Inter-Ethnic Social Harmony in North Sumatra: The Study on Cross Cutting Affiliates for Creating Social Harmony in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

North Sumatra is one of the most heterogeneous society provinces in Indonesia. There are16tribesthatsettled in this area. Eight of them are native ethnic (ethnic host) and the others are ethnic migrants. Historically, this heterogeneity originated from the Dutchcolonialerasince1862CE.Every tribe is different from the aspect of religion, race, ethnicity, language, culture, and clan. However, social relationships and social interactions can develop well. History shows that in the province of North Sumatra unprecedented inter-ethnic and religious conflict. This can occur due to each individual member’s ethnic group, bound with various types of faith-based fraternity affiliation, tribe, clan, territorial affiliations and other reasons. This reality can form because of the Cross Cutting Affiliate (CCA).CCA is the bond of brotherhood that each individual is bound in various affiliate bonds. Each individual member of the ethnic groups, in addition is tied to the ethnic, to the clan and bound to the culture and to the territory. Thus, each individual has the same rights and obligations. This fact is supported by the presence of ethnic cultural similarities between neon other. The existence of these prerequisites as social capital creates social harmony. This is an effective way to avoid conflicts between members. In the end, people can coexist without conflict. Social harmony is very important for the multiethnic and multicultural society.