Indonesian people are very family-oriented. Family holds the most important meaning for Indonesian culture. The relationship between each member of the family is close, although it’s rare to see family members showing their feelings and affection openly. Without words, everybody knows and assumes that the other members of the family love each other and will always take care of each other.
Parents, especially fathers, have a very dominant role in the family. The decision-making process in the family tends to be authoritarian. No matter how old a person is, they will always be their parent’s “child”. This means that a university student who is twenty-two years old or even a young married couple who still lives with their parents must involve and consider the parents’ opinion in making a decision. To ask for the parents’ opinion and permission is not viewed as a form of dependency, but more as a form of respects toward them, as they are considered to have more experiences in life. It is very common in Indonesia that children live with their parents even after they are married.
In Indonesian culture, gatherings with extended family are quite common. Being a member of the greater community is also important and Indonesians tend to feel indebted to their village, their mosque, or their professional organization.
