Despite living in Australia, Indonesian student M. Hafidz Al-Furqan (known as “dagucoklat” online) remains firmly connected to his heritage. The Bahasa Indonesia continues to be a source of comfort in his social life, while his local language dialects are essential for maintaining his core identity.
M. Hafidz Al-Furqan, a master’s student in Creative Industries and Media Communication at Macquarie University and National Communications Director of AIYA, says Sumpah Pemuda [Youth Pledge] still speaks to his generation, especially its call to uphold “the language of unity”.
To Hafidz, Indonesian is a language he chooses to deepen as part of his identity. Work he did in 2020, when he encountered equivalents like “lantatur” for “drive-thru”, opened up the richness of the language and encouraged further study. In Australia, he follows through by speaking Indonesian with fellow Indonesians and selecting the most fitting language for each context.
He also often shares Indonesian-language content on his social media because, he said, it helps keep his followers connected to the Indonesian language.
Indonesia has more than 700 local languages… if young people don’t get to know them, a few years from now they could disappear.M. Hafidz Al-Furqan
Hafidz boils his approach down to three pillars: preserve the local languages, prioritise the Indonesian language, and understand foreign languages. Local languages carry identity, Indonesian connects communities, and foreign languages open doors to represent Indonesia on the global stage.
To this Gen Z Indonesian, Sumpah Pemuda’s “one land” is less about where he lives and more about carrying Indonesia while overseas by staying active in the community, sharing culture and keeping the Indonesian language alive.
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