Songkok not a Muslim-exclusive headgear but part of the Indonesian national culture

 

THIS is obviously a cultural shock to many Malays who treat the songkok as a headgear synonymous to Muslim males to complete a customary attire during formal occasions and at social or religious events.

Such is probably the reality of life in Indonesia which boasts the largest Muslim population in the world which a rabble-rouser Malaysian netizen overlooked when he demonised songkok-donning former Indonesian president Joko Widodo a.k.a. Jokowi for “reciting the Al-Fatihah verse” at the late Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome recently.

Although the post by MALAYSIA PROBLEM (@Malaysia_Problm) has been taken down by virtue of his account been suspended, it has to be pointed out that songkok-donning Indonesian Homan Rights Minister Natalius Pigai was also captured on a video making the “sign of the cross” after paying his last respect.

For the record, Jokowi who during the tail end of his two-term presidency was instrumental in inviting the late Pope Francis to Jakarta was appointed as a special envoy of President Prabowo Subianto to attend Pope Francis funeral at the Vatican.

He was accompanied by Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai, Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono and former minister Ignasius Jonan – all of whom are Catholics.

Former Indonesian president Joko Widodo a.k.a. Jokowi greeting the late Pope Francis when the latter visited Indonesia in early September 2024 (Image credit: Indonesia Window)

That songkok is not an exclusive headgear for Indonesian Muslims was shared by X user fred  (@508mphx) who highlighted in a viral post that “Betawi Christians even wear it to church”.

“That’s why assimilation never really works in Malaysia because stuff like language, words and even outfits all get tied up with the dominant religion,” remarked user fred  whose post has amassed 2.5 million views at the time of writing.

However, some supposedly ‘thick face’ Malaysian netizens refused to accept such reality with one asserting that it would be better for Malaysia to retain the songkok wearing cultures for the Malays given “there has been massive confusion in Indonesia which condones mixed marriages”.

Interestingly, an Indonesian commenter seconded fred  that the songkok which is commonly known as peci in Indonesia “is a national attire, worn by the male” with no religious connotation.

As the debate rattles on, a commenter revealed that non-Muslims do wear the songkok but confined to “special and official occasions”. 

- Focus Malaysia