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International Young Scholar Conference: Current Research on Southeast Asia

14th & 15th November 2011 Monash University, Sunway Campus

Bandar Sunway, MALAYSIA

Between Dominance and Resistance: The Construction of Ethnic Identity of Orang Kubu

Adi Prasetijo M.Si (PhD Candidate),

Anthropology, School of Distance Education

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Introduction

This paper will be more discussion about how the relation between the process of marginalization that is received by Orang Kubu as ethnic minority group in Sumatra, Indonesia, and their relationship with socio-political context of Indonesia and how they struggle to survive with articulating ethnic identity. Most literature that dealt with ethnic minority groups experienced with colonial encounter point to consequences of process of conquest and domination in the form of alienation, deliberate dismantling of traditional social and political structure. There few literatures that analyzed closely the cultural aspect of the hegemony, namely the aspect of cultural impoverishment and social disintegration as a result of residential dislocation, caused by exploitation natural resources contained within localities the minorities traditionally resided. Typically, they were forcibly removed from their environment (mainly forest) by commercial and industrial expansion processes that are often assisted by the state. Respond this dominance is articulated in the form of ethnic identity construction. The appearance of their ethnic identity in my opinion is occurring as a result of inter-ethnic relation that exists in that region. Basically Orang Kubu shows the feature of identity in two types, assimilation type and self-excision type. The effort of those identities is to articulate the ethnic identity, as the process of re-creation of cultural identity that refers to the pattern of beliefs, customs, values, attitudes, local knowledge and (bad) experience are now remodulated to form part of Orang Kubu ethnic boundary.

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The Orang Kubu Orang Kubus known as Suku Anak Dalam or Orang Rimba is one of the minority ethnic group in Indonesia. They live in lowland rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, mostly lives in the Jambi Province.

Orang Kubu is essentially a community that can be classified as a minority ethnic group. Ethnic minority groups can be seen as a social group that has the strength of the weak so as not to be able to affect the social systems that people have at theirs area. Minority groups in this terminology are not always related to the number of population groups that are limited but more to the position of sub-ordinate or marginal status that the group against other groups that are considered more dominant. Marginal position can be defined as a group and the restriction marginalized the economic, political, social, and by other groups that are considered more dominant (Seymour1987: 177). Minority ethnic groups such as Orang Kubu in Indonesia based on the record the Government of Indonesia there are 229,479 families across 30 provinces in Indonesia1. They live in the countryside with access and facilities development are minimal due mainly isolated location and has a culture deemed unable to adapt to the progress of the age.

Sources: Orang Kubu’s position at Jambi Province, Warsi (2002) As a minority ethnic group, Orang Kubu have a different treatment. They also experience themselves as victims of collective discrimination from the wider community in the Jambi. The process is discriminatory, for example we can see in the treatment of the general public and the

