Natasya Salim, born in Indonesia, has gone through a tumultuous journey to accept her dual identity as a Chinese-Indonesian. Salim experienced Indonesia’s harsh state of ethnic affairs in his upbringing. Anjali artfully wove her family’s historical diaspora and the socio-political climate that deeply influenced her identity. Her bloodline goes back to her grandfather, Handy Salim. He had initially immigrated from Fujian Province, China, to Indonesia over 60 years ago. This cultural legacy has often made Columbus a bastion of fight. Continuing the legacy of anti-Chinese sentiments in Indonesian society, these changes replaced pride in Indonesia’s cultural history with shame.
Salim’s creative journey toward self-acceptance started with her name. Her full Indonesian name is Natasya Salim. Her grandfather had selected her Chinese name, Lin Fu Zhen (林福镇), from a list of names he had written before his death. Salim’s parents decided against teaching their children the language of their ancestors. This was a result of societal pressures and fear brought on by past discrimination towards ethnic Chinese in Indonesia, as well as the deep bond ethnic Chinese felt towards their homeland.
The Impact of History on Identity
The historical context of Salim’s upbringing, including the Partition and ongoing discrimination against Muslims in India, shaped her conception of identity. Indonesian policies designed to marginalize the Chinese population affected her family personally. Although they were fortunate enough to avoid the violence of the 1998 riots in Sumatra, the looming threat of anti-Chinese backlash was ever-present.
“In my formative years, I really struggled with being removed from my cultural background. To support her newfound interest, her parents put her in after-school Mandarin lessons. Their goal was to improve her educational achievement, not to nurture ethnic pride. This colonial mode of education caused Salim to be a stranger in both her cultures.
“You have to know the past to understand your present, and design your future.” – Udaya Halim
Salim’s sense of safety was further tested during politically charged events, such as protests against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), Jakarta’s first ethnic Chinese governor. Members of the community were on razor-sharp edges during this period, knowing that one wrong move could set off a powder keg.
Finding Connection and Acceptance
Salim’s life changed forever when she came across Udaya Halim. He is a leading figure in the Chinese-Indonesian community in Perth and an esteemed human-rights activist and historian. With Halim’s mentorship, Salim was able to navigate the multitudes of her identity and express and celebrate her culture unapologetically.
Salim traced her roots further back in her family’s history and in the larger Chinese-Indonesian story. During the course of this journey, she fearlessly started to challenge and heal her sense of separation. The journey was not easy, but it did require the acknowledgement of systemic discrimination and of a piece of herself that she had denied for so long.
“We didn’t ask to be born a certain way and to what ethnicity,” – Udaya Halim
Under Halim’s mentorship, Salim became a bridge between both halves of her family’s cultural roots. She discovered that her identity was not a challenge, but an asset — a cultural mosaic that inspired new ideas and perspectives.
The Path Forward
Today, Natasya Salim is unapologetically a Chinese-Indonesian. The new name Lin Fu Zhen feels right to her, as she owns the complexity of her life. She has turned the challenges of her upbringing into a means of growth and greater awareness.
Salim’s story is a microcosm of a greater macrocosm where people find themselves traversing a multi-ethnic landscape dealing with obstacles that society may already have presented. She has emerged as a voice for those grappling with similar issues, using her experiences to foster dialogue about acceptance and cultural heritage.
“Oh, I work in media and I’m Indonesian.” – Natasya Salim
Her story is one of hope and encouragement to all who are lost in the in-between, struggling to find a sense of belonging. Through her story, she wants to inspire others to live authentically and wholly as themselves instead of feeling the need to conform.
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