Body Language Culture in Indonesian Communication

Indonesian is a very unique country with diverse culture. However, similar to

other countries, the society has their own style, including in terms of
communication. There are two types of communication in Indonesia, that are
verbal and non-verbal communication. Nonverbal communication has an
important portion of the communication. There are lots of verbal communication
types which turn out ineffective because the communicator does not use verbal
communication well at the same time. Nonverbal communication uses body
languages, symbols, eye contact, intonation, stressing, and facial expression
instead of words to deliver the messages. This type of communication helps
strengthen the messages to deliver as well as understand the communication
reaction when receiving the messages. In this article will discus about the body
language.
Introduction
Body language is a type of a nonverbal communication in which physical
behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey the information.
Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement,
touch and the use of space. Body language exists in both animals and humans, but
this article focuses on interpretations of human body language. It is also known
as kinesics. Although body language is an important part of communication, most
of it happens without conscious awareness. For instance, when your blind date
arrives, you may begin to tap your foot nervously without realizing it. Fortunately,
by learning more on this topic we can become skilled at understanding other
people's posture. Body language must not be confused with sign language, as sign
languages are full languages like spoken languages and have their own complex
grammar systems, as well as being able to exhibit the fundamental properties that
exist in all languages. Body language, on the other hand, does not have
a grammar system and must be interpreted broadly, instead of having an absolute
meaning corresponding with a certain movement, so it is not a language like sign
language, and is simply termed as a "language" due to popular culture.
In a society, there are agreed-upon interpretations of particular behavior.
Interpretations may vary from country to country, or culture to culture. On this
note, there is controversy on whether body language is universal. Body language,
a subset of nonverbal communication, complements verbal communication in
social interaction. In fact some researchers conclude that nonverbal
communication accounts for the majority of information transmitted during
interpersonal interactions. It helps to establish the relationship between two
people and regulates interaction, but can be ambiguous.
Purpose
Learning to use the right body language can help us to adapt more easily to the
environment around us, especially in new environments that are foreign to us, in
this case in Indonesia. By understanding proper body language, it can make us
easy to be accepted in that environment so that we don't make mistakes that will
result in discomfort other and ourself. This article aims to help understand the
proper use of body language in Indonesia so that you don't have to worry about
acting impolitely when communicating with Indonesians.
Body Language
Smiling & Laughing
Indonesians love to smile. These days, however, many Indonesian women will
cover their mouths when smiling or laughing. There are two reasons for that. First,
it’s still a part of Indonesian culture for women to appear more “refined” or
“demure.” This cultural habit is also reinforced and popularized by Japan and
Korea, where pop and TV stars will generally do the same thing for the same
reason.
Eye Contact in Indonesian Culture
Eye contact is an important body gesture in Indonesian communication and
culture. Avoiding eye contact is a sign of embarrassment, just like it is in the
West. However, in period films or TV shows, everybody seems to be avoiding eye
contact. Why is that? Traditional Javanese society was heavily stratified socially.
It was imperative that one avoided eye contact with one’s superiors, whether that
be the patriarch of the family or a village leader. It’s not really expected these
days, but if you happen to go to a more rural area, it’s polite to avert your gaze if
your host is saying something important.

