Indonesian-Chinese who grew up ‘out-of-wedlock’ in Suharto era relive ‘trauma’ through new book

It took a move to China to discover her “Indonesian-ness”, said author Grace Tioso, who grew up in the authoritarian era of Indonesian President Suharto, when Chinese language and culture were suppressed for three decades.

Discriminatory practices against her ethnic group, such as being endlessly asked to prove her nationality by government offices and an unofficial bar from entry to state universities, left Tioso ambivalent about Indonesia, where she was born.

“I was eager to reconnect with my roots, so I went to university in China studying Mandarin,” said Tioso, the author of new book Perkumpulan Anak Luar Nikah (The Society of Out-of-Wedlock Children).