1 Ministry of Social Affairs, Republic of Indonesia, 2009

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views of Orang Kubu in Jambi. Jambi by the community, known as Orang Kubu is an ethnic group that is identical with ignorance, poverty, backwardness, and the life of isolation, both geographically and in culture. In general, the process or treatment may be discriminatory we observed in the words of indignation as "You’re Kubu “or "You kind of Kubu." One-word oath is pronounced by the general public in Jambi. Objurgating this is common to someone who is considered bengak (stubborn) or someone who does not want to follow the rules. For example, when a father told his son to bathe in the afternoon but the children still want to be naughty as playing with friends. Orang Kubu shadows that is stubborn and would not obey the rules of the understanding is that there are real people in Jambi. Orang Kubus, as with many other minority ethnic groups, are experiencing the same problems faced by most ethnic groups in the Southeast Asia. Most literature that dealt with ethnic minority groups experienced with colonial encounter point to consequences of process of conquest and domination in the form of alienation, deliberate dismantling of traditional social and political structure. There few literatures that analyzed closely the cultural aspect of the hegemony, namely the aspect of cultural impoverishment and social disintegration as a result of residential dislocation, caused by exploitation natural resources contained within localities the minorities traditionally resided. Typically, they were forcibly removed from their environment (mainly forest) by commercial and industrial expansion processes that are often assisted by the state (read Lim Teck Ghee and Alberto Gomes, 1993) (Geoffery Benjamin, 2003) The impact of this dominance on the economic and political status are well documented, but the cultural impact affected by these processes expressed in the loss or shifting identity of their ethnic group forced ‘assimilated” to the dominant ethnic and majority is not fully understood. Specifically, assimilation efforts imposed is in fact viewed by the minorities, especially Orang Kubu, as cultural hegemony that gradually fused and fuelled a sense of resentment expressed in the form of heightened effort to consolidate their ethnic boundary. This situation of non-recognition of the rights of ethnic minorities by the state and other bigger and more powerful, namely Malays community, plus the destruction of their ecological environment, now translated and expressed as cultural clash that draw into various social strategies ranging from isolation to formation of extra territorial, confrontational group (assisted by local and international NGO) (read Sponsel; 2000) The impact of the process of dominance toward ethnic minority is the declining quality of life theirs life’s. Reflecting the ethnic group cases in Southeast Asia, Sponsel (2000) underlined that the extinction of the ethnic minority group because of the process of domination is reality. He recognized that non-recognition of the rights of ethnic minorities by the state and community groups and the process of ecological environment destruction of the habitat’s ethnic minorities groups will make them extinct. He assumed ecological environment destruction is a major threat that faced by ethnic minority groups in surviving his life. Threat of destruction and change of land use with a variety of reasons; land use for transmigration area, oil palm plantations, conservation purpose in national park, logging area, the privately owned plantations, etc. The situation got worse when the ethnic minority do not getting sufficient support from government (Rimbo Gunawan et al, 1998). Then they will lose their cultural ethnic identity because the cultural identity of ethnic minority group in Indonesia, as well as in Southeast Asia in close with the geographical landscape and the eco-system. If the eco-system of the ethnic minority habitats

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is disturbed, then it will affect the life of groups. They were considered not entitled to claim the rights to his property rights as citizens. As a result, they become marginalized and do not have access to development in accordance with its cultural identity. Domination of Malay toward Orang Kubu in Jambi Orang Kubu live in the province of Jambi, Riau and South Sumatra. But their population is the largest area of Jambi province. Based on survey results KKI Warsi Bio-region in 2008, the total number of people known to Orang Kubu in Jambi was 3650 persons. Orang Kubu who live in Jambi scattered in three different ecological regions, namely lowland forest areas surrounding Buki12 national Park, the region south of the province of Jambi is located in the area surrounding the highway that cuts the Jambi Province of South Sumatra Province to the Province of West Sumatra - Jambi Province border region & South Sumatra, and the northern region around Bukit 30 National Park, the border area between the provinces of Jambi and Riau. Each group of Orang Kubu who live in the area has an ecological character and a different lifestyle, in which highly depends on the characteristics of the region where they are located. Based on survey results conducted Bio-Region KKI Warsi in 2008, Orang Kubu population in the South Jambi were 1670 people, at the north of Jambi which is the area around Bukit 30 National Park were 450 people there and Orang Kubu in Bukit 12 were 1,500 people (KKI Warsi, 2008). Although it can be said that the Bukit 12 National Park is a geographic center with the largest concentration camp of Orang Kubu in the same landscape. This is different to the existing conditions of Orang Kubu in south of Jambi province where they live in separate places. Therefore, Sandbukt (Sandbukt & Warsi, 1998.16) said that Bukit 12 National Park as a cultural center of Orang Kubu. Orang Kubu in Bukit 12 National Park is also maintaining the social system and culture in a coherent whole which all detailed in the world of cosmology conceptually supported by legal and political structures that emphasize the separation and autonomy tradition of Orang Kubu. The existence of separation and autonomy tradition of Orang Kubu in Bukit 12 National Park it implies the maintenance of cultural identity people and a strong faction. Orang Kubu experience a process dominated by Malay, who become ethnic majority in Jambi. Domination could be seen as a particular use of power, one which the dominant agent affects the subordinate agent in the negative manner. Domination is seen as the systematic use of power by dominant agent using his abilities to coercive power and to influences the sub-ordinate agent to follow what they wants, physically and culturally as well (Wartenberg, 1990; 92). The process of domination takes consequences for the sub-ordinate group for being dominated because the weak position at the rank of the hierarchical structure of the society. Especially, the group will be judged as accordingly to their contribution at the economic system. Thus the domination process will impact to process of marginalization toward sub-ordination group by dominant group. The sub-ordination is always in the marginal position because being dominated. Marginal can be interpreted as the position of a group that has limitations and marginalization, in economic political, and as well as social by other groups that are considered more dominant (Seymour, 1987, 177).

