MALAY AND CHINESE INDONESIAN

Book excerpt: This work grew out of field research on Malay – Chinese Indonesian interaction along the Northern Coasts of West Kalimantan. The research proves that the interaction between the two entities in this area is not similar to the one we found in Teluk Pakedai, Kubu Raya Regency. In Teluk Pakedai, the harmonious interaction originated by a sort of “simplicity.” Paperless economic transaction between Malay and Chinese Indonesian traders is a living tradition. Neither receipt nor bill is needed, even in debt transactions. When questioned, what if another party forgets or dies? The answer was: “Nothing to worry about, it is Teluk Pakedai.” The similar simplicity is also found in conflict resolution, elites who first recognized the problem would come to the other group discussing the solution with no need to investigate “who commits the sin”. Furthermore, regarding the question of “Who are the earliest inhabitants of Teluk Pakedai, Malay-Bugis or Chinese?” many Malay-Bugis, in contrast to popular identification of Teluk Pakedai as Malay-Bugis settlement, provided an interesting answer: “….possibly Chinese as the name Teluk Pakedai refers to an old time Chinese Shop.