Komunitas 8 (1) (2016): 59-72 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/komunitas.v8i1.3669 InternationalKOMUNITAS Journal of Indonesian Society And Culture http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/komunitas Nationalism of Border Society: Case Study of Sangir People, Sangihe Regency Cahyo Pamungkas 1 1Regional Resources Research Centre, Indonesia Institute of Science DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/komunitas.v8i1.3669 Received : 5 Juny 2015; Accepted: 22 March 2016; Published: 31 March 2016 Abstract This study aims to describe how the maintenance of nationalism has been conducted by the state toward border communities and how far citizens understand the concept of the Homeland and border, national pride, and apprehending the meaning of nationalism. The main source of data used in this study was the result of interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, and literature studies conducted in Tahu, and Marore (Sangihe). The findings in this study are as follows. First, the acquisition of knowledge about the Homeland as a political concept, as well as national pride border communities today is increasing due to the development of information technology and the maintenance of nationalism efforts undertaken by the Government. Second, nationalism is defined by the state as measured by people’s understanding toward the concept of nationalism which is less relevant to the socio-economic context of low income border communities. Third, the maintenance of nationalism efforts can be done to accommodate and provide space for cultural identity development of border communities in Indonesia. Keywords: borders; nationalism; maintenance of nationalism; meaning of nationalism INTRODUCTION and the border areas become marginal areas Apprehending nationalism in the border area whose legitimacy depend on the policies of is relevant topic of discussion considering the central government. This perspective as- the fact that the state borders established sumes a proposition that might be mistaken by post-colonialism not only split different which states that the level of nationalism in ethnicities, but also same ethnicity because the border areas is lower than in the center. of different nationalities history within the Nationalism in this study is viewed as same ethnicities (Tirtosudarmo 2005; Ara- part of sociological perspective which re- gon 2012; Aspinall 2007; Barker 2008). The fers to the attachment to national in-groups state borders do not always follow the divi- which love and are proud of their Home- ding line between areas of culture, language, land; and perceptions that the country is tribe, nation, or different economic units superior as compared to other countries (cf. Ulaen Lapian 2009, 2012, p.61). This is (Coenders 2001; Béland and Lecours 2005). in contrast to nationalism in Europe which This view is rooted in the concept of Ador- initiated the establishment of some nation no (1950, p.107) who thinks that nationalism states with clear territorial boundaries. Co- can be divided into patriotism and pseudo- lonialism process has been central in sprea- patriotism. According to him, nationalism ding the concept of the nation state like this. is: “Certain blind attachment to national Starting from the reality in Europe, Wadley cultural values, uncritical conformity with views (2002) that state boundary is a line the prevailing group, and the rejection of which separates the different social systems other nations as out-groups” (Ibid.). Many Corresponding author : © 2016 Semarang State University. All rights reserved Address: Jalan Karbela Timur 2 Karet Setiabudi p-ISSN 2086 - 5465 | e-ISSN 2460-7320 Jakarta Selatan DKI Jakarta Email : [email protected] UNNES JOURNALS Telp : +31684731207 60 Cahyo Pamungkas, Nationalism Of Border Society: Case Study of Sangir People, Sangihe Regency contemporary nationalism studies in so- seen through the knowledge, feelings, and ciological perspective in Europe have been practices of nationalism maintenance. Ho- done, for example Kleinpenning and Ha- wever, the understanding and social practi- gendoorn (1993), Todosijevik (1998), Co- ces carried out by border residents are often enders (2001) and Lactheva (2010). They different from the nationalism spirit which generally use nationalism to observe the is constructed by the state. Therefore, there phenomenon of romantic nationalism and is still a gap between the alleged national in- chauvinism in European countries. In cont- sight to the meaning of nationalism which rast to these previous studies, this current is represented by social practices in the dai- study will only see nationalism in Indonesia ly life of border area residents. Referring to in the perspective of romantic nationalism, the writings of Ben Anderson (1991), natio- which is owned by the residents in the mari- nalism is defined as an imagined political time border (Mietzner 2006; Trajano 2010). community. Often, nationalism has failed The concept of nationalism in this to find relevance and is misunderstood by study is theoretically defined as knowled- the people when they are presented