Sundanese people

Sundanese people
Latifah payet · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Group	Sundanese people
Native name	Urang Sunda
Population	~42 million
Region1	West Java
Region2	Banten
Region3	Jakarta
Languages	Sundanese language
Religions	Islam (predominantly), Christianity, Sunda Wiwitan
Related groups	Javanese people, Betawi people, Baduy people

Sundanese people. The Sundanese are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the western part of the island of Java in Indonesia, primarily inhabiting the provinces of West Java, Banten, Jakarta, and parts of western Central Java. Their history, culture, and socio-political structures were profoundly shaped by the period of Dutch colonization in Southeast Asia, which transformed their traditional agrarian society, co-opted local elites, and sparked significant resistance, embedding their experience within the broader narrative of colonial exploitation and the struggle for national independence.

Origins and Early History

The Sundanese are indigenous to the Parahyangan highlands of western Java. Early historical records, such as the 5th-century Tarumanagara inscriptions, point to the existence of Hindu-influenced kingdoms in the region. The Sunda Kingdom, centered in Pakuan Pajajaran (present-day Bogor), emerged as a significant power by the late 7th century. This kingdom, which adhered to a syncretic form of Hinduism and local animism known as Sunda Wiwitan, controlled the vital Sunda Strait pepper trade. Its rivalry with the east Javanese Majapahit Empire and the later expansion of the Demak Sultanate and the Banten Sultanate (which converted to Islam) gradually diminished its power. The fall of Pakuan Pajajaran in the late 16th century marked a pivotal shift, leading to the Islamization of much of the Sundanese populace and setting the stage for later European contact.

Traditional Society and Culture

Traditional Sundanese society was organized around agrarian villages called desa, led by a headman or lurah. The social structure was less rigidly hierarchical than that of the Javanese people, though it still recognized a nobility (menak) and a class of free peasants. The culture is deeply connected to the land, with wet-rice cultivation (sawah) being central to the economy. Key cultural expressions include the angklung (a bamboo musical instrument), wayang golek (wooden puppet theater), and the Sundanese language, which possesses its own script, Aksara Sunda. The philosophical concept of silih asah, silih asih, silih asuh (mutual sharpening, loving, and caring) underpins social relations. This distinct cultural identity would become a focal point for both colonial administrative policy and later nationalist sentiment.

Contact and Relations with the Dutch East India Company

Initial contact with Europeans began through the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The VOC's primary interest was in securing the coffee, tea, and spice trade. Following the establishment of Batavia in 1619, the VOC sought to extend its influence into the Priangan highlands. Through a series of treaties and coercive arrangements, notably the Preangerstelsel (Preanger System) implemented in the early 18th century, the VOC co-opted the Sundanese aristocracy. Local regents (bupati) like those from Cianjur and Sumedang were made intermediaries, compelled to deliver fixed quotas of coffee and other cash crops from their peasants. This system entrenched a dependent relationship, transforming traditional leaders into agents of colonial extraction and initiating the integration of the Sundanese economy into the global capitalist system.

Under Dutch Colonial Administration

After the bankruptcy of the VOC and the establishment of the Dutch East Indies under direct Dutch government control in 1800, colonial policy intensified. The Preangerstelsel was formalized and expanded. The Cultivation System (Cultuurstelsel), implemented by Governor-General Johannes van den Bosch in 1830, further exploited Sundanese peasants, forcing them to use their most fertile land for export crops like coffee, tea, and quinine instead of food. This led to widespread famine and poverty. The colonial administration also solidified the position of the priyayi (Javanese nobility) and Sundanese bupati within a rigid bureaucracy, creating a privileged class loyal to the Dutch. Infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the Great Post Road by Herman Willem Daendels, while militarily strategic, relied on corvée labor, causing immense suffering and disrupting traditional village life.

Resistance and Adaptation in the Colonial Era

Resistance to Dutch rule took various forms. Early armed resistance included the Java War (1825–1830) led by Prince Diponegoro, which saw participation from some Sundanese regions. More localized revolts occurred periodically, often led by religious figures. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resistance became more organized and ideological. The rise of Islamic modernism and nationalism inspired movements like Sarekat Islam and later, the Indonesian National Party (PNI). Sundanese intellectuals and religious leaders played crucial roles. Figures like Otto Iskandardinata, a nationalist from Bandung, and Haji Hasan Mustapa, a scholar who worked to reconcile Islamic and Sundanese values, exemplified adaptation. The establishment of educational institutions, though limited, created a new class of intelligentsia that began to challenge colonial hegemony.

Post-Colonial Developments and Identity

Following the Indonesian National Revolution and the proclamation of independence in 1945, the Sundanese people were integrated into the new Republic of Indonesia. The post-colonial era presented challenges in balancing regional Sundanese identity with a unified Indonesian nationalism. The Sundanese language and arts were promoted as part of Indonesia's cultural diversity, but centralizing policies from Jakarta sometimes led to tensions. Politically, the Sundanese region has been a significant base, producing national figures like Djuanda Kartawidjaja. In the contemporary era, issues of agrarian reform, indigenous rights for groups like the Baduy people, and the impact of globalization on traditional culture remain central. The legacy of colonial land-use patterns and economic structures continues to influence development in West Java, making the historical experience of the Sundanese under Dutch rule a critical lens for understanding modern socio-economic conditions in the region.