According to Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) in 2010, Indonesia consists of 1.340 ethnic groups. With this amount, Indonesia can be called as a multicultural country, or a country with many tribes, and each of them has a different cultural structure. It can be seen from the differences in language, customs, religion, art type, etc.
The cultural diversity in Indonesia is making a special attraction for foreign tourists. But, sometimes it can also lead to disputes among various ethnic groups in Indonesia. This is due to a lack of understanding of the cultural structures contained in each region (Cross-Cultural Understanding). In this modern era, there are many opportunities to understand and learn the various types of arts in Indonesia, for example, Saung Angklung Udjo located in Bandung. In this place, we can learn how to play angklung well. Then, in many elementary schools, we can learn the various types of Indonesian traditional dances in subject “KERTAKES” (Muatan Lokal). However, to date, the understanding of the customs values (tradition) in various regions is still very minimal. In fact, attaining the customs values (tradition) is not less important to the other cultural structures in order to minimize misunderstandings between ethnic groups.
Different ethnic groups means different cultures. Betawi culture different from Sundanese culture, for example. In Sundanese culture, there are several different ways to respect the elders, especially in offering foods to the elderly. It is also found in other ethnic groups, of course, with different ways and languages.
“Culture Shock”
In general, “culture shock” is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) felt when people have to operate within an entirely different cultural or social environment (Barkeley International Office, University of California). The newcomers may has a feeling of sadness, depression, and self doubts or sense of failure. It is common. Most people in a new culture do not realize that their problems, feelings, and mood changes are common.
Generally, when people are immersed in a new culture, “culture shock” is a typical response. This was caused by the lack of knowledge and understanding of a culture. In fact, people tend to find it difficult to adapt to a different culture. They should anticipate that they will probably feel bewildered and disoriented at times. This is normal when people neither speak the language nor understand the details of daily behavior. The newcomer may be unsure, for example, about how to greet or give respects to elders, how to propose someone to get marry, when to shake hands, etc.
Sometimes, “culture shock” can also lead to attitudes of ethnocentrism and discrimination against cultural differences. According to Howard Culbertson, from Southern Nazarene University, ethnocentrism leads us to make false assumptions about cultural differences. We are ethnocentric when we use our cultural norms to make generalizations about other peoples’ cultures and customs. Such generalizations –often made without a conscious awareness that we have used our culture as a universal yardstick– can be way off base and cause us to misjudge other peoples. Ethnocentrism can lead to cultural misinterpretation and it often distorts communication between human beings.
Discrimination is the prejudicial and/or distinguishing treatment of an individual based on their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or category, “in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated.” It involves the group’s initial reaction or interaction, influencing the individual’s actual behavior towards the group or the group leader, restricting members of one group from opportunities or privileges that are available to another group, leading to the exclusion of the individual or entities based on logical or irrational decision making (en.wikipedia.org).
“Culture shock” is also one of the triggers of discord in a mixed marriage family. A wife/husband in a mixed marriage family tend to experience “culture shock” to the culture of their partner. They usually find it difficult to learn and understand the culture or habit in the family or their partner countries. They even tend to be silent when blamed by their partner, without knowing the mistakes, it is because of differences in language between them. Then, in some cases, mother-in-law and their partner’s family do not want to admit their presence. On the other hand, children of a mixed marriage family going through an identity crisis.
The Relationship between “Culture Shock” and Peace World
Based on the previous pages, we can find that “culture shock” can cause many negative things, such as feeling of sadness, depression, and self doubts; sense of failure, bewildered and disoriented at times, unsure, ethnocentrism and discrimination against cultural differences, and the triggers of discord in a mixed marriage family. If we can minimize “culture shock”, we can create peace world for a long time, no disputes between ethnic groups, no discrimination and violence against an ethnic group, and no ethnocentrism against cultural differences.
There are several ways to minimize “culture shock”, for example, by learning Cross-Cultural Understanding. The fundamental intention of cross cultural training is to equip the learner(s) with the appropriate skills to attain cross cultural understanding. Cross-Cultural Understanding is a cultural competence to listen and accurately understand the thoughts, feelings, other people’s problems that can not be uttered or not fully delivered. This competency measure complexity and depth of understanding of other people, also including cross-cultural sensitivity.
Cross-Cultural Understanding
According to Mason (2000), the definition of “Cross-Cultural Understanding” is whenever someone goes overseas, he is like a fish out of water. This expression has been used to describe someone who is living in a new culture, new custom, new tradition, and new language.
People living in multicultural countries, like Indonesia, is a heterogeneous society. Multicultural society should be able to understand that “take and give” much needed in order to create and maintain the values of tolerance of cultural differences.
To familiarize ourselves with the concept “take and give”, required an understanding about “Cross-Cultural Understanding” since an early age. We can apply this concept in a few subjects in elementary school, for example in subjects “PKn” (Civic Education) and “Pendidikan Agama” (Religious Education). Later, in adolescence (in Middle School and High School), we can begin to introduce about the various customs of some regions and countries in subject “KERTAKES” (Arts), or if it is possible, add special subject “Cross-Cultural Understanding” in its curriculum. Until now, the subject “Cross-Cultural Understanding” only at college/university, at the Faculty of Humanities.
School must provide a systematic curriculum that teaches an understanding of the multicultural since childhood. Schools are also required to take an active role in providing ethics education and in creating the values of tolerance towards different cultures. On the other hand, in home, parents create the values of tolerance towards the opinions and feelings of others.
By learning “Cross-Cultural Understanding”, we can find that to overcome “culture shock”, we have to be a person who is interested in observing and learning local customs, hear the advices or instructions from a variety of sources and not shy to ask about something which is not understood. For a mixed marriage family, adapt and adjust to the cultural background of the partner and his/her families.
Based on the statement above, the writer would like to conclude that “Cross-Cultural Understanding” is needed to minimize “culture shock” and create a cultural assimilation within a country in order to create peace world. It is also the way to understand the different cultures of different countries to avoid misunderstanding.
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