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At the context of Orang Kubu, Sandbukt (1988) explained Orang Kubu is part of the Malay kingdom at the forefront trade position. Relationships are not profitable both Orang Kubu. The Malays then place the middle-man as a regulator and flow control the entry of natural resource products from Orang Kubu to a Malay kingdom. Economic relationships are arranged in the order to structure that binds the two ethnic groups. The pattern of the economic relationship according Andaya (1993) is very common in Sumatra at the 17’Th and 18’Th century. Orang Kubu is seen as part of the people who living at the upstream area that integrate in the Malay sultanate. These situations increasingly endorse the social character toward the process of construction of ethnic identity; between Orang Kubu, the people who live at the forest and Malay people who live at the rural. The pattern of relations between Malays and Orang Kubu can be also seen from a background of the relationship between Ulu (upstream) and Ilir (downstream) communities in Jambi in the sultanate period. Ulu’s community according Andaya (1993:16) is a society that is rich in natural resources; are egalitarian, independent, and live in groups, including ethnic groups Wilderness. Ilir’s community is a society that based on hierarchical structural which is always trying to take control of Ulu community because they need a supply of materials of natural resource commodities to sell to the international market in the Straits of Malacca., such Jernang (Daemonorops draco), Balam merah (Palaquium sp). Balam putih (Palaquium sp), Damar (Shorea sp), Jelutung (Dyera costulata), Kemenyan (Styrax benzoin), etc. This work is done by means of physical action such as land tenure, slavery, kidnapping of girls (Winter 1901:2), and the destruction of villages. Malay people employ Orang Kubu to find out the resources in the forest and tap rubber owned by them. Malay take advantage of Orang Kubu ability to get the commodity of natural resources through devices that set the rules and tasks of the position of each person and group ethnic concerned. These rules are based on the main principles of the Jambi Malay sultanate that The Sultan will give the reward for all the tax that paid by his people with give his acknowledgement the territory. The concept is known as “serah naik jajah turun” and “jajah naik penuntung turun”, the principle of the tax that aims is to explain the distribution of flows of goods (commodities and tax), both from the region upstream (inland) to the downstream areas (coastal) and vice versa. These rules then become the basis on which a relationship status and how the role should be run by both parties in the social interaction. The rules are then being merged in the structure of the relationship between Orang Kubu and Malay people that formed the pattern and form-regulation in the social and economic institution that is a well-established. In the context of inter-relationships of ethnics, the nature of ascriptive both groups ethnic in the end and then establish a framework of the structure of relationships according to the status of origin is where we can view as a relationship that does not tend to be parallel and exploitative. Furthermore, Sandbukt (1988) explain the social platform of the relationships between Orang Kubu and Melayu as the economic based that joined both ethnic. The economic relationships are then referred to as the serah jajah relationship. Orang Kubu bound relationship with the middleman referred to as waris and jenang. Waris and jenang has function to collect forest products produced by Orang Kubu, to then be transferred to the Malays sultanate. Waris and jenang is not only a role as an economic patron, but also has political and cultural role. This

