Johanes Koraag

The Intersectoral Collaboration for Indigenous Religions “Rumah Bersama” held  the 5th International Conference on Indigenous Religion at the Javanology Innovation Center of Sebelas Maret State University, Surakarta, Wednesday-Thursday (22-23/11/2023). The 5th ICIR raised the theme “Democracy of the Vulnerable” with the aim of revisiting the existence and determining the best position for the indigenous religions of the archipelago amid the turbulent dynamics of democracy in Indonesia. Often the existence of indigenous religions is overlooked because society in general prioritizes discourses related to elections and related trappings. The theme of the 5th ICIR is a response to the momentum of the 2024 General Election which shows that the discourse and space of democracy are still too dominated by various electoral narratives that focus on the interests of a handful of political and economic elites.

Electoral democracy is always trapped in the ceremonial aspect, utilizing the people’s five-year desire for new leadership that is expected to bring changes to their lives. However, in reality, after several general elections, people still have to face a tough life that does not necessarily change after they make their choices for the leaders of the country and their representatives in parliament. In fact, what often happens is that people are approached before the elections, given sweet promises as long as they vote for certain people. Then, after the elections are over, they will be abandoned and immersed in all the routines of their lives.

In the 5th ICIR parallel session panel 7 with the theme “Toward Inclusive Religious Freedom”, moderated by Athanasia Safitri, two young researchers, Khansanida Afifah Wardana, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Law, Diponegoro University, Semarang, and Astrid Syifa Salsabilla, a master’s student at the CRCS-UGM Postgraduate School presented their research. Wardana presented her research entitled “Restriction of Rights: The Vortex of Religious Freedom and Democracy in Indonesia.” In her presentation, Wardana stated,  “One of the core aspects in building a healthy democracy is the existence of religious freedom in a country.” The role of religion in the public domain and in the realm of government, makes a major contribution in creating community empowerment. The problem lies in the stagnant paradigm that Indonesia only recognizes ‘official’ religions and ignores the rights and voices of adherents of traditional beliefs or Aliran Kepercayaan.

Wardana found three models of the relationship between religion and democracy. The first is the Negative Relationship, which is religion as a conservative force that is contrary to democracy which hinders human freedom and autonomy. Second, the Neutral Relationship, where religion and political affairs go on their own or “Political Secularization,” prioritizing the principles of rationality and efficiency that make religion a private matter. The third is Positive Relationship, where religion strongly supports the democratization process, both political, economic, and cultural. In a positive relationship, religion always provides ethos, spirit, and doctrinal content for the growth of democratic life.

In the case of Indonesia, Wardana divides the relationship between religion and democracy in Indonesia into three time periods. The Old Order period, the New Order period, and the Post-Reform period. During the Old Order period, the Ministry of Religious Affairs was established and began its role by providing the government with an official definition of religion, which marked the beginning of a discriminatory regime that distinguished between the official state religion and religions that did not meet the definition of religion and were classified as beliefs only. It was also during this period that Law No. 1 on Blasphemy was passed in 1965. The New Order period was born as a response to the political events of September 30, 1965, which made members and sympathizers of the communist party decide to embrace certain religions to avoid being killed. The New Order government also made Pancasila the ideological basis of all political organizations and parties. The role of religion in this era was reduced to only being part of the culture and education process. The collapse of the New Order regime in 1998 opened new horizons in the democratic scene in Indonesia. Freed from the constraints of a very restrictive New Order government, Indonesian society experienced euphoria in various fields. One of them is in the field of religion. Excessive religious zeal has caused friction between religious communities. This has caused the government to re-issue regulations that provide restrictions on religious communities.

In conclusion of her research, Wardana said that there is indeed a close relationship between religion and democracy that cannot be denied. Religion comes from God, but the meaning and actualization of religion will only be formed when its adherents in a cultural reality. Therefore, the relationship between religion and democracy is a necessity. Constitutional protection related to freedom of religion and belief that is not followed by changes in legislation, namely Law No. 1 of 1965 and Article 156a of the Criminal Code will eliminate the idea of inclusive religious freedom in Indonesia.

As a second presenter, Salsabilla presented her research entitled “Religious Freedom as Communal Rights: Contesting the ‘Agama’ Column in Indonesia’s Family Card for Religious Conversion Rights.” In her research, Salsabilla problematized the right to change religious identity for Indonesian citizens who convert. The problem arises because in the public administration to change the religion column on the identity card requires a complicated, long, and tiring process. The reality that often occurs is that Indonesian citizens who want to change their religious identity will encounter obstacles from public servants at the public service office. Salsabilla argued that the right to have a religion and/or change one’s religion is a fundamental human right that should not be hindered or complicated by the state. This human right is even enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD 1945) on Articles 28E and 29 is cited to show religious freedom.

However, religious conversion is still unfavorable, especially for several Muslim communities. At the same time, there are several policies that indicate resistance to religious conversion, such as Law Number 22 in 2002 (UU No. 22 Tahun 2022). In Presidential Regulation No. 96/2018 (Perpres No. 96/2018), it is stated, “The issuance of a Resident Identity Card for Indonesian Citizens with Permanent Residence due to changes in the elements in the card, the owner must submit a Family Card, an old Identity Card, a Permanent Residence Permit Card, and a certificate of biodata changes due to Population Events and Important Events” (Art. 19). Changing religious identity, which is a basic human right, is not easy due to the many regulations issued by the government. The politics of population administration proves that the Indonesian government still does not fully protect and fulfill the human rights of its citizens, namely freedom of religion and belief. In closing, Salsabilla stated, “Conflicts that arise due to different views on religious conversion may be unavoidable, but the state must ensure that every citizen can fulfill their rights through policies made. The regulations must also link the individual and communal dimensions so as not to harm Indonesian citizens while striving for the implementation of human rights in full.”

Both presenters explained the reality that still occurs in Indonesia, a democracy which has not treated its citizens fairly with equal treatment. Favoritism towards certain religious groups is still ongoing and tends to be tolerated, especially in terms of population administration. The regulations made have not been maximized in providing protection and a sense of justice for all Indonesian citizen

Johanes Koraag

Democracy, rooted in the Greek tradition of organizing society by electing representatives of the people to become public servants, has now become a system of government adopted by most modern countries. Democracy has become the main standard and indicator of a country’s progress. If a country desires to label itself a democratic society, it should consciously place respect and protection on human rights. The basic core of the democratic system is the recognition of individual rights in participating to determine who will be elected to be the leader of the country. The motto of democracy “of the people, by the people, and for the people” indicates that in a democratic state, it is the people who hold the supreme power. The leaders of the country are individuals who are elected directly or indirectly by the people for a certain period of time and are mandated by their voters to run the wheels of government.

Indonesia needs to indigenize democracy and human rights in accordance with the context of Indonesia as a multicultural country. Democracy was born from the womb of a monocultural Greek society and developed in a Western society. Hence, the values contained in a democracy need to be adapted to the very diverse Indonesian society. If we impose the principles of democracy and human rights as applied in Western countries, then both will experience resistance or even backlash from multicultural societies such as Indonesia.

