Indonesian Diaspora Commemorates 128 Years Of Javanese Migration To New Caledonia

The Indonesian Consul General, Bambang Gunawan (medium to batik) with people of Javanese descent in La Foa City, New Caledonia. (Between/HO-Conjen RI Noumea)

JAKARTA - Diaspora Indonesia commemorates 128 years of arrival of Javanese arriving in New Caledonia. The arrival of the first Javanese to New Caledonia began on February 16, 1896, when France asked the Dutch colonial government to bring in contract workers from Java.

They work as plantation workers, livestock and nickel mining in the French region of the Pacific, precisely to the east of the Australian Continent.

Currently, there are around 4,000 people in New Caledonia who claim to be Javanese, according to a press release from the Indonesian Consulate General inNoumea received by Antara, to Sunday.

It was stated that most of them still speak Javanese and the rest speak French.

Currently, the younger generation of Javanese are enjoying a better life than the previous generation, according to the press release.

February 16 is celebrated as the day of arrival of the Javanese in New Caledonia which is enlivened by the 'Corruption of the Elderly' event as an award from the younger generation to their predecessors.

The arrival of the Javanese gradually formed a strong Indonesian community in New Caledonia, although initially faced challenges in adapting to new cultures and environments. They managed to make a positive contribution to the country's development, according to the press release.

It was also stated that the recognition and appreciation of the New Caledonia government for the contribution of the Indonesian people was reflected in the construction of monuments to commemorate the arrival of Indonesians in eight cities in New Caledonia.

Last Friday (16/2), the government of Paita City and the Indonesian Community Association in Patita collaborated to hold a commemoration ceremony in the yard of the local city hall, where the 100-year monument was erected to commemorate the presence of Indonesians in New Caledonia, specifically in Paita City.

On the same day, the Indonesian Community Association and its Descendants (PMIK) collaborated with the Noumea City government to hold a similar event at the Valen du Gaz, Noumea.

As a tribute to the ancestors who pioneered the arrival of Indonesians in New Caledonia, the Indonesian Community in New Caledonia held an "Elder's Hospital" in La Foa City, which is about 100 km from Noumea.

The activity, which featured the arts and culture of Java and Indonesia, also presented various Indonesian special dishes.

The event also became a place of respect for Javanese elders who have struggled to provide valuable heritage for future generations in New Caledonia, according to the press release.