews. employees first class usually earn 6-10 million for one month by looking their function and job Results and Discussion description, while at second class they earn 3-5 million for a month. Based on observations, Bintan Island have a big raise, there’s no spesific stage house of The informants who get a job to set up malay, had a beautiful erope nuanced resorts Treasure Bay Pool admit if he earns 4 million with nice scenery when we walk in along Bintan rupiah monthly, the dishwasher get income 3.5 road. The increasing number of foreign tourist million for one month. While the first class who visiting was dominated by Singapore citizent and receives a higher income among them is head of other countries. security 6.5 milion monthly, the receptionist receives 7 million and assistent manager Have special overseas beach scene where receives nearly 9 million salaries for once month. visitors are use bikini, full of colorful hair of visitors can be found here. the restaurant Personal and cyberspace identity are provides alcohol drinks, beach party and also closely related with abilities of the native of Disc Jokey can not be missed. And of course this Malay employees. There are some factors for the culture is contradicted with Malay culture which workers to get a social class, those are; have is full of politeness and religious values. But, language skills especially English, the ability to authors see some of locals also imitate the look control information technology and the ability to and lifestyle of visitors and also tried to mingle adapted style from outside culture. All the with them. promises they get from the company make them tried hard and encouraged also motivated their One of the tour guides whose authors families or children to have that three abilities interviewed admitted that the main capital for Some informants even stated that they wanted mingling with the visitors was language. English is a unifying language between local people and

eISSN: 2581-0782 | pISSN: 2581-0766 72 ACCOMAC (Juli, 2017): 69-73 this job will continue by their son even just being woman in general. The identity of park attendant in Lagoi. the organizational indicates that The author found a different orientation malay-origin workers will only get from these two low managerial worker classes. in a low managerial level, as well as The first class has a prestice orientation besides their personal and cyberspace money, but the second class has a purely for identity showed Malay hearland of money orientation. For Malay citizent who is prestice or pride and put on their living in the Lagoi Resort Area, working in Lagoi ability to accept and adapt western although only as a low-level worker is better values. than working in outside. The main factor into consideration is incomes generated and pride. References Liliweri, Alo. (2003). Makna Budaya Dalam Komunikasi Antar Budaya. Yogyakarta : Conclusions Lkis. Moleong, Lexi. (2005). Metode Penelitian The conclusions of this research are: Kualitatif. Bandung : Remaja Rosda Karya 1. The melting of Malay culture of the Samovar, Larry A. Richard E Porter & Edwin R. resort’s employees is based on two Mc Daniel. (2010). Komunikasi Lintas factors, there are economic and Budaya. Jakarta : Salemba Humanika. prestice factor. Earning above the https://hangtuahnews.co.id/sejarah-dan- minimun average of wage with budaya-melayu-dalam-perjalanan-awalnya/ dollar standar regarded could build http://batamnews.co.id/berita-3067-kawasan- a prestice in the family so their wisata-baru-seluas-1300-hektar-hadir-di- child are expected and prepared to lagoi-bintan.html Identitas Manusia Dalam Budaya Populer continue the job. (http://lib.ui.ac.id/file?file=digital/127443- 2. The melting of Malay cultural RB16R191i-Identitas%20manusia- identity can be seen from the Analisis.pdf) physical appearance of female http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0 resort officers who no longer show 021943607301346 the look or attitude as a Malay