In panel 2 of the 5th ICIR Conference, there were three presenters who presented their research results related to efforts to indigenize democracy and human rights to suit the very diverse situation and conditions of Indonesia. The first presenter is Musdodi Manalu of CRCS UGM with his research entitled “DO NOT TAKE OUR HOME! The Challenge of Suku Anak Dalam’s Life Under the Demands of Modernization.” In his research, Manalu highlighted the government’s efforts to modernize the Suku Anak Dalam (Orang Rimba, Kubu’s Tribe) by building permanent houses with the intention that they would no longer be nomadic in the forests of Sumatra.

Suku Anak Dalam possesses a rich and intricate culture grounded and has a deep connection with the natural world. Their belief system encompasses the spiritual world inhabited by forest spirits, ancestors, and various natural phenomena. This spiritual worldview finds expression through art, music, and dance, forming an integral part of their cultural identity. Suku Anak Dalam is an indigenous group that lives in the lowland rainforest of Sumatra, Indonesia. They are one of the last hunter-gatherer societies globally and maintain a profound connection with the natural world. The estimated population of this tribe is approximately 200,000 people, predominantly residing in Jambi province, with smaller populations in South Sumatra and Riau provinces. Typically organized in small, nomadic groups consisting of extended families. They exhibit a decentralized social structure. The traditional lifestyle of Suku Anak Dalam revolves around hunting, gathering, and fishing. Their adept understanding of the forest and its resources enables them to thrive in this demanding environment. Their dwellings, constructed from leaves and branches, are modest, and they frequently relocate their camps to track the availability of food and resources.

The government’s approach of wanting the tribe to change their culture of living in the forest to living in houses is a futile effort, as the tribe is a community that relies heavily on the forest for its livelihood. When they are forced to live in houses built by the government and have to stay for a long period of time, it is the same as removing them from the “home” they have lived in all this time. The forest for this tribe is not a foreign and dangerous place as perceived by the government. Instead, the forest is a safe and comfortable mansion for the tribe. They are free to interact with nature and all the animals in it, their children used to play in trees and rivers and joke with all the animals they met in the forest. The forest is an integral part of the Anak Dalam tribe’s life, uprooting them from the forest is like cutting the roots of their lives. It is impossible for these tribes to survive outside the forest, the forest is the source of life for them. This tribe confronts numerous challenges, including deforestation, encroachment by external parties, and discrimination. In addition, they are susceptible to diseases and conflicts with other groups.

Suku Anak Dalam represents a vital component of Indonesia’s cultural heritage and plays a pivotal role in the conservation of rainforests. They have a deep understanding and interconnectedness of humans and nature. They believe that the forest is not only given to humans, but should be shared by all living creatures. They understand the importance of forests in maintaining environmental balance and providing oxygen to their communities. Instead of modernizing them, we should learn from their wisdom and respect their deep connection to nature.

The focus of the modernizing paradigm on control and uniformity is not effective for them due to their deep connection to the forest. Physical construction as a modernization tool disconnects them from the forest, leading to exploitation and forest destruction. The government should adopt a communicative approach to understand Suku Anak Dalam’s needs and worldview, recognizing them as equal citizens. Empowering them should include fulfilling their citizenship rights and supporting sustainable practices. By recognizing their inherent value and indigenous knowledge, the government can better integrate them into Indonesia’s diverse society.

The second presenter was Oluwasegun Ogunsakin from the Department of Peace and Security Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. He presented his research entitled “Protection and Enhancing Of Human Rights Inclusion For Sustainable Democracy In Nigeria.”

A sustainable democracy requires strong institutions, reliable structures, and active citizens. To achieve this, there is a need to balance state power with strong competing interests that hamper the development of democratic institutions. Sustainable Democracy protects and advances the right to vote, democratic culture, and community values. It is developing all aspects of democracy and a healthy democratic atmosphere to benefit present and future generations. Sustainable democracy means thinking about approaches to address the root causes of antidemocratic behavior by collaborating information and communication technology (ICT) and civic education about democracy.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse nation of 36 autonomous states and the Abuja Federal Capital Territory. Nigeria has more than 220 million population and various languages, the nation is endowed with natural resources. According to Aduba (2012), human rights are the essence of every human being, namely, defining and affirming their humanity. According to the United Nations, democracy provides “a society that respects human rights and fundamental human freedoms and in which the free will of the people is exercised.

It cannot be denied that the Nigerian Constitution contains many complex provisions that provide basic rights to Nigerian citizens (Okangla, 2021). Furthermore, there is no doubt that these provisions align with international human rights instruments to deepen democratic governance in the country. Nevertheless, what is worrying is how successive governments, particularly the current administration, have promoted and enforced these regulations.

In Nigeria, many laws have been passed since 1999 to promote, protect and enforce human rights. With the many legal regulations that have been issued by the government, to this day Nigeria still faces many challenges in realizing sustainable democracy. The challenge is in the form of the emergence of terrorism and banditry in several states that are still facing problems of poverty. As a result of severe poverty, some groups take shortcuts by committing crimes. However, there are some people who carry out terror with religious motivations, influenced by deviant religious interpretations. The ease of obtaining weapons from illicit trade that often occurs in Africa adds to the complexity of the terrorism problem in Nigeria. A strong government system is being built in Nigeria, but its resilience must still be tested.

In protecting and enhancing human rights inclusion for sustainable democracy in Nigeria, it is important that democracy needs to continue to be fostered and protected. It was found that human rights inclusion in Nigeria is vital to achieving sustainable democracy. It should be noted that the Nigerian constitution, with its various legal frameworks, must be improved to ensure that all citizens are included in protecting human rights. This study highlights that although there are challenges facing the country, the development of action-based policies will lead to sustainable democracy and push for inclusive human rights for all Nigerians.

The third and final presenter on this panel was Nuruddin Al Akbar, a political science doctoral student at the UGM Department of Politics and Government. The title of the presentation was “From Physical to Metaphysical Foundation of Earth Democracy: Reflection on Radhakrisnan’s Philosophy of Religion.”

Akbar’s study attempts to show the relevance of Radhakrisnan’s thought in relation to strengthening the foundations for Earth Democracy. Earth Democracy is a movement that “prioritizes people and nature above commerce and profits.” In the original earth democracy scheme developed by Vandana Shiva. Shiva relies more on the latest findings in physics, especially regarding quantum physics, which emphasizes the interconnection of all things, including humans and nature. Shiva’s idea was that a decentralized approach to agriculture, based upon a diverse array of locally adapted seeds, would be more likely to weather the vagaries of a changing climate than a system relying on only a few varieties.