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relationship is then created ascriptive status inherent in the ethnic identity each ethnic, that is ethnic Malay and ethnic faction. Orang Kubu as hunter-gatherer and forager, and the Malays as a trader. It is because as the lowest social class, sub-ordinate group at the rank of society then slowly and then came the social stigma that is given by the Malays to Kubu as backward people. The stigma later than is becomes the construction of ethnic identity of Orang Kubu. Relations between the minority-dominated between Malay and Orang Kubu can be understood as an inter-relationship of ethnics realized at the local level. This can happen because the local community in the form of a social structure that reflects the strength of the relationship between social and contains guidelines for action in the local community is. Relationships between ethnics relationship is generated from the relationship between people or groups of different ethnic. In this context, each party to identify each other and identify themselves, each one with the other refers to the ethnic and ethnic’s culture. Respond to domination: between Assimilation and Self-excision This process of domination was experienced in the cultural, economic, and political area, as well as conducted since many centuries. In the process, the dominance is not only done just in the context of social, political and economic, but also always is cultural. Eric Wolf (2001) saw that the actual process of domination in society always occurs in a process that is not recognized by the community itself. It’s happened because the people, who form the core model in the mode of production, economic-oriented values resulting from surplus production, are not aware for the process. The process will always occur among structural classes which are work through the process of the control group, property and production through cultural hegemony created routinized. In this context, the culture is in the context of power relations that are not neutral and social relations are always in terms of who controls what and whom. And the dominance is also reflected in social structures that bind the two groups are ethnics (Sandbukt 2000:39). Ethnic minority groups do not mean that things are still and receive treatment as such dominance in easy way. Minority ethnic groups either aware or not aware of the conduct of resistance to the culture deems more dominant. No exception to the cultures of minority ethnic groups is considered marginal. Keith Foulcher (1990, 309) said that the minority group will find their own way to be able to continue living in the society. This means that the culture of ethnic minority groups is not static and passive effect on the dominant ethnic culture. How’s dynamic of the culture they have and always will find a way to always stand still in the community. It’s even became a tool for struggle against the process of domination itself. In the process of domination, the responds group against the dominant minority ethnic group shows that attitude is different. According to Louis Wirth (1945:347), in the process of social relationships between minority-dominant responses will show that minority groups differ based on response the wider community as the dominant faction of the minority. There are four responses will be done by minority groups according to Wirth, namely : (1) minority groups will try assimilate himself (assimilation) as the dominant, with the way the characteristics of a minority identity attributes and replace them with the characteristics that refer to the dominant group , (2) conduct self-excision (Secession) from the public in a way that the dominant form of

