ABSTRACT
This chapter will deal, among other things, with different conceptions of modernity among my Hadrami informants, ambivalent conceptions about (and sometimes encounters with) their original homeland, and equally ambivalent conceptions about what it means for them to be an Indonesian citizen. Social identity and individual self-presentation among Indonesian Hadramis is a complex matter which poses both methodological and theoretical challenges. By venturing into recent theories on relativity of ethnic boundaries (Galaty 1982; Herzfeld 1997; Malkki 1995), I aim to explore how these people simultaneously work at making the best out of their business enterprises and managing their distinct Hadrami identity in an Indonesian context, pursuing long-term moral concerns.