Eating
Unlike in some neighboring countries, it’s considered rude in Indonesia to
eat loudly or talk with a mouth full of food. In Indonesia, the correct way to sit
when eating is to sit up straight and not leaning your back and it is also
disrespectful to burp in front of other people while eating or after eating.
Right vs. Left Hand
Knowing when to use left or right hand is an essential aspect of body gesture in
Indonesian culture to understand. The basic rule to remember is that the right hand
comes first. This is because, as in many other Islam-influenced countries, the left
hand is associated with cleaning the body, and it’s therefore considered rude to
offer the unclean left hand to others when giving or receiving things.
Shaking Hands
One of the most common hand gestures in Indonesian culture is the hand shake.
When greet somebody and shake hands, briefly press your right palm to your
heart afterward. Although Indonesian culture is strongly influenced by Islam, it’s
much more acceptable for men and women to shake hands than it is in some
more-conservative Islamic cultures. Handshakes, however, tend to be
considerably more gentle across the board than they are in the West.
Walking in Front of Someone
This one of the more interesting body gestures among Indonesian people, though
it shouldn’t be totally unfamiliar to. When walk in front of somebody, you should
bend over slightly and extend your right hand down with the palm facing them.
Think of the gesture associated with “after you” in the West, like when inviting
somebody to take a seat or go ahead in line. The only difference is that you do it
in motion, holding this gesture constant while you walk.
Displays of Anger or Frustration
Indonesians tend to avoid public displays of anger or frustration. Doing things like
swinging your arms when you’re impatient or hitting a desk when you’re upset
are strongly frowned upon, and it’s very rare to see native Indonesians doing so.
You’ll likely be kept waiting quite frequently, to be honest, but simply do as the
locals do and sit quietly.
Indicating Where Something is (Nearby)
There’s a particular way of showing somebody the way toward something that
may be unique to Indonesia. You bend over a little, keep your arm bent, and give
a thumbs-up, pointing your thumb in the direction that you want the person to go.
Interestingly enough, this only tends to apply to short distances. If you’re saying
that the airport is ten kilometers in such-and-such a direction, go ahead and use
the whole hand.
Forehead to Hand of Superior
Oh, and here’s another one of the unfamiliar body gestures in Indonesian society
you may see: When Javanese people greet one another in a formal setting, the
person of lower social status is expected to briefly touch their forehead to the back
of their superior’s hand. In the past, this was a kiss, but these days just touching
the forehead is faster and a little more sanitary.
Gestures While Talking
On the whole, there really isn’t any big and notable body language in Indonesians’
talking. There’s nothing like the stereotypical Indian head nod, or the Japanese
bow.
However, if you spend enough time hanging out with Indonesians, you’ll
probably notice that you subconsciously pick up a certain way of holding yourself
as you speak. For example, when you say the phrase Oh, begitu! meaning “Oh, I
see!” you’ll tend to raise your head up a little and lean back. And when you
say Iya, meaning “yes,” you might duck your head forward a bit as if you were
nodding and bowing at the same time. Especially if you’re talking to someone
who’s a little bit higher up on the respect ladder than you, such as an immigration
official or a professor. Lastly, it’s fairly rude in most countries to point at
someone or shake your finger while talking, but in Indonesia, the raised index
finger while speaking means “I have a point to make.” If you use it too much,
you’ll come across as a little bit bossy, though it’s fine to use in an animated
discussion.
Personal Space in Indonesia
Indonesians deeply respect personal space.At offices and banks, people wait in
line with a respectable amount of distance between each person. It’s extremely
rare for anyone to cut in line, and if you do so, you’ll likely get a polite but firm
verbal request to head to the back. To get someone’s attention in public, it’s
actually pretty rare to reach out and tap them on the shoulder. Sometimes, if it’s
really urgent, you may feel a small tug on your shirt, but for the most part, people
will just call out to you and wait for you to turn around. Remember, Indonesian
culture is patient!
Conclusion
Indonesia is a country that upholds politeness, therefore you need to be as polite
as possible when in Indonesia. And always keep a few things in mind: avoid eye
contact when dealing with older people, as that will be seen as arrogance and use
your right hand when shaking hands, giving, or receiving things from other
people. If you do all that, body language will come naturally and you will earn
people's respect. It will be a subtle kind of respect, one that doesn't show up in
compliments — how many times have you complimented a foreigner on their
body language ability? Rather, this respect means that others will simply enjoy
being around you more. That kind of cultural competence can’t be taught or really
even consciously learned. But when you realize one day that you’re doing things
just like locals are, you’ll know you’ve made it.
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