huana

Borrowed from Hokkien 番仔 (hoan-á). Compare Tagalog Huwana.

huana

1. Indonesian person of native origin; pribumi

   Synonyms: pribumi, bumiputra, inlander, fankui (derogatory), tiko (derogatory)

   Kenapa menyebut orang pribumi Huana ketika banyak orang Tionghoa yang tidak tahu artinya?

   Why call natives Huana if many Chinese do not know the meaning?

2. A native in a land where the Chinese are immigrants

• This term is mostly recognised by those who know Hokkien, especially Chinese Indonesians, but it is not as used in Indonesian compared to pribumi. Those who hear this, especially those who do not speak Chinese, might sometimes misconstrue it as a derogatory or vulgar ethnic slur, but in Indonesian Hokkien, it can be used neutrally or condescendingly based on context.

• “huana” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.