20 Indonesian Cultural Habits You Didn't Know

20 Indonesian Cultural Habits You Didn't Know, During your stay in Jakarta, Indonesia.  you are certain to come across some strange sights and baffling behavior. What seems strange or baffling to a foreigner may, however be perfectly normal to an Indonesian. It all depends on one’s perception. The following hints are an attempt to explain some Indonesian habits and idiosyncrasies.

One matter that needs to be pointed out first is that it is difficult to talk about 'Indonesian culture' in general. The country contains hundreds of cultures that differ in variable degrees. When a Muslim from Aceh (in the far west of Indonesia) meets an animist Papuan (in the far east of Indonesia) there seem to be more differences than similarities (in religion, clothes, lifestyle, traditions, native language and so on). As it would be impossible to describe all Indonesian cultures here we therefore present a list of general features that seem to be shared in most regions of Indonesia.

Ranging from mild to strong, these cultural shocks could involve discovering things like different meanings for certain actions or words, new products or practices found only in that area and other things that could add to foreign fascination. While a lot of misconceptions are removed, several perceptions are developed. 20 Indonesian Cultural Habits You Didn't Know:

1. Aloneness: You will notice that Indonesians rarely do things or go to places alone. Indonesians have a very strong sense of community and prefer to be “one of a group”. They always like to have a friend to accompany them and will feel pity for someone who is alone, saying “Kok sendirian?” (Oh, you’re by yourself?”)
2. Bule: Yes, we know, all foreigners are albinos (the actual meaning of the word bule). It is not uncommon for people to yell out “Hey Bule” when they see you … addressing the novelty of your appearance in their neighborhood. The best response is just to smile and nod your head … ! Most foreigners are also familiar with the common variety of “Hey Bule”, which is “Hey Mister” … yes all foreigners are men. These verbal pointing episodes are most common when there is a group of boys or young men congregating, often trying to one-up each other with their verbal acknowledgment of your presence. If you are a woman and their form of address is impolite, it’s best to just ignore them. Women should understand that dressing immodestly will undoubtedly result in more staring and more “Hey Misters” or other rude comments. Remember, the average persons “knowledge” of western lifestyles and mores, is influenced by what they see from western TV shows and movies!
3. Anger and Confrontation: Traditional Indonesian culture emphasizes the need to live in harmony. Open displays of anger – shouting, hands on hips, rude looks, or slamming of doors – are all considered highly offensive behavior. Foreigners who behave like this in public (or in their own homes) are seen as rude individuals, unable to control their anger. Indonesian methods of dealing with differences is to strive towards consensus, and dealing with difficulties behind closed doors so that the persons involved do not lose face.
4. Burping: It is not considered impolite to burp, and can even be regarded as a sign of appreciation of a good meal, therefore Indonesians generally do not excuse themselves after burping.
5. Religion matters, Religion is important in Indonesia, where every citizen must officially subscribe to one of six recognized religions, regardless of their actual religious practices. Two individuals of different religions may not marry, unless they convert so that they share a religion.
6. Sleeping: This observation doesn't mean that the Indonesians are lazy; far from it. In fact I've never seen such a hard-working bunch in my life. Up at the crack of dawn with the 4am Muslim call to prayer, working hard at jobs that would drive westerners to distraction... they're an astoundingly conscientious race. But with this physical burden comes an increased need to sleep. The amazing thing about the Indonesians and their sleep is that they can sleep absolutely anywhere. On the buses, on the street, standing up, sitting down... shut-eye isn't the problem it seems to be in the world of nine-to-five and insomnia. I've seen people literally sleeping on concrete, curled up on thin reed mats and snoring in a way that no soft-boned white man could manage; I've seen men crashed out in their tiny becaks (bicycle rickshaws), grabbing a few minutes' rest after hurtling round the backstreets, legs and arms sticking out of their tiny compartments like octopuses in a bucket; I've seen men drifting off in buses whose spine-shattering jolts would keep normal humans awake for the following three days; yes, the Indonesians have a talent for being able to grab forty winks whenever and wherever, which is a skill that all of us could use (especially when visiting Indonesia iself).
7. Coughing and sneezing: It is not common for traditional and less educated people in Indonesia to carry handkerchiefs or tissues, and often they do not understand how diseases are spread. Therefore it is not unusual to see people coughing or sneezing openly without attempting to cover their mouth or nose. If your domestic staff or driver have this habit, it would be best to explain to them your concerns and then provide them with some tissues and ask them to cover their mouth or nose when coughing and sneezing. Alternately, you might suggest they cough or sneeze into their sleeve (not their hands as it spreads the germs when they come into contact with other things).
8. Holding Hands: It is not uncommon for people of the same gender to hold hands when walking together. This is a sign of friendship, not sexual preference. In most areas of the country it is considered improper for a girl and boy to hold hands or put their arms around each other.  It is not appropriate for an adult man to touch an adult woman beyond a handshake in a social setting, unless they are related.
9. Kerokan: This is the name given to the custom of rubbing a coin on a person’s back in combination with the application of balsam or lotion in order to relieve aches and pains known as “masuk angin” or “wind coming in”. It can be quite shocking to see one of your staff members with red welts or dark red marks showing on their neck or back. As the coin is rubbed hard in a pattern of lines in order to break blood vessels under the surface to “release the wind”. It actually does not hurt the person who is suffering “masuk angin” but provides (to their way of thinking/believing) relief from pain, headache or flu symptoms.
10. Long Thumbnails: Sometimes you will see an Indonesian man with one or two very long nails, usually the thumbnail. This is intended as an indication of his status as a non-manual laborer or worker.
