Impact of the Implementation of Regional Autonomy on Local Wisdom in the Colonial Era: (Case Study of Gemeente Pematang Siantar)

Abstract

Decentralization as a precursor to the implementation of regional autonomy in Indonesia has been an issue for quite a long time and has been going on since the colonial era. It was implemented as a form of freedom given to a region to manage itself based on its own needs, as part of a liberalistic democratization. The manifestation of decentralization in the colonial period took form of gemeente, an autonomous city that later became city as we know today. Gemeente Pematang Siantar had its own uniqueness. This Gemeente was known as "Christelijke Gemeente". The region, which was formed with the development of plantation, transformed into a settlement dominated by Christians. The changes that occurred until Pematang Siantar became a gemeente will be discussed in this paper. In addition, this paper will also discuss the impact of the implementation of decentralization (regional autonomy) policies on population demography and changes in local wisdom in the community. Pematang Siantar is currently the region with the highest rate of tolerance due to the multicultural population as a result of its appointment as a gemeente.