Session Name: Revolutionary Worlds: Local Perspectives and Dynamics during the Indonesian Independence War 1945-1949
The meaning of independence for women in Yogyakarta, 1945-1946
Monday, July 29, 2024
14:00 – 15:45 (GMT+7)
The Indonesian National Revolution created new ideas about equality and unity. The ancient word merdeka (freedom) acquired revolutionary meaning as the readiness to fight the Dutch elements that had tagged along with (membonceng) British troops late in 1945. The Proclamation of Independence signified personal freedom and a new awareness for every Indonesian individual. So why are women so rarely included in the Indonesian historiography of the period? Why do Indonesian school textbooks cover the overthrow of Dutch colonial rule and the Japanese colonial rule but leave out the role of women in the revolution? Many scholars have written about the need to include women’s perspectives in the history of the revolution. Yet even in scholarly writings, they are often depicted only in soup kitchens, in the Red Cross, in militias and women’s organizations and as organizers of and participants in various political congresses. There are many other aspects of women in the revolution.
Yogyakarta during this period was given numerous names. It was the Capital of the Republic of Indonesia; the Heart of the Republic (Jantung Kiblik); the City of Islamic Restoration (Kota Hijrah); the Congress City (Kota Kongres); the City of Hope, Dreams and the Future of Indonesia (Kota harapan, impian, and masa depan Indonesia); the city of refugees and even the place of pleasure (kaum plesiran). But Yogyakarta was also the heart of the women’s movement. The first women’s national congress was organized there from 22 to 25 December 1928. This chapter asks: how did female revolutionary actors create meaning out of the newly proclaimed independence? It examines archives and ego documents written by women in the first year after the Proclamation.