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community life with its own structure where the separation can be either physical or symbolic; (3) seeks to become a dominant force in an attempt to control the majority of the group how to rebellion or the street violence (Militancy), and (4) is the last of the top minority culture that tolerated and protected by community groups to a wider (Pluralism). The responses of the minority could be not in the single manner. It could be in the various responses according the groups’ perceiving the domination behavior. Endicott (2000) stated in case of Orang Batek in Malaysia toward domination treatment they got from Malay people. Orang Batek is the hunter- gatherer group. They were classified as Orang Asli (Malay Indigenous people). They also undergo a process of domination of the Malay as ethnic dominant. They are required to integrate into the majority culture is Malay culture through assimilation. Start religion, language, way of life (how to dress, live in groups, etc.), and so forth. In responds the domination treatment, Endicott descript there are several types: being assimiationist path with assimilate to the Malay culture, cultural preservation path with avoidance all influences from the outside world, and live in between with live like Malay but use Batek tradition. Then it comes to the modification ethnic identity as Forest Batek and non-forest Batek. A similar case occurred in Orang Kubu’s case. They need a different identity between one and another that can distinguish between them and other people. There are several key attributes of Orang Kubu who made the differences between them and other people. Some of these attributes are different nomadic lifestyle with The Malays who settled down, then is a way of life based on subsistence to the forest of Orang Kubu. Forests for Orang Kubu are not only as a place to make a living but also as a symbol of their culture because a lot of trees and places associated with the rituals and customs. One of the primary key of the attribute of Orang Kubu is religion. For Orang Kubu, Malay is synonymous with Islam. Being a Muslim means being Melayu. Religion in this case as a set of rules and regulations governing human relations with the unseen world, especially with the God, regulate human relationships with other humans, and humans with their environment (Suparlan.1994: xvi). Orang Kubu actually believe in God. But the shape and image of God which is owned by Orang Kubu is very abstract and not pictured clearly. If we ask them what the real form of God, they will answer that their Lord will be more nimble than a tiger movements and faster movements than selalayaq bird (hornbills). They maintained the existence of spirits that exist in nature in which these delicate creatures can be either the Gods, the spirits of the dead, or they refer to as malaikot (angels), or silom (demons). The gods, angels, and demons are living in the unseen world which they refer to as halom dewo. In essence they believe that everything in the forest has supernaturally preserved by the soul which obliged the integrity and existence. But there are some parts of the forest has more value because it is owned by something that the high degree of different human and natural. The owner is a god that exists in halom dewo. Something exists in the form of an animal, place, or plants, they call it a berdewo. Such as elephants are the property dewo gejoh (Elephant God). Elephants become essential for Orang Kubu because he belongs to the largest God.

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In cosmology of Orang Kubu, they classifies his world in two distinguished the world of The Malays and the world of Orang Kubu (Sandbukt, 1984; 86). The Malay world is defined as the world of the Malays where they are characterized as people who live and lived in villages as well as Muslims. They call it as “Orang Terang” or the people who live in the world or nature that is always brightly lit illuminated by the sun, the people who live outside the forest. The world of the Malays for Orang Kubu is a world full of luxury, vibrant community, developed, and is in the downstream river. They mentioned that the world of the Malays is this is a real picture of halom dewo, the place where is the God living. But on the other, the world of The Malays are also viewed by Orang Kubu as well as place of disease, place of origin of all diseases due to the origin of the disease in the downstream river. According to Orang Kubu, The Malays and his world are the ones who carry the disease. This is evident for instance when they had just returned from a village or region to region of the Malays, they are required to perform besasading'on (exile) for several days to eliminate disease remains obtained from the village. Despite their distance to the village or the local village is very close but the custom is still used. Sandbukt mentioned that there is a strong relationship between the concept of Me-Layu with Natong Layu (hedgehogs). Hedgehogs or Natong Layu for Orang Kubu is an amazing animal because it has the nature of the all the sudden arrival and that it passes all the plants will die or wither due to hit the thorns. The concept of Layu or die for Sandbukt is having similarity with the word that means the object or item that causes something to die. Orang Kubu use the concept of Layu to explain the characteristics of the Malay, which according to them is carrying disease. Therefore they protect by activating a very strict abstinence (Sandbukt: 1984:94). It is then shown with some of the taboos that try to limit the physical and spatial interactions between Orang Kubu and the Malays. Islam in this case according the cosmology of Orang Kubu is a religion for the Malay. Islam is equal as Malays. Religion is the mark of the each ethnic, between Orang Kubu and the Malays. Some groups do culturally resistance by refusing development programs offered by the government to them. As conducted by groups in Bukit 12 National Park where they reject the resettlement program and return to live in the forest. Not only for the reason it is not culturally appropriate for them but also do it because they consciously keep the tradition and identity in order not to lose. Their lives in the forests have considerable significance in creating a barrier for outsiders to be able to interact freely with them. As expressed by one Orang Kubu when it's that if we do not create physical barriers that the world is mixed and create confusion. Keeping with tradition still refer to the teachings of the ancestors and follow the way of life as taught by their ancestors. In some cases this phenomenon is then led to open conflict with other groups because of economic interests. Something very rare in previous years given the role of Malay dominance of very high through the concept of “serah jajah” which demands complete obedience from Orang Kubu. We can say the behavior of Orang Kubu as part of resistance act. According James Scott (1985), resistance can be done by people who are weak by acts of omission or sabotage or resist the orders. Resistance carried out with the modus operandi to weaken the power of the patron. The main purpose here is not the resistance to overthrow or change the rule so that up to become a

