From Children of Colonial to Founding Fathers of Republic: The Shaping of Colonial Society and Habitus in West Sumatra, Indonesia 1905-1942

For many years, study on colonial runs on two different paths in Indonesia. On the one hand it contains “the truth” of colonialism as a way to civilized Indonesian peoples in Netherlands East Indies. On the other hand, colonialism is categorized as ghost and the destruction way to restore the once glorious of the past of Indonesian society. In this side, decolonialization—different meaning to decolonization—has an echo sound for a decade. Interesting question on it following; what was the colonial state? It was true that the colonial state project was mother land in Europe policy? Or it was a conspiratorial between colonial government and local elites? Considering both of these question, I assume that in specific context of the colonial state in local level. It was a house of colonial; a house where both colonial apparatus and local people can live together and supporting each other. So it happened in West Sumatra during 1905-1942. First, West Sumatra and its populace, Minangkabaunese, have played important role during colonial time and at the beginning of republic of Indonesia. Many of Indonesian prominent leaders were born in this region and grew up by colonial System. They are such as Tan Malaka, Hatta, Agus Salim, Sjahrir, and more. Second, during 1905-1942, Minangkabaunese and West Sumatra area became part of the colonial state. They felt comfortable with the colonial situation. The period was a convenient era for many Minangkabaunese, particularly penghulu. Their descendants might occupie their positions as ambtenars or colonial officers. Kwekschool or Sekolah Radja, Teluk Bayur harbor, and train connecting countryside to cities such as Bukittinggi or Padang have become a supporting infrastructure of the colonial state in West Sumatra. For thirty seven years, the colonial state had transformed into a “house” for Minangkabaunese. This paper will discuss how colonial in West Sumatra, during 1905-1942 has provided a vast opportunity to Minangkabaunese? How was the formation of the house of colonial in West Sumatra? What were the socio-cultural structures developed in that formation? And what were ideas that produced within habitus—if Bourdieu’s term can be used—arena through symbolic and cultural capital?