CULTURE AS A UNIFYING COMMUNITY ASIA

By: Fikri Rifaldi M Kambosi

Talk about culture are many things that

must be removed completely because the
culture has a very broad discussion. Culture
is often defined by the arts, but in fact
culture is not only related to the arts
because culture can also be a sign that
identifies the area.
Culture is a way of life or habits are
evolving, and is owned jointly by a group
of

people,

and

passed

down

from

generation to generation. Culture is made up of many complex elements, including religious and
political system, customs, languages, tools, clothing, buildings, and works of art. Language, as
well as culture, an integral part of human beings that many people tend to think of it is inherited
genetically. When someone tried to communicate with people of different cultures, and adjust
differences, proving that culture is learned.
Culture is a holistic lifestyle. culture is complex, abstract, and spacious. Many aspects of
culture help determine communicative behavior. Elements of socio-culture is spread, and include
many social activities of man.
Some of the reasons why people experience difficulties when communicating with people
from other cultures seen in the definition of culture: Culture is a complicated devices values are
polarized by an image containing a view on its merits alone. "The image of the force" it took
different forms in various cultures such as the "rugged individualism" in America, "the individual
harmony with nature" in Japan and "collective compliance" in China.
The image of the culture of coercive equip its members with guidelines on proper
behavior and set the world of meaning and logical values that can be borrowed members of the
most understated to gain a sense of dignity and coherence with their lives.

Thus, a culture that provides a coherent framework for organizing the activities of a
person and allowing it to predict the behavior of others. Culture is a unifying aspect of the
countries in the area of the Asian continent , in because the countries in the Asian continent that
is unique compared with other countries outside the Asian continent . The uniqueness of it in
because of the cultural diversity in each of the countries in the Asian continent.
Asia is a multi-cultural area where there are diverse ethnic culture and customs of
different. This cultural wealth in addition to a surplus that can be highlighted as typical Asian
identity.
Asia cultures different from western culture in the country where the culture in Asia
towards more traditional and unspoilt while western culture has led to the modern era. Asia
culture in a very unique among other things:
1. Traditional Clothes
In many countries in Asia have diverse tradisioal clothes, in Indonesia kebaya is a
traditional garment and usually used to attend a formal event and in Indonesia also has a
traditional dress is different each territory. Traditional clothing in Japan called the "kimono" and
has various types such as iromosode, furisode, iromuji and others. Korean traditional clothing
also called the "Hanbok" (South Korea) or "Choson-ot" (North Korea). In China has a variety of
traditional clothing, for men such as jubah labuh and samfoo for women cheongsam. For
countries in the Arab traditional dress called the "Thawb" for males and "Abaya" for women.

2. culture greet
In some countries in Asia say hello to a tradition that is very unique and different, among
them: Bowing (ojigi) is an important custom in Japan. People often greet each other with a bow
and not shake hands, and the people generally have a small talk after or before they were bent.
Custom bow continuously carried out in Japan. Need to know that the way of bending men and
women are different. Usually a man will put his hands beside their thighs when bent, while the
women will put their hands on their thighs. The version that is almost similar to bending also
introduced in Thailand as 'Wai'. This greeting tradition involves both hands in the chest as if in
prayer position and is also accompanied by a slight bend. The higher the position of the hands on
the body to show respect more in-depth. In Indonesia there is also a handshake activity that is
unique, that activity is often referred to sungkeman. Sungkeman derived from the word whose
meaning sungkem kneeling or squatting while kissing the hand. Sungkeman usually carried out
by young people to their parents, but typically this is done by a child to their parents as a sign of
greeting and deep respect. For the Javanese, sungkeman a hereditary tradition.

3. Celebration of culture
Cultural celebrations in asia very diverse
commemorate the day that is considered important
in the country, for example: Holi Festival of
Colours is early spring festival celebrated in India,
Nepal, Bangladesh. The eve of Holi called
Dhulheti, Dhulandi, or Dhulendi. On that day,
people celebrate Holi with hurling colorful powder
or water splashed each other colorful. The bonfire
was lit on the eve of Holi called Holika Dahan (death of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The
fires were lit to commemorate the escape of Prahladaketika want to be burned by Holika (sister
Hiranyakashipu). Holika burned and killed, but Prahlad who devotee of Lord Vishnu survived

without injury. In Andhra Pradesh, Holika Dahan called Kama Dahanam. Thailand has the Loy
Krathong celebration This celebration is held after the rainy season is expected to fall in October
or November. This festival is one of the most famous festivals in Thailand. This tradition has
been practiced for thousands of

years ago. On that day, people were abuzz away the

boat

made of banana leaves that have been decorated with

flowers and candles are gorgeous. This celebration
is devoted as a form of worship the water god Phra Mae
Khongka. It is as gratitude and thanks for the
abundance obtained in the past year. Furthermore,
there will be a ritual prayer to get the abundance and good
luck in the next year.
In this life

