Universitas Indonesia Conferences, International Conference on Chinese Indonesian Studies

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Identity Transformation among Indonesian-Americans of Chinese Descent
Anita Lie, Juliana Wijaya, Esther Kuntjara

Last modified: 2017-09-22

Abstract


This paper examines the identity transformation among Chinese-Indonesian immigrants in California and focuses on their cultural identity as Indonesian-Americans of Chinese descent. This study investigated to what extent home and community factors affect their cultural identity transformation during their second migration. Participants in this study were sixteen pairs of parent-and-child.  The parents migrated to the U.S. for various reasons.  The children grew up in the U.S. and adopted the American culture.  Data were drawn from self-assessed Indonesian Proficiency Questionnaire and in-depth interviews with the parents and their children (aged fifteen to early twenties).   Results indicate that in their search for a new identity,  the second generation Chinese Indonesian Americans show their strong attachment toward Indonesian language and its culture but they experience gradual loss of their Chinese identity.