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The Many Ways We Speak: Stories of Voice and Culture in Indonesia
The meeting room fell silent as Pak Amir, a manager who comes from the Batak tribe, finished delivering his feedback. His voice had risen and fallen dramatically as he enthusiastically shared ideas for improving the project. But his Javanese team members sat stiffly, their faces carefully composed. To them, his passionate delivery felt like anger, while to Pak Amir, he was simply showing his commitment to the team’s success.
This scene, played out in a Jakarta office, tells us something fascinating about how we communicate in Indonesia. It’s not just about the words we choose, but how we sing them into the air between us.
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Tales from Three Cities
Let’s travel across Indonesia and listen to how different people express the same simple phrase: “Bagaimana kabarmu?” (How are you?)
In Medan, North Sumatra, listen to Ibu Tiurma, a grandmother from the Batak origins, calling out to her neighbor. Her voice soars and dips like a bird in flight, her genuine concern and interest carrying clearly across her garden fence. Her neighbor responds with equally dynamic tones, their conversation a duet of rises and falls that might sound intense to outsiders but carries warmth and…