in the ge, feelings, and social practices of loving context of economic, political, and social the Homeland including the cognitive, af- culture. The concept of nationalism as an at- fective, and behavior aspects. The cognitive tempt to maintain a sense of nationalism is aspect is the knowledge of Indonesia as a not sufficient to instill nationalism; it needs country that has geographical and political more than that, especially dealing with jus- boundaries. The affective aspect is the sense tice, welfare and prosperity. of being citizens of Indonesia. And behavior aspect deals with practices instilling a sense Knowledge about Indonesia and Sea of nationalism in everyday life (Elson 2010). Border The study of nationalism in the bor- The knowledge about Indonesia includes der areas that have been done before (Noor knowledge that Indonesia is a nation state 2013) merely focused on the evaluation and with its territorial boundaries. Referring to maintenance of nationalism that is done by previous studies (Noor 2013), that the four the state. According to the study, the exis- pillars of nationality consists of Pancasila, tence of state sovereignty is examined in the 1945 Constitution, the Republic of In- the context of how far the country is able to donesia and Unity in Diversity which can realize and maintain a sense of nationalism be regarded as the paradigm of the concept within its own people. This study assumes of nationalism. Therefore, public knowled- that the greater independence in the mana- ge about the four pillars is included in the gement of nationalism, the sovereignty of a category of knowledge about Indonesia as a country will be more increasing. As a study nation state. from Noor, this paper also tries to describe In connection with current knowled- on how far nationalism is managed by state ge about Indonesia, almost all of the infor- institutions in the context of safeguarding mants in Sangihe mention that Indonesia is national sovereignty. However, in contrast envisioned as an archipelago of thousands to that study, this paper emphasizes how of islands from Sabang to Merauke, rich in far the border residents know, understand, natural resources and human resources, and feel and interpret the sense of nationalism occupied by various tribes and religions. in their everyday life. Another aspect that we This view is obtained through socializati- want to search in this study is how the sen- on conducted by school institution prima- se of nationalism is understood by the state rily concerned with insight of Indonesia and embodied in rituals and how the extent through Pancasila and Civic Education and of the country’s nationalism finds its mea- Social Sciences (IPS).1 The imagination of ning in the context of border communities. most informants about Indonesia as a count- This study also assumes that natio- 1 The interview of Cahyo Pamungkas with KFY, a nalism which is defined by the state can be student of University of Riau, 3 April 2014 in TBK. UNNES JOURNALS Komunitas 8 (1) (2016): 59-72 61 ry which is rich in natural resources is based context, the knowledge and confidence that on the reality in Sangihe as a region which Homeland is nonnegotiable price is not di- produces fish and copra has supported this rectly related to the choice in consumption argument (Kreuzer 2006; Menchik 2014). behavior. The knowledge of Indonesia is not new The mastery of the knowledge about for people living in the border. The observa- Indonesia cannot be separated the sea bor- tion at Sangihe in May 2014 showed that stu- der. Based on the interviews with a number dents of fifth graders have gained the kno- of informants, particularly from traditional wledge of Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, fishermen, they know that Indonesia, Ma- the Republic of Indonesia, Pancasila eagle laysia, and the Philippines are geographi- emblem, flag, and Indonesia Raya Anthem. cally bounded by oceans. However, because They are able to distinguish between Jakarta their boat is not equipped with a Global Po- and Manila. Sangihe people have a preferen- sitioning Satellite (GPS), they do not know ce over the Philippine radio to hear because exactly where the international boundary most of them can speak Visayas and Indo- line is. A fisherman from Tanjung Balai Ka- nesian radio cannot reach them. Mastery of rimun in the interview only indicated if the knowledge about Indonesia, according to boat meets with a group of tanker vessels, one informant, has increased compared to then it can be concluded that these water is the 1960s where the residents in the border outside Indonesia. The same response was were more aware of neighboring countries delivered by the Head of Bappeda Sangihe and even traded with the Philippines pesos. that for all this time, the local government According to him, the ignorance of Indone- does not know the clear coordinate between sia at that time was due to lack of access to Indonesia and the Philippines, there are information and communication technolo- only imaginary border but it remains un- gies, so that they knew more about the Phi- clear (Head of Bappeda, FGD Tahuna 2014).