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massive movement as expressed in recent literature that comes from Marx. Everyday resistance more dissatisfaction tends to act on behavior of patrons. But in many cases also, there are groups of Orang Kubu who choose to become Muslim. Some groups of Orang Kubu, mostly at northern part of Bukit 12 National Park choose to associate themselves into the Malay community by assimilating himself various lifestyles and customs procedures of Malays cultures. One way is to become Muslim, because for Islam itself for Orang Kubu at the assimilianist’s group is the religion that will menebuy duso (atone atone for sins) for all acts and behavior that they did in the past. Option to assimilate at this time for some groups is a very logical choice based on the pressures they face during periods ago until today. They not only lose the forest resources, the environment, but also their identity as a cultural group. Being Muslim is the choice to be survive, And it seems like the choice to assimilate themselves into the dominant group is the choice of jungle people who choose to be Malay in particular by removing the features that a minority identity attributes and replace them with traits that refer to the dominant group. Their efforts to change the identity are part of the process assimilation to the majority Malay culture is considered to be higher. They tried to remove the attributes or traits to his old identity. But instead of their identity as Orang Kubu be missing fuse on the identity of the majority, instead emerged a new identity of Orang Kubu that have attributes different from before. Orang Kubu identity carries the attributes of "modern" and "civilized", in the view of society. They themselves are aware that there can be fully accepted by outsiders, and especially by the Malay community. This is different such as that done by the group of Orang Kubu where they decided to keep its identity is closely related to life in the forest. Both are done physically, by keeping a distance and stay away into the woods, or perform symbolic exclusion while maintaining the existence of symbols or attributes Orang Kubu accordance with the ancestors. The Articulation of Orang Kubu Identity The response given by Orang Kubu domination over the action they receive could see as a change in the way in order to survive in such a way. Response is reflected in the level of values and behavior of their culture. One response to those who are my primary concern is the process of identity ethnic which is owned by them in the context of inter-relationships ethnic on the local and regional levels. The ethnic identity such as this is an effort that, according to do if a group feels threatened or ethnic a push by the other ethnic groups. By referring to the choice of different responses by Wirth (1945) as described, the existence and identity patterns that appear by Orang Kubu will always adjust to the social context of relationships with other ethnic groups. Talking about the identity or identification, will be indeed associated with a concept of self based on the characteristics inherent in himself, so based on these characteristics, it can classify themselves in a group considered to have any particular characteristics of the same. One of the needs of people who are really important needs to show up and get the recognition of identity itself, and existence. Identity and there will appear in the social relationships in which the human relationship requires a recognition on the self-existence. Identity has varied depending on the

