Universitas Indonesia Conferences, International Conference on Chinese Indonesian Studies

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Chinese in Bangka: The Past and Present
Afriadi Afriadi

Last modified: 2017-09-24

Abstract


Bangka is a strategic island located near Sumatra. In the past, Bangka Strait was one of the most widely crossed passages by ships sailing from South Sumatra to Java, Europe, China and Japan. The island was a witness of the greatness that is The Sriwijaya Kingdom era. Bangka’s tin and pepper have been popular since a long time ago. Fame of these two commodities have resonated long before this country stands. However, Bangka also has remarkable cultural assets. Chinese diaspora became the second largest population after Malay. The meeting of two cultures did not necessary create a new identity. Both go together and affect each other. Among their Chinese they appear as a new identity "Chinese Bangka (Tionghoa Bangka)". The study itself is to explore the process of arrival of the Chinese people to Bangka until the meeting of two cultures that dissolves in traces in modern times.