of culture is also a means of unifying the Asian community . a

lot of things we can do in this regard . one example is when there is an event of cultural
performances , many people from other countries who came to watch the performances and of
those most are from different countries , especially during the event enormous cultural
performances . Peoples from other countries coming to display their culture and there intending
to watch it. in times like these people one meets with other communities that interact and
exchange information. this time that culture is a means to unite the nation . from earlier who do
not know will be familiar . And we got a lot of information about the culture .
Culture characterize a nation. difference in our
nation by another nation lies in cultural differences.
Culture is the flagship of the custom-featured sublime
and universal nature of a nation .. But increasingly
diverse culture increasingly difficult to unite countries
in asia. Even the cultural diversity can create divisions
in several countries in Asia, for example in the area of
southeast asia, the ethnic conflict in the Philippines
involving ethnic Moro who inhabit the island of
Mindanao, and the ethnic conflict in Thailand
involving Muslim ethnic Pattani.

Discrimination by the central government each country, both in the case of the Moro and
Pattani, both manifested through policies to realize monotheism form of discourse in society. As
happened in the Philippines, the government tried to Christianize the Muslim Moro ethnic and
making the Tagalog language and English as a compulsory language. Being in Thailand,
boarding school is not allowed to be opened, a glove that is synonymous with the Muslims is
prohibited to wear, and decided the relationship between the kingdom of Kelantan (Malaysia) to
the ethnic Pattani through the Anglo-Siamese treaty in 1909 (Brown, 1988).
The government's treatment would trigger ethnic conflict for minorities feel the
government policy is unbalanced and inappropriate to do because it was entering the things that
should not be forced by anyone, namely confidence. Moreover, the ethnic minorities generally
live the periphery area also did not enjoy the same facilities and mobilization related to the needs
of the economy and infrastructure as well as metropolitan areas is generally populated by the
ethnic majority. As a result, there are clear economic gap between ethnic majorities and
minorities. Awareness of the government 'favoritism' has sparked a movement to get equal rights
as well as freedom to maintain their ethnic identity minor though different from the major ethnic
(Brown, 1988) In order to avoid the ethnic conflict, the government's role is very important. The
government must be able to stabilize the heterogeneity that exists with the prevailing objective as
possible so that no one feels marginalized ethnic groups.
Other issues of culture items, namely the claim that culture considers culture of another
country is a culture of Reviews their nation, so that the appearance of a conflict between the two
countries. So to solve this problem by looking at the similarities of diverse cultures. With the
cultural similarities could further Strengthen the relationship between countries in asia.

Although very diverse cultures in Asia, we can still find some of the same things from
different cultures in Asia. But first, we can think about what is included in the word 'culture'. As
usually, the culture is composed of two types. One speaks of
primordial and innate privilege, such as language, religion, history
and customs. The second shows a collection of values, way of
behaving and thinking. We can find some semblance of a kind among
the countries in Asia. For example, the language equation.
Indonesian and Malay alike and used in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia,
Singapore, and some areas in the Philippines and Thailand. Thai
language is also used well in Thailand, as well as in southern China, in Vietnam, the region
'Shan' in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia to the west.
Equation script on State china, japan and korea wearing hanzi characters even though
recently had to replace the Korean alphabet into Chinese characters hangul but strongly criticized
the Korean already using hangul script to keep wearing hanzi characters.
Equation other is to custom or table manners, for example in the State of Indonesia, India
and the countries of Islam in Asia still use the right hand to eat as well as the use of chopsticks
on State korea, japan and china although the culture of eating using chopsticks is already known
in Indonesia, Malaysia , Vietnam or other countries both in Asia and outside Asia.

But how culture can unite communities asia? Actually Countries in Asia should be
imitated in Indonesia, where the Indonesian who has a lot of culture but can be united with one
another so-called bhineka tunggal ika, which means different but still one. Asia to unite people
through culture is to find similarities between diverse cultures in Asia, creating more
opportunities for collaboration between artists in Asia, held forums to discuss the value of Asian

communities and ways to understand the difference; conduct projects that promote understanding
of the common history and art ,; organize student exchange programs, and also of course, social
programs that most directly based on one equally important that these values: sacrifice yourself
for a large group and had a desire to help others.
Such steps seem small but there is potential to make a powerful impact Because,
Although it seems there is a difference between the cultures of countries in asia, we can still find
some of the same things from a lot of different things. Moreover, creating an opportunity for
increasing awareness of the equation. Through real experience, hopefully nations in Asia will
Realize the similarities and at the same time, appreciate the beauty of the difference. When the
cultural equation used in this way, we might be Able to Achieve the ultimate goal items, namely,
strengthening regional identity and assist the process of cooperation in the region.
Thanks..