Earth Democracy connects people in circles of care, cooperation, and compassion instead of dividing them through competition and conflict, fear, and hatred. As a Philosophy/Consciousness, Earth Democracy tried to universalize the idea of Peace, Care, Compassion. Spreading the perspective from cooperatism (I-ness) to People and Environment Centered (we-ness). The idea of Earth Democracy is based on the spirit of re-connection between humans and nature and humans and other humans. This idea is a criticism of the contemporary conception of democracy, which is built on the metaphysics of anthropocentrism, which negates the intrinsic value of nature.

In turn, this negation of the intrinsic value of nature actually turns around to negate the intrinsic value of humans which in modern democracy is reduced to mere numbers and can be easily manipulated through the collaboration of politicians and corporations. Akbar’s study agrees with Shiva that the reconstruction of democracy requires the reconstruction of human consciousness. However, Akbar believes that the reconstruction of consciousness can not only be built on the foundations of new physics but also metaphysics. The metaphysics offered by Radhakrishnan based on the concept of tat twam asi can be an alternative because of its ecumenical and integral nature (in other words, physics and metaphysics are inseparable as the foundation of earth democracy).

From the three presenters, we can conclude that the main idea when we are talking about democracy and development is inclusivity and connectivity. The main reason why in this world today there are a lot of conflicts arises because humans experience separation from Mother Nature. Natural resources that are becoming increasingly scarce are being fought over by increasingly large numbers of humans. Humanity must think more seriously about the consequences caused by development projects, especially those related to the preservation and continuity of nature. We have to think about what kind of earth we will pass on to the generations who will live in the future.

Johanes Koraag

Before world religions entered and spread their teachings in the Nusantara Region, some beliefs grew in every ethnic and subethnic community that existed. To this day, indigenous religions are still alive and thriving in various corners of Indonesia. At one time, there was a forced attempt by the government to make these indigenous religions sublimate and merge with world religions, but through persistence to maintain their identity, some persevered and continue to develop.

The existence of these indigenous religions of the archipelago disturbed the hearts of believers and leaders of these imported religions. They unilaterally define people who embrace these beliefs as “irreligious” because religious standards are used as indicators. Java, as an island with a population density that exceeds other islands and a history of civilization whose roots can be traced back several thousand years, gave birth to many belief systems that grew along with the development of its society. This Javanese belief system is more familiarly called the Kejawen stream (Javanism).

Religion and belief have long been the subject of political and academic debate among intellectuals studying religion and belief. Many books have been written related to the intertwining of religion and belief, mostly from the point of view of academics who study religions and want to explore the existence of the kebatinan movement and its development in modern Indonesia.

Eka Ningtyas, is a lecturer in the History faculty at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History, Society, and Civilization, Institute National des Langues et Civilization Orientales (INALCO) Paris. As a historian, she is working on the history of ideas in Indonesia during the modern era, especially in the formation of the notion of Javanism in the 19-20^th centuries. Her doctoral research focuses on Javanism in modern Indonesia’s political-religious and literary discourse.  She presented her research at the Wednesday Forum, October 25, 2023 held by CRCS and ICRS.

According to the data found by Ningtyas , in August 1955 for the first Indonesian Kebatinan Congress, 618 people from 47 organizations, gathered at Ashoka Building Semarang, to discuss mysticism or gerakan kebatinan to define the notion of kebatinan and understand it in the context of the principles contained in Pancasila as the ideology of the Indonesian nation. After the congress, the group that gathered in Semarang became known as Aliran Kebatinan.

For those who do not study Indonesian history, kebatinan is often regarded as a newly emerging modern phenomenon that has only recently become a topic of discussion among intellectuals even though this ‘kebatinan movement’ has an older age than the newly born Indonesian state in 1945. The movement’s name is derived from mystical practices that have developed in the Malay world since the end of the 19^th century. This movement was characterized by an emphasis on spirituality. In her presentation, Ningtyas focused on the formation of religious discourses in the Indonesian Kebatinan Congress of 1955 as a response to the relationship between the state and society within the framework of religion as codified by the Pancasila. Her main concerns are the formation of the concept of kebatinan, the debates it raised, and the position of the kebatinan movement within the religious discourse in 1950s Indonesia. She argues that at this period, Indonesia’s religious discourse was fluid and loosely formalized. The progressive formalization process starting from this period can be analyzed through the formation of an umbrella organization for the kebatinan movement by some adherents who considered themselves as representing a brand different from mainstream religious institutions.

The struggle of the kebatinan movement to be able to exist as one of the Indigenous religions that was born and developed in Indonesia experienced great challenges because the Indonesian Government adopted a definition of religion based on indicators required by world religions such as Protestantism, Catholicism, and Islam. The religions of this world stipulate that a faith can be considered a religion if it has the basic things they have, namely worshiping one God, having scriptures, and a prophet as a messenger from God.

The occurrence of bloody violence in October 1965 caused the position of the kebatinan sect to be more cornered because some members of the BKKI (Badan Kongres Kebatinan Indonesia) were also members of the Indonesian Communist Party. In 1970, the leaders of the kebatinan movement were officially invited to join Golongan Karya by the government.  Aliran Kebatinan was asked to change the name from kebatinan to kepercayaan (belief). In 1978, the New Order regime finally stressed that spiritual belief could be understood and treated as culture and should not conflict with the “official religions” of Indonesia. The government then transferred the affairs of spiritual beliefs from the Ministry of Religion to the Ministry of Culture.

Given the struggle of Aliran Kepercayaan, which has been struggling since the 1950s to obtain recognition and fair and equal treatment from the state, the government should have abandoned the colonial paradigm that placed Aliran Kepercayaan as a different entity from religion. This is a legacy of Dutch colonial colonialism that aims to divide the nation. The values espoused in religions are often different or at least interpreted differently. However, if you look at the history of the birth of religion, then religion is a form of belief in the existence of forces outside of humans, or God and His teachings. When viewed from the source of religious teachings, namely from God, then any religious teaching should be basically the same because the source is the same. These differences in values are not contradicted as much as possible but are mutually respected and harmonized. This is the duty of the Government as a regulator to regulate and provide the same rights and obligations to all existing beliefs in Indonesia.

Rezza Prasetyo Setiawan 

The customary law is the result of daily conversations held in coffee shops, in the verandas of mosques, schools, or village halls. That’s the living law of the people. … How is that going to be made into a regional regulation (Perda)? Sulistyowati Irianto — Commissioner of Komnas HAM

The inclusion of the Living Law in article 2 of Undang-undang No.1 Tahun 2023 tentang Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Pidana (Criminal Code) has drawn a lot of criticism from academics and indigenous community activists. The inclusion of the “living law” was supposed to be a recognition for the Indonesian indigenous peoples, but is actually considered to be potentially detrimental in its implementation.

