This study explores the intercultural identity negotiation of Chinese-Indonesians in Singkawang, a city widely recognized for its multicultural coexistence yet historically marked by marginalization and forced assimilation. Through a phenomenological approach, the research examines how individuals of Chinese descent navigate between preserving inherited traditions and engaging in intercultural dialogue with Dayak and Malay communities. The study investigates the layered experiences of ethnic identity formation in a dynamic post-reform Indonesian context. Findings reveal that cultural festivals such as Cap Go Meh and Tatung not only function as vehicles for heritage preservation but also serve as symbolic spaces where hybrid identities are formed and contested. Chinese-Indonesians in Singkawang adopt adaptive communication strategies to maintain cultural distinctiveness while fostering inclusion and social harmony in everyday interethnic relations. Their lived experiences illustrate how tradition, memory, and marginality converge to shape complex, negotiated identities that are both resilient and fluid. The study contributes to cross-cultural communication scholarship by highlighting how marginalized ethnic communities actively reclaim cultural space through symbolic interaction and everyday intercultural practices. It further offers insights into pluralism-from-below, presenting Singkawang as a model of localized intercultural resilience that challenges the top-down narratives of assimilation. These findings have broader implications for policymakers, educators, and intercultural practitioners working toward inclusive cultural citizenship in diverse societies.

Authors:
Liauw Niyu, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia
Rose Tarigan, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia
Rambu Naha, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Indonesia

About the Presenter(s)
Niyu, S.Si., M.I.Kom., is a lecturer at Universitas Pelita Harapan and a doctoral student at FIKOM Universitas Padjadjaran. Her interests include intercultural communication, with a current project on multicultural identity in Singkawang.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/niyu-yufisa-696422181/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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