Jakarta (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — Every 21st of April, the letters of Raden Ajeng (R.A) Kartini resurface, echoing the history of this emancipation hero as she led Indonesian women from the dark days of colonialism towards enlightenment.
Today, contemporary figures reminiscent of Kartini grace the pages of mass media, reminding us that although she has departed, the spirit embedded within her letters continues to ignite the hearts of women who strive daily for the nation’s progress.
A Brief History of Kartini’s Letters
Born on April 21, 1879, in the town of Jepara, Central Java, Kartini, the daughter of noble parents Raden Mas (R.M.) Sosroningrat and Mas Ajeng Ngasirah, began her epistolary journey in 1899.
According to the book “Kartini: the Complete Writings 1898-1904,” edited and translated by Joost Coste, a Senior Researcher in History at Monash University, Australia, Kartini’s first letter was addressed to one of her friends, Estelle (Stella) Zeehandelaar, who was involved in the feminist movement in the Netherlands.
In this letter, Kartini expressed her yearning for freedom as a woman. She aspired to break free from the domestic confines that restricted Javanese women at the time, longing for autonomy and the ability to shape her own destiny.
Furthermore, Kartini lamented the constraints imposed by Javanese traditions, particularly for noblewomen, such as the requirement to perform a squatting walk in front of her parents as a sign of respect.
She also highlighted the limitations in communication within her own family, where her siblings were prohibited from even touching her head in jest, as it was deemed disrespectful in Javanese custom.
From 1889 to 1904, Kartini actively penned her thoughts. The responses she received from friends who experienced the privileges of being a woman in the modern world ignited a fervor within her to advocate for education for Indonesian women amidst the country’s struggle against colonization.
In one of her letters, she vehemently opposed the prevalent practice of polygamy in Java, as she herself was a victim of it, being forced into marriage by her father to a Regent of Rembang who already had three wives and seven children.
Kartini believed that women should have the freedom to choose their own path, including selecting their life partners. She even addressed letters to a married couple, Jacques Henrij (J.H) Abendanon and Rosa Manuela Abendanon, expressing her thoughts on women’s roles and aspirations.
Compilation of Kartini’s Letters: “Out of Darkness, Light Emerges”
J.H Abendanon played a pivotal role in Kartini’s life. Despite her rejection of the scholarship he offered due to her impending marriage, he collected her letters, rich with emancipatory values, struggles, and resistance against colonialism, and compiled them into a book titled “Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang” (“Out of Darkness, Light Emerges”) in Bahasa Melayu.
Published seven years after Kartini’s untimely death at the age of 25 on September 17, 1904, following the birth of her first child, Soesalit Djojohadhiningrat, the book immortalizes Kartini’s legacy.
Kartini Day was officially recognized as an important day in Indonesian history during the presidency of Sukarno. On May 2, 1964, President Sukarno issued Presidential Decree No. 108 of 1964, cementing Kartini as a National Independence Hero.
The commemoration of Kartini Day serves as a reminder of the indomitable spirit of a woman who dared to challenge societal norms and pave the way for the empowerment of Indonesian women.
