BULE, A CALL FOR WHITE PEOPLE IN INDONESIA

Basically, Indonesian natives are mostly Melayu-Austronesian with an average characteristic of brown and olive skin with a high of about 160 cm to 180 cm. This is a typical feature of Asian nations like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Therefore, in the middle of community, tourist or businessman whose characteristics other than those characteristics, is often called by Indonesian people as a stranger.

Indonesian people called the stranger as Negro and Bule. Negro refers to black people and Bule is a term for white people. For the people of Indonesia, this term is merely the way they distinguish between immigrants who is black or white with the indigenous population, and has nothing to do with any racial matter.

Basically, most Indonesian people are very pleased to be able to mix with strangers. They will get variety of perspectives and insights when they can get along with strangers. But unfortunately, the language barriers often hinder the process of communicating these friendships. Sometimes the phrase or greeting from the people of Indonesia sound impolite, but actually they just want to interact.

Today, when English became the first foreign language of Indonesian society, this language that can be accessed through various media, and give impact to the development of communications with strangers, especially for the younger generation. Many youth make friends with strangers that they call as Bule or Negro. They are very proud of being able to make friendship with strangers. For that reason, do not be surprised when in the major tourist places, many Indonesian, especially young people insist to take pictures with foreign tourists.