Old and New Élite in a Village of Sonder

Abstract

An analysis of reputation and status in Minahasa (Indonesia) in relation to socio-economic development. Two periods in the economic history of the region of Sonder are distinguished. In the colonial era, it was among the poorest in Minahasa, while after the independence of Indonesia it developed into a «dollar region» thanks to the lucrative clove cultivation. In a case study of a Sonder village, it is shown how in Dutch colonial times the few wealthy villagers were connected with the local administration and school system to become the village élite. Many of their descendants were in the 1980s still well-to-do, but have been matched by some of the «new rich», that is, entrepreneurs of humble descent.