This topic was discussed in depth at the first plenary session of the International Conference and Consolidation on Indigenous Religions (ICIR), which was held on 22-23 November 2023 at the PUI Javanologi building, Sebelas Maret University, Solo. The discussion, entitled “Living Laws in the New Penal Code: Recognition or Restrictions of Indigenous Communities?”, was guided by Husni Mubarok as moderator, along with Sulistyowati Irianto from National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Tommy Indriadi from the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara; AMAN), Dewi Kanti Setianingsih from The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), and Samsul Maarif from the Center of Religious and Cross-cultural Studies as the speakers. This article will highlight the main points of discussion, by also emphasizing the main problems in the inclusion of customary law in the new Criminal Code.

Understanding legal pluralism

As the opening speaker, Irianto proposed a legal pluralism perspective to remind us of the legal plurality which should not be contradicted with each other, as is currently being enacted through article 2 of the new Criminal Code. There were at least two problems mentioned by Irianto regarding this topic.

First, she pointed out that states, traditional communities, religious communities, and various other social contexts have their own laws. These laws coexist within the same social context. It would be absurd to include the customary law into a state law in the form of a regional regulation (Perda) as proposed in the new Criminal Code, because the enactment of state law should not negate the law that applies (lives) in the community itself. Therefore, to understand the situation, a legal pluralism perspective is important to show that there are many laws simultaneously applied in every social context. The inclusion of living law in the 2023 Criminal Code ignores this plurality, assuming only a monolithic legal structure living within the society.

The second problem is regarding the definition of customary law which cannot be standardized in a static understanding. The customary laws living in the society are dynamic and cannot be mapped with certainty because these laws interact with each other and are continuously changing according to their own particular contexts. The living laws diffuse with each other and cannot be easily separated as in the assumption of the legislators. It is formed in conversations in public spaces, in informal meetings and in everyday life. Therefore, living laws are very dynamic and mapping them for implementation through a static written form would be impossible.

Vulnerabilization

Apart from being dynamic, the Penghayat communities in Indonesia are very diverse in composition: some are already registered, some are based on community or Paguyuban, and there are also Penghayat individuals who cannot be either easily or properly registered. Within this context, the formulation of regulations that ignore this diversity will create confusion in interpreting the written articles, which will tend to make indigenous peoples more vulnerable, especially the indigenous women.

One example taken by Setianingsih and Irianto regards the difficulty of registering marriages of indigenous families. This difficulty makes the Penghayat household be perceived as extra-marital cohabitation, which makes them more vulnerable to negative stigma from society. Therefore, instead of being recognized and strengthened, the inclusion of customary law in the new Criminal Code will potentially become a source of vulnerability for indigenous communities, especially for women who are more vulnerable to social stigmas. This problem is stated by Setianingsih, a female adherent of Sunda Wiwitan who also draws from her experience as a Commissioner of the National Commission on Violence Against Women. This vulnerability, according to Setianingsih, is due to the lack of community involvement in making regional regulations, especially the indigenous communities. Thus, Setianingsih encourages the importance of community involvement in the formation of laws in Indonesia.

Textualization of the living laws

The textualization of the customary laws in the form of regional regulations (Perda), in Indriadi’s view, will undermine the sovereignty of customary institutions. The authority of customary institutions (Ind: pranata adat) have been traditionally held by the customary leaders (Ind: pemangku adat). If the customary laws are made into regional regulations, one of the implications is that the authority will be transferred from the customary leaders to the state apparatus. It is problematic because often the logic underlying the customary laws in society is different from the modern logic of the state, so it cannot necessarily be understood and implemented properly by state officials who are going to enact the regulation.

Indriadi also stated that the making of customary law into regional regulations shows the modern perspective which assumes that a law would not work without being written. This is ironic because in reality, according to Indriadi, unwritten customary law actually works much better within its community than the state law, which continues to be violated even though it is written, even by the legislators themselves.

Moreover, according to Indriadi’s experience, the making of regional regulations is not really guided by the interests of the people, but rather by the profit for the legislators. When there is no apparent profit to be gained by policymakers, the policy-making process will be slow and hampered, in contrast to the more profitable policies, which process can be very smooth, such as the formulation of the recent omnibus law on job creation (UU Cipta Kerja) which only took eight months, compared to the already decade-long process of unfinished law on indigenous peoples (RUU Masyarakat Adat).

Reclaiming the decolonization vision of 2023 Criminal Code

These are the various objections raised regarding the article 2 of the new Criminal Code that include the living laws. Fundamentally, a false understanding of living law that ignores the plural, dynamic, and contextual character of the living law will contradict the laws that actually live within the society. Practically, this false understanding will result in confusion and even result in the vulnerability of the indigenous peoples and Penghayat communities, which is exacerbated by the profit-oriented policy-making process which does not side with the people.

Maarif regrets the formulation of the 2023 Criminal Code, which was supposed to be a decolonization project, but instead reproduces coloniality by continuing the segregation logic and prioritizing religion over traditions. The traditional indigenous communities understand life without segregation, perceiving humans as inseparable with other humans, and with their environment. Unfortunately, this view is not understood in the formulation of the new Criminal Code, so that the interpretations that marginalize indigenous peoples are reproduced, continuing the colonial marginalization.

Therefore, according to Maarif, the four speakers agreed on the need to revise Article 2 of the Criminal Code which will be implemented. However, if the push for revision fails, then a continuous advocacy is needed so that the produced regional regulations (Perda) only regulate the formal aspects of the customary law, instead of the material aspects, so that the diversity, the dynamic and contextual implementation of customary law can still be accommodated without reducing the authority of the customary leaders. The interpretation of article 2 of the new Criminal Code must be understood as a citizenship contract that upholds mutual recognition between the state and indigenous communities. In the contract, the indigenous communities recognize the state as the state also recognizes the indigenous communities. Both the state and the indigenous communities exist in the overlapping space, which necessitates an awareness of legal pluralism that recognizes each other without reducing each other.

Athanasia Safitri

Focolare, an international organisation that promotes the ideals of unity and universal brotherhood, participated in the 12th International Graduate Students and Scholars’ Conference in Indonesia earlier this month. The theme of the conference was “Ethics and Accountability in Politics, Sciences, and Professions” and was held at Universitas Gadjah Mada on 7-8 November 2023. Focolare presented how its members live spirituality and reach for the goal of unity as a contribution of religion to common space in society. Sri Safitri Oktaviyanti of Focolare Indonesia, Crescencia Gabijan of Focolare Philippines, and Lawrence Chong of Focolare Singapore highlighted the experiences of the communities from the mentioned countries from their perspective in society.

Before the talks, there was a short video about the history and the beginning of the Focolare movement. The video explained how the community members strive to find what unites humanity. Chiara Lubich, the founder, along with her first companions tried to reach the realisation of the last prayer by Jesus (taken from John 17:21) that all may be one. From this starting point, they held meetings and built relationships with people of different religious backgrounds, and later in all aspects of economy, politics, art, health, and communication. Members in Asia began to put into practice this way of living when Focolare’s spirituality was introduced to the Philippines and to other Asian countries more than 60 years ago.

