In-migrant Administration through the Traditional Village System : Social Change and Balinese Identity in Post-Suharto Era Indonesia

摘要

This paper presents field data on new in-migrant administration policy taken by the Bali provincial government after the resignation of President Suharto, analyses the socioeconomic factors that created such a policy, and discusses those issues that the Balinese people have to cope with in practicing it. The abrupt resignation of Suharto and subsequent fundamental political reformation accelerated the increase of in-migrants into Bali. The purpose of the policy is the incorporation of in-migrants into the Balinese traditional village (desa adat) system as guest members. This policy transforms not only the structure and membership system but also the character of the traditional village, for it was originally a Hindu residents’ association while many of new in-migrants are non-Hindu people. The most critical problem arises from the death of these guest members: all villages I describe in this paper agree to help with the funeral arrangements of guest members but do not allow non-Hindu residents to use the village cemetery which is exclusively reserved for Hindu residents. This treatment clearly shows the fundamental foundations on which the Balinese identity is built upon.