Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and the biggest economy in Southeast Asia. But research also tells us it’s one of the countries New Zealanders know very little about. Wellingtonian Claire Achmad, a child and human rights policy specialist, shares some cultural tips for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ahead of her meeting with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
There’s a number of tips I would give to our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in terms of her upcoming meeting with President Joko Widodo.
For example, to get to know him, have a look at his Twitter and Instagram – he’s really big on social media.
In terms of cultural tips, there’s a couple of big no-nos that the Prime Minister should avoid doing.
- Don’t present anything, for example a gift, with her left hand; avoid doing that.
- Also, don’t point using your forefinger when you're speaking to someone – that’s considered rude.
Something she might want to do from a cultural perspective is to give the president some oleh oleh (souvenirs); a small gift from New Zealand. That will go down really well.
Another big thing to do is to get involved in the President’s vlog – he’s really into using his vlog to communicate with Indonesians and the rest of the world, similar to how our Prime Minister does.
Also, have fun. Smile and joke around a little bit to start with. One thing that I am always heartened by is that Indonesians and New Zealanders have a really similar sense of humour, so that’s sure to get them off on a good start.
Claire Achmad has played a leading role in “15+15 Dialogues” between young Indonesians and New Zealanders, run by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Indonesia’s Habibie Center. Achmad, who has Indonesian heritage, is also a member of the Foundation’s Leadership Network. Media are welcome to download and re-use the above video with credit.
– Asia Media Centre
