Essay On Animism

2077 Words9 Pages
Animism is the indigenous belief system of Indonesians and has existed in Indonesia since pre-Islamic times. When Indian merchants and traders brought Islam to Indonesia, many converted but still carried with them their animist beliefs. Hence even though almost 90% of Indonesians are Muslims (Index Mundi, 2014), many do not practice pure Islam but syncretic versions of it. Hence in this essay, I will first examine the different ways in which indigenous animist beliefs have influenced the practice of Islam in Indonesia and reasons behind it. I will then analyse how modernization has changed the extent of influence of animism on the practice of Islam in Indonesia. Defined by Edward Burneet Tylor in Primitive Culture (1871), Animism is the belief…show more content…
This is because as people get more educated, they tend to reject the animist view which would be seen as not making any scientific sense. (Tamney, 1980) Furthermore, as it is easier and cheaper to travel now, many Indonesian Muslims have a chance to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca where they will realise that they are not practicing the orthodox Islam and decided to purify their practice of the Islam and reject influences from Animism. This has also resulted in reformist movements that seeks to purify Islam practiced in Indonesia. (Houben,…show more content…
This diversity of religion in Indonesia amplifies the diversity religion in Southeast Asia. It is impossible to understand religion in Southeast Asia just be looking at the surface. Everyone comes from different background and would have different interpretation of a religion especially since Southeast Asia is a sponge of influences which absorbs all foreign influences from foreign traders and colonial
Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast Essay: Aboriginal Adults And Children

    749 Words  | 3 Pages

    Compare and Contrast Essay. Languages: Many Aboriginal adults and children in Central Australia are speakers of one or more Aboriginal languages as their mother tongue. There are a number of language families that span the desert region of Central Australia. Kriol is spoken in the Barkly and further north but not generally far south of Tennant Creek. Kriol is a north Australian creole. A “creole” is a rising language among children of adults who speak different languages. In the Aboriginal

    Read More

  • Genghis Khan's Culture

    887 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lutherans, Catholics, and Methodists. Mongols did not attend a regular church, but they did have their beliefs, “But religion and spirituality were a part of their life and culture. Genghis Khan and his fellow Mongols followed a belief system called animism. Animists believe in a group of deities (gods and goddesses) and spirits who often represent parts of the natural world” (Behnke p. 17). We pray to God and Jesus, the Mongols did have a powerful figure they looked up to, “The most powerful figure

    Read More

More about Essay On Animism

Open Document