The art of loving, dialogue, and communion

There are three points that motivate members to go ahead living the spirituality in their own environment by practicing the art of loving, building dialogue, and doing communion. Oktaviyanti began the first talk on the art of loving which is depicted in the life experiences of the Focolare community and their surroundings in Indonesia. The four ways in the art of loving encourage people inspired by spirituality to direct their concrete action and care for the goodness of others, by being the first to love others, loving everyone, making oneself one with the other, and seeing the goodness in other people. This way of living has become a new culture which goes beyond divisions and generates various projects for the benefit of humanity, activities for children and young people, and interreligious dialogue. The programs take place in Aceh, Medan, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Atambua, involving people outside the movement as well.

The second element which is dialogue was discussed through a detailed description by Gabijan who shared about the activities conducted by Focolare members in the Philippines. She underlined the need to bridge the gap between development priorities and humanitarian concerns, as well as to recognize the reality of religious participation. Therefore, an integrative framework on how secular and religious actors work hand in hand to provide holistic care, support, and rehabilitation, is needed. In response to such need, Gabijan explained that Focolare offers reciprocity, which is its specific ethos, as a multireligious approach to the integration process. She covered the experiences of training centres in Makati and Cebu, Focolare social centres in Tagaytay, Cebu, Davao, and La Union, community projects and hospital volunteer foundation in Manila. She also mentioned the collaboration with Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand to raise dialogue and create reciprocity.

Chong concluded the Focolare panel with a recorded video about a Singaporean company, Consulus, in its application of the Economy of Communion (EoC) in all aspects of its business and impact since 2004. EoC was inspired by the spirituality of Focolare, where it strives to minimise the economic disparity where Consulus itself has been operating in 23 countries. At a time of great economic shifts which increases the gap between rich and poor, practical approaches are essential to establish an economy of communion for all people. Chong presented the importance of a renewal of the company premise and goals, capability and capacity, supply chain, co-innovation, economy-at-large, participation and co-governance, also in building strong local communities.

Spirituality for a shared humanity

The presentation was followed by a brief question and answer session where a participant inquired whether Focolare spirituality can still be relevant in addressing the current issues such as LGBT and recent teachings of the Catholic Church. Another concern was also raised as to wehther the findings of the observation on Focolare experiences may be useful to other scholars. The three concepts might be relatively new when they are combined even though many religious and nonreligious groups have put into practice the art of loving through acts of caring, dialogue through building interreligious relationships and exchange, and communion through the sharing and culture of giving. Focolare in Asia still has many opportunities to cultivate the implementation of these elements to expect the harvest of the spirituality of unity in the future, let alone to the establishment of a shared humanity.

The experiences in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore display how Focolare spirituality deals with various life aspects in regard to the achievement of its goal of unity. The concrete relations of the community members activate the humanity projects responding to the needs of the people through the concrete practice in the art of loving, inspired by the Gospel, and with dialogue and communion. More exposure of the spirituality both to intrareligious and inter-religious groups, academics and scholars, and many forum group discussions can better shape the contribution of Focolare as a spiritual movement to the community. Concrete life sharing from the members is also pivotal to invite more participants in building unity in the common spaces of society.

Maurisa Zinira

Women frequently encounter complex circumstances in the realms of religion, culture, economy, and politics. The absence of appreciation of women’s roles results in their perpetual subordination. This phenomenon is not limited to private or personal spheres but also extends to the public domain where patriarchal ideologies form the foundation for societal norms, rules, legislation, and many forms of governmentalities that discriminate against women.

In her presentation at the Wednesday Forum on November 1, 2023, Yuyun Sriwahyuni from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) argued that the subordination and marginalization of women can be attributed not only to local culture and neoconservatism that are grounded in patriarchal norms but also to the utilization of these values by neoliberalism. For her, the intersection of the three pose challenges for women’s life and create problems of social reproduction.

The Problem of Household Division of Labor

Despite several initiatives to promote the position and role of women, they nevertheless remain in a marginalized position. In Indonesia, the promotion of gender issues is frequently impeded by the prevailing patriarchal local norms that are perceived as natural and unquestionable. Women in Java for instance, are still perceived as konco wingking (friend of behind scene) who primarily fulfill traditional roles like as macak (dressing), manak (giving birth), and masak (cooking). These principles are acknowledged as cultural indicators and serve as a model for society’s perception in evaluating women’s gender roles and positions.

Within Muslim societies, these patriarchal views are sustained by religious justification. Diverse religious interpretations are reinforced to sustain the hierarchical gender dichotomy, with men assuming the role of leader (imam) and women assuming the role of follower (makmum). This point of view is widely accepted, advised, and sustained, even by some women who perceive this segregation of status and responsibilities as innate. Due to this viewpoint, women are not credited for their contributions either at domestic or public life.

Sri Wahyuni explains that during the New Order era, the government implemented initiatives that focused on promoting the ideology of state-ibuism (motherism) and housewifization. Ibuism is a phrase coined by Suryakusuma to elucidate the New Order government’s policy that prioritizes the role of a mother and wife. While housewifization refers to Maria Mies, which means restricting women’s movement in social spaces and only doing activities at home. These two concepts regard that women’s positions and responsibilities are determined by the conventional perception of women as being inherently caring and nurturing. This agenda was manifested in the Indonesian 1974 Marriage Law, which specifies the idea that “The husband is the head of the family, and the wife is the housewife,” leading to the problem of social reproduction.

In her research on female workers and lecturers at universities in Yogyakarta, Sriwahyuni discovered three distinct levels of experiences and views on the division of home labor and gender ideology among her research participants. Those divisions include gendered hierarchical, semi-equal, and equal. The first type of household division of labor is based on the hierarchical position of men and women. In this model, males assume the roles of leaders and providers, while females assume the roles of followers and beneficiaries. Because of these roles, women frequently lack the authority to express their opinions and make decisions. Within the context of such a gender relation, women who are employed do not experience any better, as they frequently encounter double burden and excessive assignments, which hampers their overall productivity.

The second form of household division of labor is characterized by a semi-equal arrangement. That is when the husband shares household chores although facing certain limitations. In this kind, the distribution of household chores occurs without altering the hierarchical gender ideology. The husband is still superior to women despite the accomplishments of the wife in public life.

The third category of household division is the equal Islamic feminist model. The division of household chores is conducted in accordance with the principle of egalitarianism. This philosophy stems from an awareness of gender ethics, as it is seen in religious texts that promote the practice of dialogue and compromise between partners. Nevertheless, despite the adoption of equality in the family, the position of women continues to be hindered by several forms of governmentality that are enforced in the social sphere and/or workplace.

