Tradition in the Modern State: Narrative of Origin in the Contemporary Political and Economic Contestations of the Kei Islanders, Eastern Indonesia
Dedi Supriadi Adhuri (Research Centre for Society and Culture Indonesian Institute of Sciences/LIPI)
A prominent criticism directed to the Indonesian New Order Regime was that its centralised policies had put to an end to tradition (adat) to function effectively in sustaining social order and managing local natural resources. It was also argued that the Soeharto-led government had squeezed the room for local people to take part in organising their life and local resources. These circumstances, it is believed, disoriented local people, hence stimulated social conflicts and caused degradation of local natural resources and ecology.
This paper will argue that such criticisms are not applicable to explain the position of the Kei Islanders vis a vis the state of New Order Regime. Referring to the use of a narrative of origin, the main source of local discourse on tradition, in contemporary political and economic contestations, I would suggest that tradition had been used continually in gaining ‘modern’ political power and controlling local natural resources. Interestingly, the use of a narrative of origin was made not only by traditional leaders but also by those holding leading positions in the local bureaucracy. Even in government institutions, tradition was still used as a reference for policy creation. Thus, tradition and local people were not marginalised but, in fact, controlling the state.
