The Influence of Hinduism toward the Islamic Practice of Indigenous People in Sulawesi

Abstract

Indonesia is divided in 3 (three) regions geographically, Western Indonesia covering Sumatra, Java, and West Kalimantan; Center Indonesia covering a part of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Bali; and Eastern Indonesia covering Maluku and Papua. Hinduism was developed firstly in Indonesia about 4–5th century, which is proved by the existence of oldest Hinduism kingdom, Kutai Kertanegara, East Kalimatan. This phenomenon creates a question about the ways or process of Hinduism culture goes into Indonesia and how the potention of Hinduism in influencing the islamic practice of Muslim people in Sulawesi is.This paper analyzes the influence of Hinduism culture towards islamic practice of indigenous people in Sulawesi, by using Totemisme Durkheim’s theory (1964). The theory states that to understand the role in society, the researcher have to investigate the religion in its simplest and original form that cover all essential aspects, either in sacred or profane one. Logic definition method with qualitative and simbolic approaches in historic and normative ways are used to describe the role and spreading pattern of Hinduism culture that form the Islamic existence in Sulawesi. The data of this study qualitatively describe the influence of Hinduism towards Islamic practice of every ethnic in Sulawesi, either in custom speech, daily activity, or religious ritual.