The Islamisation of Kalimantan: Local Ethnic Identity versus Universalism
Ian Chalmers, Division of Humanities, Curtin University of Technology
As elsewhere in Indonesia, the Muslim population of Kalimantan has increased notably in recent decades, as various ethnic and social groupings have entered the global community of believers (umat). In addition, the movement towards religious ‘renewal’ has resulted also in social behaviour becoming more ostensibly Islamic. However, running at cross-purposes to this trend has been a revival of ethnic identities, particularly amongst Dayak communities. This paper explores the intersection between these changing identities. It asks, to what extent does the Islamic revival in Kalimantan express the universalising nature of the religion, how much has it been shaped by local historical factors, and what are the implications for the Indonesian state? Islam came first to South Kalimantan, where today a populist form of Sufism characterises the identity of the majority Banjarese people. By contrast, Islam in Central Kalimantan has long coexisted with strong Christian, nativist and Hindu traditions. I suggest that the province’s diversity has broken the link between ethnic and religious identity, drawing the religion closer to more universal norms. Finally, ethnic politics is much more determinative in ethnically divided West Kalimantan. Increasing numbers of Chinese and Dayak are becoming Muslim, but the dominance of local politics by ethnic Malays has, historically, limited the influence of Islamic renewal. Comparing these three provinces, the paper suggests that the Islamisation of the archipelago has been accompanied by growing regional variation. Further, it argues that the growing diversity of Indonesian Islamic traditions has, paradoxically, given the religion an integrative role in centre-regional relations.