11. Mothballs: People in Indonesia tend to use mothballs a lot, not only in closets but also in bathrooms as an air freshener. Frequently bathrooms are poorly ventilated and mothballs are used to cover up smells, inhibit the growth of fungus. You'll often see a few mothballs sitting on the drain cover to keep cockroaches at bay.
12. Sense of personal space / privacy: Due, no doubt, to the high concentration of the population, Indonesians have little, if any, sense of personal space or privacy. There is no word in the Indonesian language for “privacy”. Gossip and curiosity is rampant and Indonesians will ask you a wide range of personal questions without batting an eye.  Foreigners quickly get tired of the “20 Questions Game" that they are subjected to every time they meet a new person. Be polite in your responses, and understand that they are just being friendly in their own way, or just perhaps smile and don’t answer. You might want to turn the questions back on them ... asking them the same questions they ask you. Strike up a conversation and learn some Bahasa Indonesia.
13. Pinching of Children: Indonesian parents tends to punish misbehaving children with a surreptitious pinch, often accompanied by a threat that something fearful will happen to them if they continue to misbehave. An open smack or yelling at your children is considered very inappropriate and very harsh punishment. In Indonesia, people also love to pinch the cheeks of a cute baby or child. It is intended as a gesture of affection, but can sometimes hurt if done too hard and can scare young children who are not accustomed to it. Discourage people from pinching your child’s cheeks by saying “Maaf, dia tidak suka” (Excuse me; he/she doesn’t like that).
14. Smoking: The vast majority of Indonesian men smoke, excessively! There are many public spaces where you will inevitably have to breathe in cigarette smoke. There is a general lack of understanding as to the detrimental effects on the health of cigarette smoking, and little consciousness of the dangers of inhaling secondhand smoke. A law that banned smoking in transportation terminals, malls, offices, hospitals, schools, universities, places of worship, buses, trains and playgrounds has been in effect in Jakarta since 2006, but it is not entirely enforced.  Most office buildings and public areas of malls are complying, however, there will still be a smoking section in most restaurants.  
15. Spitting:  Ah yes, smoking and spitting, two Indonesian hobbies that go hand in hand. Along with the sweet-smelling smoke is the universal soundtrack; it starts as a cough, a black-lung rattler that makes you really appreciate the effect of tar on the bronchial tubes. This is followed by that deep throat-clearing sound that even the boffins at the Oxford English Dictionary can't transcribe using the letters of the Latin alphabet, and then comes the inevitable spit. It's pretty foul, and as with the smoking, there are no social rules governing the sport of spitting: it's valid anywhere, any time. It's not just a male occupation, either; women spit plenty, too. An added bonus is the effect of the betel nut, which a lot of Indonesians chew continuously, staining their lips red and giving their spittle a hue that Jackson Pollock would be proud of. It's mainly a rural habit, chewing the betel, but that's a good thing; if everyone in the city chewed betel nuts, the sewers would run red.
16. Squatting: For Indonesians squatting (mejeng/jongkok) is a very natural and comfortable position and they can remain in such a position feeling totally relaxed for a long time. You will often see groups of men or children by the roadside just passing the time of day, smoking and chatting, and squatting. They are trained from infancy to assume this position and do it with their feet flat on the ground – something that is very difficult for most westerners. For most Indonesians this is also the most natural and comfortable way to use the toilet, hence the prevalence of squat toilets even in some luxurious shopping malls and office buildings.
17. Staring: In Indonesia, it is not considered impolite to stare. Sometimes when you are out in public, you will feel yourself the object of staring. Adults will point you out to their children, people will stop what they are doing to watch you, etc.! The fewer foreigners in the area, the more stares you are apt to  receive. Most expats deal with the staring by just ignoring it. There is really nothing you can do about it; no matter how uncomfortable you are, it will always happen! Many expats “cope” by creating a kind of mental bubble around them, or tunnel vision, to deal with the discomfort.
18. Screaming: If you can't make yourself heard above the millions of other people in your crowded country, then shout louder then they do. Shout if you're at the market. Shout if you're on the bus. Shout if you're trying to talk English with a tourist. Shout if you're a becak driver who wants a customer. Shout if you're working in the kitchen. Or just shout for the hell of it. Indonesia can be a very noisy place; the locals are either so laid-back they're mummified, or they're cackling around as if they were extras in a Shakespearian crowd scene. The women seem to be the worst culprits, shrieking across the road at other people at all hours; it seems that it's all in the delivery here. If you want quiet, go to the Australian outback.
19. Selling: The Indonesians have an entrepreneurial streak a mile wide, and they've worked out that all tourists are rich and just love parting with their money. As a consequence, a large number of conversations end up with them trying to sell you something, but after a few of these you get the hang of sweeping the offer aside with an off the cuff, 'I'm not interested.' To be honest, most people who end up talking to you are interested in talking for the sake of talking, but some locals, especially in places like Bali's Kuta, are little more than walking, talking salesmen.
20. Speeding: I'm not talking drug abuse, but road abuse: the speed at which Indonesians drive is simply scary. Probably the craziest thing is that even the drivers have no idea how fast they are going; a sizeable proportion of bemos I had the pleasure of riding in either had no speedometer, or had one that obstinately stuck at zero km/h when it was pretty obvious that there should be a lot more needle movement. I suppose ignorance is bliss, but with the tyre screeches echoing round the streets, there's no way the bemo drivers can convince me that they don't know they're speeding. Of course, the definition of 'speeding' is important here. Speeding, in the traditional sense, implies that there's a speed limit and that you're breaking it, but in Indonesia I only saw a handful of '40' signs (all of which were heartily ignored), so it's debatable whether the drivers are speeding, or whether there is no speed limit anyway. The answer to this is that any speed where the tyres leave the road when cornering is too fast, but when you only drive a car with the accelerator or the brake fully depressed, how can you drive any other way? Exactly.

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