Neoliberalism at the Intersection

Sriwahyuni contends that the unequal share of responsibilities between men and women arises from a combination of neoconservatism, patriarchal local traditions, and the influence of neoliberalism. For her, Indonesian women find themselves at the crossroads of two opposing narratives. On one hand, they are expected to adhere to traditional gender roles as submissive wives and mothers, both politically and socially. On the other hand, due to various factors such as the need to continue long-standing practices of participating in informal waged work, increasing economic pressures on families, and the pursuit of women’s empowerment, they also take on public roles as workers. Unfortunately, the work climate in Indonesia is not yet friendly towards women. Wherever they work, whether in transnational factories or universities, women experience a common feeling of being consistently treated as invisible reproductive social workers. This is because Neoliberalism instrumentalizes and appropriates the established patriarchal gender hierarchy in accordance with capitalist principles.

At the university that was the locus of Sriwahyuni’s research, he found that gendered division of labor persists, and women often being relegated to lesser roles. Since the university itself employs neoliberal principles, women frequently face unfavorable stereotypes. They were often assigned administrative tasks due to the prevailing notion that such job required no specialized expertise. Likewise, they are still ignored due to the perception that they are mostly homemakers confined to domestic roles.

In the midst of these contradictory circumstances, Sriwahyuni asserts that it is essential to discuss and understand the viewpoints and experiences of women in order to enhance their circumstances in diverse geographical, cultural, religious, and political contexts. She thinks that addressing issues stemming from intersectionality requires an interdisciplinary perspective. Islamic feminism alone is insufficient to comprehend the challenges that emerge as a result of neoliberalism. However, addressing these issues should not be confined to universalization or a singular approach based on the tenets of secular feminism. She proposed the integration of these two viewpoints in feminism to deliberate on the most effective remedies for women, taking into account the specific circumstances and contexts they encounter. She refuses to give a single solution to the problem. For her, engaging in a fair and realistic dialogue to thoroughly examine suitable solutions in light of the specific challenges encountered by women is what truly matters.

Written by Athanasia Safitri

Discussion about nature and the public support of the community may lead to the argument that if people recuperate from the sacred traditions, the balance between human and nature will be restored. It will later result in several concerns about whether the traditions relate to religious rituals and routines as well and if the relation has evidence. But does it have evidence? Comparative studies have not clearly explained if religion has any contribution to the public support for nature. Yet, there is also contention that what people believe in terms of religion and spirituality affects their actions toward nature.

Humans and Nature scale

In the 1990s, there were projects and inventions in the Netherlands on water management for human use.  There was a paradigm shift: people should no longer see nature as the object that we must win over but consider it as human partner. In response to these ecological challenges, researchers at Radboud University developed the Humans and Nature (HaN) scale^[1] to measure public support for caring for nature. The scale has been validated and used in more than twenty countries, but not in a country with a Muslim majority. So with a collaboration since 2019, researchers at Gadjah Mada University have been using this scale in Indonesia to seek evidence if human relations with religion can affect nature care and if there is a particular Indonesian Muslim view toward human-nature relations. Dr. Frans Wijsen^[2], presented the team’s initial research findings in the Wednesday Forum on October 18, 2023.

The research was conducted in ten locations, where researchers did at least 100 structured interviews with the HaN scale and ten open interviews, considering age, gender, education, domicile, profession, and income as background variables. It uses religious affiliation along with its influence and practices, and encounter with natural disasters as criteria, with a specific focus on the Muslim population to explore a unique Muslim perspective on human – nature relation. The scale consists of a gradual process that moves from multiple-choice questions to a validated list of statements that people can agree or disagree with. It categorizes people through images of human-nature relationships: humans as masters, stewards, partners, and participants.

The result shows that basically religion plays an important part in their life and affects the decision they make. With God-statement or so to say religion and spirituality related, there are four major types of people describing the relation of human and religion toward nature; religious master, religious participant, religious steward, and humanist steward. While we can expect the presence of the religious master and participant,  there is no relationship that fits what partnership describes. However, there are two types of stewardship found from the data which are religious steward and humanist steward. For religious stewards, humans are part of nature but they have the responsibility to care for nature. It goes the same with the humanist stewards, yet there is distinction that it has no religious statement that supports their agreement to care for nature. There is not much difference between the four main groups: All agree most with the humanist and religious steward, and have far lower adherence to the religious master and partner.

Does religion matter?

To conclude his presentation, Wijsen stated that overall, both religious affiliation and religious influence do not make a big difference in the human-nature relation. Muslims and Protestants have a higher agreement with the master model than Catholics and Hindus. The more religious influence, the higher agreement with the religious and humanist stewards as well as the religious master (but not with the religious participant). Religious practice, however, seems to make a difference. People who talk more about religion at home have a significantly higher agreement with the religious master, and these happen to be Muslims and Protestants. Overall, Wijsen continued that the highest agreement is with the humanist-stewardship where people agree that humans are part of nature and they need to work together with nature for a long-lasting life but it does not necessarily have to do with people’s religiosity. It seems that the relation between human and religion towards nature relies more on the human view of caring for nature itself.

We may know the era of the anthropocene when humans have had a substantial impact on our planet and human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. The preliminary result of the research suggests that the Indonesian respondents shifted from anthropocentric to ecocentric human-nature relationships. Wijsen left the audience with a question: if people nowadays start to enter the symbiocene, or period of re-integration between humans and the rest of nature? It may be a great proposal for human-nature relations of ‘living together’ where life on Earth isn’t destroyed but instead nurtured by humans.

^[1] The HaN scale is an instrument to measure public support for climate change mitigation and adaptation (floods in Europe, integral river management based on co-creation of knowledge).

^[2] Frans Wijsen is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Empirical and Practical Religious Studies at Radboud University, the Netherlands, and Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School, UGM. He is also the Chair of the International Society of Dialogical Science Foundation.

Written by Athanasia Safitri 

Gaoshan Zu is an ethnic minority in Taiwan which is recognized as an official ethnic designation by the Chinese government. Because of the two regimes since 1949 which are the Mainland China and The Taiwan Island, there was alienation of these indigenous people with their Taiwanese family. They could not get back to their hometown and as a result the young generation do not even speak their native language. Their spoken language itself belongs to the Indonesian group of the Malay/Polynesian language family. Their cultural trait deals with songs and dances which are depicted in their social life on holidays but very much declining because of the lost generation up until the 1980’s where the young generation do not even know the tradition and meaning of dancing, singing, and gathering.

In the Wednesday Forum on 4 October 2023, Yuqiong Lin, a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University in social anthropology studies, presented her research about the strong contrast between the enthusiasm for dance and the alienation of dance in the daily life of the Gaoshan people, the ethnic tribe in Hua’an, Fujian. She focuses on cultural development of ethnic groups in the southeast of China, especially related to dance performance. She uses holistic perspective to learn that dances can be viewed as a way for the ethnic group to make the performance as a character of local society, not only of the ethnic group itself.

What is the dancing and singing of Gaoshan Zu?

