Gotong-royong (hand in hand): a great lesson from Indonesian community

I traveled as far as European continent with the purpose to study. Both academic and life. I still carried my “East Javanese” culture and perspective when I arrived there for the first time. I pinched my skin once I was at the Schipol international airport, in the Netherlands. The first time I saw was a very dramatic yet taboo scenery. I saw two men kissing each other wildly while grabbing their hands to each other. This new landscape slapped me right onto my face. It made me realize that I was no longer in Indonesia.

Upon my arrival in the small, peaceful village, Ede, I started my new life. All was totally different from my back home. I used to depend on someone for cooking, washing and all basic needs at home. We had our kind loyal helper at home. Now I had to do this journey alone.

As my room was an unfurnished one, I slept on the floor with the piece of a thin blanket, “Jarik”, from home. My mom told me Jarik may help me to cure my homesick when I was staying in this foreign land. However, this did not help much. I missed Indonesian foods, nasi goreng, pecel, and sayur asam made by my mom. These things, all convenient ones I used to take for granted, now, became very valuable in life.

In the next month, I moved to Wageni ngen Village. I was a bit adaptable to do all alone stuff. But still I missed the gathering of my people. I began missing the generosity of people in my country. They often treat other people equally. They gave us a lot of foods to others. They ensure everyone can eat foods.

This is what we call “gotong royong” or hand in hand culture. We sometimes often apply this practice to help in almost every aspect in our life. We gather money for buying foods, medicines, or other basic needs to people in need. Even it can go to building a house. Maybe we realize that we cannot rely on our government. That is why we kind of use the gotong-royong culture as a “self-governance”, a way to help and manage our collective necessities within our community.

It is totally different in Europe or elsewhere especially in developed countries. I do not mean to overgeneralize. However, as I can see they have a very spectacular “social security”. It is sort of gotong royong but more institutionalized. The government makes an intervention to help their citizens. Nevertheless, despite that it is good, my experience is that it detaches people from their community. People in the Netherlands, for instance, are self-dependent and independent. They generally do not ask for help from someone else even if they need it. “I can do it, I do not need your help”. At least that is what I hear when I try to offer my hands. In the extreme occasion, it goes as far as friendships, too. They do not need new friends. They have their circle of friends built from the get go. Hence it was uneasy for me to make a true friend although with my ambition to make friends I can make some of valuable friendship there.

I realize most Indonesian people despite living years in Europe still carry their gotong royong culture. People still like to share foods with their dutch friends or other caucasian friends. This gotong royong culture has made Indonesian people to easily immerse in new cultures. Through sharing foods we share stories. Through helping our dutch or caucasian friends we listen to their deep thoughts; concerns, dreams, and fears. Gotong royong opens the new way of socialization including creating the transboundary friendships and relationships. This social practice should be maintained by people in Indonesia. It creates the world full of empathy and love.