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nature of the relationship arena associate conjunction with the pattern. Pattern is determined by the relationship between a role where he will determine the status or the position of someone in a relationship because the structure of the relationship itself in the form of a structure. Articulating ethnic identity is referring to maintaining the actual attributes-attributes or characteristics ethnic which has been previously described by Barth (Barth 1980:14) as more a social order that has boundaries are social, in a sense refers to the "main rule" that is understood by the group with itself. Main characteristics of these patterns can be action, physical characteristics, or cultural values that become the basis for these social groups. One of the characteristics is the confidence which the religious guidelines for the embodiment of social action groups concerned. In a social relationship, each group ethnic create social boundaries. A boundary of social ethnic is determined by the social assessment as a guide to determine the system membership group. Boundaries in the form of social characteristics or attributes of a bookmark ethnic someone. Characteristics have become important because it will be different between groups ethnic. With these characteristics each person can recognize and distinguish groups ethnic. And this is very dependent on the choice once they respond to the process of domination that they faced. Emerge of Orang Kubu ethnic identity was patterned in the relationship that allows them to play well, who have both at the local and regional level. With playing well articulating his own identity, Orang Kubu can increase social status or position in the wider community which is more multi-ethnic. The ethnic identity in this case is to bring the implications of exploitation and the use of symbols and cultural behavior in accordance with the situation faced and can be manipulated for the sake of economic interests, political and the social actors. In the process of ethnic identity construction, the ascriptive status of ethnic that is based on social status at the community will have big influences. The ascriptive status in some cases toward lower ethnic class it’s become social stigma that given by the ethnic dominant. Harald Eidheim (1980) illustrates the case with what happens between ethnic Lapp and Norwegian. The ethnic relation for both ethnics is bounded by the social platform which focused on economic purposes. Furthermore, the different role of the both ethnic groups is creating the ascriptive status, which is based on their occupation and social environments. Unfortunately, the Lapp as the lower class have negative social stigma that given by the Norwegian as backward people. This social stigma latterly becomes influencing the construction of ethnic identity of Lapp. Related to plural society and social class, the hunter-gatherer and forager group has been seen as the lowest group at the rank of hierarchical system of the society. The position of the hunter-gatherer and forager, like Orang Kubu in the inferior of Sumatra, always placed in the position at the lowest rank of the society because the limitation of their contribution to influences of the society. This group is being exploited by the ruling class that comes from different ethnic groups. The both of ethnic identity of groups will be refer to social class. The status of ethnic group that based on the role of ethnic at the relation will be changed to who is become the group possess of the resources as the capital and who is become the working class. The status of both group and then becomes ascriptive and creating interdependent with each other.

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Barth (1980:19-20) see ethnic as a social order where the boundaries are emphasized to the boundaries that are social, that is more to the group determine how the "game rules" that are shared by the group itself. It’s more to how the nature of the ability to share the same culture, so create a special distinctive character. However, Barth further explained as a social order, ethnic have the fundamental characteristics and generally specify a group including ethnic which is something special that does categorical ascription or characteristic of the base to include someone in a certain group ethnic based on the background of origin. The characteristics or attributes is given, either by fellow group members or by other groups. Then becomes is important to know the purpose of dealing with other ethnic. The ethnic function as to determine the category and grouping related to the identity so that it can only be successful if used easily, if not a member ethnic concerned with replacing will choose another identity, or to change them. In a different environment would require a different appearance because of the identity ethnic related to the value of cultural standards that have, in certain circumstances so that someone can identify with the show but on the environment or circumstances required a different standard values also. Conclusion The identity of Orang Kubu will lead to a form of identity KUBU in 2 different image patterns. The first is in the style of assimilation into the dominant culture and the second is the identity that have tendency to separate themselves from the dominant group who performed a physical and symbolic In the feature assimilation, Orang Kubu wants to be judged by other ethnic groups as a civilized society and not backward as any other ethnic group. They are trying to articulate in images the appearance of behaviors that were done and through symbols that are shown which refers to the standard value that exists in the general population. By becoming Muslims they want to create images that correspond to the images you want displayed by the government and the public about the Orang Kubu that civilized, not stubborn, willing to obey all the advice from the government, and being Muslim. The impression is that the government wanted to build when it issued a concept of civilized Kubu. By contrast in style identity secession, Orang Kubu want more images to give the impression of ethnic groups or other community that it's fine to be different of Orang Kubu with what is expected by the public. They want to be seen and judged as Orang Kubu accordance with standard values in the culture which is very contrary to what is desired by the general public. They tried to bring their own ethnic identity by displaying the behavior and symbols that lead to the attributes that they want to convey.

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