Due to better economic development, there was the beginning of the dance learning process following the tracking of relatives in Taiwan. This generation tries to do the dancing for the life of their ancestors and to respect the culture. They want to learn to dance from a dance teacher between the year of 1990 – 2000, from a dance coach from 2000- 2019, and since then with the indigenous people. The meaning of Gaoshan Zu dance performances has been changing over the past thirty years. From the discourse of aesthetic of ethnic culture into an intangible cultural heritage, also the discourse of development in the form of supportive policy for minority nationalities in the period of 1990 – 2010. After 2010 onward, there is another discourse of sport which creates national games for ethnic minorities, while from 2019 there has been interaction between people in general with Taiwan indigenous people.

Research found the meanings and relationships expressed by different forces of the dance prerequisite the next production of meaning. The indigenous people of Taiwan now are considered as a study representative of authentic culture. However there are competitions to expose this authenticity and even a more designed dance to show inter ethnic and intra ethnic contexts which perform interaction within different groups, while still maintaining uniqueness. Lin states that the study of Gaoshan Zu dance explains the identity in Chinese people which consists of two identities: cultural identity relates with ethnic and political identity relates with nationality. In addition to that, there is an invention of tradition that results in the existing culture. The indigenous people of Taiwan now are considered as a study representative of authentic culture. However there are competitions to expose this authenticity and even a more designed dance to show inter ethnic and intra ethnic contexts which perform interaction within different groups, while still maintaining its uniqueness.

Behind the dancing performances

Twenty-nine hundred Gaoshans now live on the mainland. Though small in number, these Gaoshans have their deputies to the National People’s Congress, China’s supreme organ of power. They enjoy equal rights in the big family of all ethnic groups on the mainland. The Gaoshan people share the aspiration of all other ethnic groups in China for peaceful reunification of the motherland, so that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will be reunited. Since 2021, there has been an event of Consolidating the sense of Community for the Chinese people and starting this year there is a Cross-Strait Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival to bring the community together.

Meaning of cultural performances not only about Gaoshan people but many aspects in life and how society works for different people. Lin in her presentation also mentioned that various agencies emphasise the rationality and sophistication of the performance by inventing and updating specific content to contribute to regional development, tourism, cultural events for public and many cross regional exchanges. Now the dancing performances of Gaoshan Zu have contributed to the national development plan in China. It also transforms the cultural performance into a total social phenomenon which illustrates the operational process of real society.

Written by  Maurisa Zinira

The environmental crisis has reached an alarming stage. In the past 60 years, in particular, carbon dioxide emissions, global warming, ocean acidization, habitat destruction, extinction, and widescale natural resource extraction show remarkable destruction of our natural environment. It is widely accepted that humans have made significant contributions to ecological crisis. The anthropocentric behaviors constantly lead to the emergence of harmful actions, including behaviors observed within the contexts of religion.

Michel S Northcott, adjunct professor at the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS), Universitas Gadjah Mada, responded to this issue by looking back at the relationship between nature, religion, and humans through his book, published by Routledge in 2023, God and Gaia: Science, Religion, and Ethics on a Living Planet. In this book, which was launched at the UGM Graduate School in October 11, 2023, Northcott explores the overlap between traditional religious cosmologies and the Gaia theory. It argues that a Gaian approach to the ecological crisis needs to revive ecological agency of human communities and of non-human beings that draws on sacred tradition.

Humans vs. Nature

Northcott commences his book with an examination of James Hutton’s theory pertaining to the Earth system. James Hutton believed that the evolution of life on Earth can be attributed to the intricate interplay between the molten core of the planet, its surface encompassing the oceans, and the gaseous atmosphere. These components collectively constitute what is called ‘the Earth system”. For Hutton, Earth evolved through geophysical processes following the chronology of deep time, therefore, the concept of Divine Creator as well as the role of humans is clearly omitted from the Earth historical narratives. Northcott replies by saying that the emergence of this phenomenon has resulted in a distinct divergence between the realms of natural and human history, as well as a notable contrast between conventional cosmologies and modern scientific cosmology.

Unlike Hutton’s theory of Earth system, some scientists believe that humans contribute significantly to the Earth configuration. Therefore, instead of retrospectively delving into the distant past to cultivate ecological awareness, some Earth scientists think that the most effective approach to instigate concern for the future is revisiting Hutton’s geological chronology to encompass the more recent and imminent history of humankind. Scientists like Paul Crutzen and Will Steffen suggest that we insert the paradigm of the “Anthropocene” that designates a novel epoch in the history of the planet. It is characterized by the ascendancy of human activities in influencing the bio-geophysical composition and processes of the Earth, which often lead to negative ramifications, such as the elevation of sea levels, the impact of plastic pollution on both marine and terrestrial processes, the unparalleled rates of biodiversity decline and species extinction, as well as the altering chemical composition of soils, oceans, and the atmosphere.

But the primary cause of the ecological disaster—according to Northcott is the culture of industrialism, which is controlled by machines, not the inherent antagonism between humans and the natural world. For him, the detrimental effects on nature are mostly caused by industrial agriculture, fishing, mining, and urban development. These activities are accompanied by a cosmological framework that views the Earth and nonhuman entities as self-governing machines. The Anthropocene narratives attribute the problem solely to humanity in general therefore, it advocates for the exclusive reliance on science and technology to rectify the negative impacts of the Anthropocene epoch.  This for Northcott is detrimental because relying solely on science and technology will instead invent the danger of scientism.

Some scientists consider the Gaia theory a solution to the ecological crisis. The theory proposed by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis emphasizes the active participation of the Earth and other species alongside humans including the vital nonhuman bacteria that contribute to human health and balance, as essential agents in the process of healing the planet. Lovelock calls it “planetary medicine,” drawing an analogy to human health that considers the entire body as integral to achieving overall health and immunity.

Unfortunately, Lovelock’s Gaia theory implies the absence of a preexisting divine mind preceding or transcending Gaia despite the fact that prior to the industrial revolution, individuals across various cultures primarily sustained their livelihoods through personal ecological agency and direct engagement with animals, plants, soil, water catchments, and weather systems. Hence, despite adopting the Gaia approach of a human-nonhuman connected system, Northcott raises doubts regarding the capacity of any scientific philosophy devoid of a transcendent divine origin to provide the necessary means to counteract the anthropocentric and Promethean trajectory that has come to define technologically advanced societies influenced by science. Therefore, Northcott proposes in his book a revival of aspects of traditions that provide purpose and values necessary for the Gaia movement.

God and Gaia

Northcott states that contemporary scientific and technological advances rooted in atheistic principles are increasingly divergent from “life”. The notion that life developed with a specific purpose is rejected, whereas many argue that scientists also have a responsibility to instill meaning into life, particularly in the Anthropocene period. Many contemporary atheist scientists believe that the Earth and nonhuman entities do not have inherent moral significance, as they are merely haphazard collections of self-governing elements. Humans, being the sole beings capable of assigning value, cannot gain ethical guidance for their own conduct solely from observations of the natural world. Having said so, Northcott suggests that modern societies cultivate novel or traditional belief systems and rituals that are aligned with new or pre-existing ultimate sacred principles. These practices would serve to promote a revitalized sense of responsibility toward the well-being of Gaia and all living beings. Religious rites have been proven effective for humans to develop mechanisms of social and ethical regulation, aimed at curbing excessive individualism and antisocial behavior. The establishment of sacred status for specific ideas, behaviors, entities, and sites helps the process of control, while the concept of temporal responsibility, which involves the intergenerational transfer of the condition of life and its habitats such as soil, forests, rivers, and oceans, has a rich historical presence in indigenous and Asian cultures, as well as in Western societies prior to the advent of modernity.

