The present day culture of Indonesia is an outcome of the interplay of age-old- traditions from the time of early migrants and the Western thought brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists. The basic principles, which guide life include the concepts of mutual assistance and consultations to arrive at a consensus. Derived from rural life, this system is still very much in use in community life across the country. Indigenous has been instrumental in securing gender equality in Indonesia.
Indonesian culture is a fascinating blend of indigenous, Malay, Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic elements. Indonesia is a country of great diversity and its national motto is "Unity in Diversity." With over 300 ethnic groups speaking 700 languages on more than 6,000 inhabited islands, the Indonesian archipelago is a showcase of cultural diversity. This diversity is also found in all aspects of culture: language, housing, cuisine, dance and music, artistic expression, etc as each has many local variants.
The Indonesia culture is as vibrant and versatile as its landscape and natural beauty. The rich Indonesian culture is the result of the influence of the various neighboring countries and its very own ethnic culture.
Indonesian art forms are greatly influenced by religion. Underneath its modern exterior, Indonesia remains a country of ancient legacies. Tremendous temple compounds remind visitors of empires that once stretched for thousands of miles. Intricate carvings revealing a civilization's hopes and preoccupations survive today, after thousands of years open to the elements. Beautiful architecture, buzzing markets, reflective holy sites - the country's history has bequeathed to its present a thousand reminders of the past.
The crafts of Indonesia vary in both medium and art form. As a whole the people are artistic by nature and express themselves on canvas, wood, metals, clay and stone. The batik process of waxing and dyeing originated in Java