The Meaning of Chinese Ethnic Existence Before and After New Order Restrictions on Documentary Photography

Abstract

Indonesia has a long history of becoming a multi-ethnic country consisting of various tribes, races, and groups. Ethnic identity, existence, consistency, and recognition of the Chinese ethnicity from the wider community can be reflected in birth photos in various photo salons, wedding photos, family portraits, condolence advertisements in daily newspapers, to photos of historical upheaval involving the Chinese ethnicity. Through the form of the photo, the Chinese ethnicity shows its existence in the field of religious values, culture, and social stratification. Through historical studies, research on archival photographs of ethnic Chinese before and after the New Order aims to measure the extent of the existence of ethnic Chinese on the smallest scale within the family (object) and mass works as (subject). The Chinese ethnicity has a high spirit of companionship and unity with one clan and another, so the medium of photographs becomes a means of communication to explain what is being experienced by one family to another. Posting photos for the public is like finding freedom for the Chinese ethnicity to show their existence after the New Order era because at that time their freedom was quite limited by the government. This paper discusses the meaning behind the photographs of Chinese ethnicity to show their existence.