Everyday Negotiation

The Aceh Chinese have long navigated a complex position in Aceh, Indonesia. The province itself occupies a contested place within the Indonesian state, having experienced prolonged violence and challenges to its autonomy, particularly during the New Order regime. These tensions culminated in the conflict between the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) and the Indonesian state from 1976 to 2005. Caught within these competing political forces, the Aceh Chinese found themselves in an ambiguous and vulnerable position. This condition has persisted into the post-Suharto era, as their sense of belonging continues to be negotiated amid Aceh’s special autonomy and the implementation of sharia law. This article examines the experiences of the Aceh Chinese in the post-conflict era. Through ethnographic research, it explores how the community negotiates Islamic norms and social pressures while striving to preserve its cultural and religious practices in a restrictive environment. While outwardly conforming to Aceh’s regional regulations (qanun), the Aceh Chinese simultaneously engage in everyday negotiation – strategically aligning with state-promoted pluralist values, discreetly selling and consuming non-halal goods among non-Muslims, and maintaining religious life through the everyday use of temple and church shophouses. The article argues that such everyday negotiation constitutes a subtle form of resistance, enabling the Aceh Chinese to navigate dominant power structures and actively construct belonging and identity in Aceh.