A temple’s irrigation system in Bali shows how religion can aid natural care. It demonstrates that the scientific “green revolution” is not always effective for green living. By citing Steven Lansing’s Priest and Programmers, Northcott indicates that the Green revolution failed in Bali and prompted the Balinese to return to their own religiously managed hydrological growing system. Lansing’s work describes that the religiously governed calendars and cooperatively coordinated planting systems invented by the Subak Water temples’ ten-century-old system of control were effective  to control pest infestations and water shortages resulted from the policy of continuous uncoordinated rice planting proposed by agricultural and development experts. Traditional techniques were proven effective, as careful sharing of water throughout the watershed coordinated by the water temples and annual double-cropping methods employing a variety of traditional Balinese rice varieties caused less water stress and prevented pest plagues.

Lansing translated Bali’s traditional rice cultivation and water management system, which was regulated by religious principles, into a scientific framework that acknowledged the potential of religious tradition in ecological preservation. He showed that religion exerted a significant influence on the agricultural sector. Northcott says in his book: “But in a contest between development programmers, pushing modern industrial chemicals, hybrid seeds, and machines, and traditional beliefs and ceremonies which invoke and engage in divine energies in the waters, seeds, and soils of Bali, the priest beat the programmers”. Religious traditions possess the necessary resources to adopt what Northcott refers to as the “ontotheological turn,” which entails revitalizing the co-agency of all species and beings, including Mother Earth or Gaia, in the process of reestablishing Earthly ecosystems that are conducive to the well-being of all forms of life. In all of these discussions, it is important to consider religion as an ethical basis for more holistic care of nature.

Written by Johanes Koraag

The World of Pictures

Today we live in a world filled with images. The screens of our gadgets are filled with images, both static and moving. Human eyes have been forced to stare, absorb, and understand the messages behind the thousands of images crammed into communication tools that propagate the messages that certain parties want to convey. It has been proven that photos can evoke stronger reactions than words in the human brain. Images communicate differently than text, as photographs are absorbed more quickly and are generally received more emotionally. Text, it is argued, “requires a linear logic, while visuals elicit a spontaneous emotional response” (Schwalbe & Dougherty, 2015, p. 142).

At least 95 million photos and videos are posted on Instagram each day. Social media facilitated by the Internet has become a means of communicating with various attractions that are abundant.  This can distract our focus and affect our productivity at work. Without realizing it, our brains are forced to constantly update the information presented, promising the material we want until finally, our brains are no longer able to process due to too much incoming information.

There are two ways to communicate or convey messages: verbal and non-verbal communication. Images, which are classified as non-verbal communication, have long been used by humans to communicate with each other. This is proven by the discovery of cave paintings that are thousands of years old. History has shown that vision has a great impact on the human mind.

Image as an Element of Visual Communication

An image is able to capture and immortalize the atmosphere, and scale of a concept or idea that is difficult to communicate in words. Things that are still abstract in the form of concepts of thought, will be clearer if conveyed in the form of images. Communication efforts with images can close the miscommunication gap. Civilization has proven that the sense of sight greatly impacts the human mind and has triggered the development of creative ideas in humans.

Ever since hunter-gatherers were still living in caves, they have used images as their medium to preserve memories. Images are a way for humans to crystallize events and ideas outside themselves (Laseau, 1980). The images created by humans actualize the inner world, myths, and wishful thinking contained in their minds. Images as expressions of thoughts have become an important part of human life. Vision is a sense that provides fast and complete information. In addition to utilizing the eyes as the primary means of understanding the world, humans translate information received by other senses into visual impressions. Thus, in many ways, the sense of sight also functions as a translation of the other senses. (Istanto, 2000).

The use of icons or images on our gadgets is a repetition of ancient communication methods. When words are no longer effective to use, we return to using images that can represent the message we want to convey. The Egyptians used hieroglyphs which are images or signs that function as words in the ancient Egyptian writing system. It is fitting that a wise man of the past said “There is nothing new under the sun.” This way of communicating using images and icons, which has been used effectively in the past, is being reused in this digital age.

At the September 27 Wednesday Forum held by CRCS and ICRS, Elis Zuliati Anis, a lecturer from Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, share her research about the use of pictures to communicate the message about the environmental damage that occurred in tropical forests in Riau province. The Sumatra forest fires in 2015 were the most catastrophic forest fires in Indonesia in the last fifteen years.  Riau Pos reported that 2.6 million hectares of land burned in Indonesia from June to October 2015. Nineteen people died as a result of the fires, approximately half a million people experienced severe respiratory infections, and 43 million people were exposed to smoke (Kompas, 27 October 2015). As someone who is used to seeing an event through the lens of her camera, Elis tried to understand the role of photographs taken from the disaster site in constructing public perceptions of disaster response and management carried out by the local government. Elis highlighted the impact of the publication of disaster photos distributed by Indonesian news agencies visually representing the state’s participation in disaster response.

Elis studied how Indonesian journalists shape society’s perception of disaster response and management through image selection. She finds that there is an intention in image selection to build a positive impression in the community and that the government has worked seriously to tackle the forest fires that occurred. The photos showing high-ranking officials in Riau province directly fighting the forest fires can be understood as a deliberate attempt by the government to build a positive image in the eyes of the public. The use of a semiotics approach for her analysis is intended to broaden understanding of how the idea of disaster is constructed through photographs and to identify possible meanings that viewers construct as they interpret the photographs.

Elis also highlighted the publication of photos of religious activities, such as joint prayers in the field conducted by government figures in Riau to ask for help from God to deal with the ecological disaster they are facing. The use of religious photos in the middle of the Riau community, which is predominantly Muslim, is an attempt to build an image that these officials are faithful and godly. This is an attempt to cover up the violation of environmental ethics that they have committed, namely by granting permits to clear forest land to be converted into oil palm plantations. The companies that obtain these land conversion permits clear the land before planting oil palm by burning the remaining roots and wild plants. This shows that the  published have been chosen in order to build a positive perception among the public that the government has responded to this environmental disaster as well as possible, even involving God in its implementation.

Elis’ use of a semiotic approach in her research analysis was intended to broaden the understanding of how the idea of disaster is constructed through photographs and to identify the possible meanings constructed by viewers as they interpret the photographs. Because photographs are a particular type of communication that differs from text in that they attract more immediate attention than words. Photographs are not merely passive captures of the world but can be active constructions with particular agendas.