Langsung ke konten utama

R.A. Kartini’s Comemmoration: What We Need Was Beyond the Traditional Dresses Carnival



Couple days before March 21, I went to one of traditional dress rental. On there, I found the rental was so full of moms fitting the costume to their children, while the kids seemed not focus and wanted to end that activity as soon as possible. Then I asked to the rental owner if the peak season is coming, and she answered definitely yes.

We just got through commemoration of R.A. Kartini’s birthday (as known as Kartini), marked by the carnival of students wear traditional dress. Moreover, we would easily find most officers in all provinces over the country attempt to do so. I didn’t get the point why we have to commemorate Kartini’s fight with all those attributes, even men also wear the traditional dress on March 21. Is Kartini a designer of traditional dresses or something?

I actually love the traditional dress all the way they are and also like how children wear them as a symbol to appreciate the culture, but I believe that there must be a better method to commemorate Kartini. As a big fan of Kartini, I know her more than as a fighter of woman emancipation for gender equality. She was a great thinker, I amazed on how Kartini maximize her link as an aristocratic at that time to connect with the youth around the world through her influential words. Kartini has a high intelligence, smart, and great in literature. We can read from her letters how she has an ability to elaborate the suffering of Indonesian at that time honestly in beautiful words.  I would restate that she was not only an emancipation fighter, but also Indonesian great thinker and poet. As written in one of her letter in the early 1900, at any age and in any field, the pioneers always had great obstacles. That we already know. But, it’s good to have a goal. A call. Let's say we are the crazy people ... or anything ... But we cannot do otherwise. We have no right to stay ignorant, like the people who are not valuable. Nobility carries obligations.

Something that a bit annoyed me is the question about whether our generation well inform of a true figure of Kartini or not –beside they commonly know that she came from Java and regularly use kebaya-. If they don’t, it wasn’t their fault. I myself found the deeper information of her from books and other media that haven’t been introduced by my teacher at school. Then why in commemorate of Kartini’s birthday we are not trying to give that knowledge through creative program, instead of being busy with only the traditional costume. We can say that commemoration Katini’s birthday has been a ritual in our society. As stated by Steven Lukes on his paper Political Ritual and Social Integration that political rituals pictures them (on special day-red), not as promoting value integration, but as crucial elements in the `mobilization of bias'. I agree with that argument that the way we commemorate Kartini tend to create a bias of value in society. 

In my opinion, the more people know about Kartini the more they will be inspired by her thought and fight. Our kids of course able to still wear the traditional costume, but we need to walk far more to give them both symbol and value. 

I believe that when we make a difference movement on commemorate of Kartini’s birthday, it will impact on our next generation way of thinking. Later on, our kids will not only talk about shell, but they will also discuss about the essence, even beyond. Kartini has opened the gate, let us go deeper and explore more. 

First article on "Dibuang Sayang" Label, have been sent to national media but not published ;)
Label:

Komentar

Posting Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

Hari-hari Menjadi Ibu

Hampir tujuh tahun menjadi ibu, sekarang jadi sadar bahwa perjuangan dan perjalanan yang luar biasa itu bukan sekedar jargon atau ungkapan klise. Di dua sampai tiga tahun pertama merasakan mengurus bayi hingga batita membuat aku sadar tentang: 1. Hal yang biasa terlihat mudah, ternyata luar biasa menantang Sebut saja, menyusui, menyuapi anak sampai bisa makan sesuai porsi, tetap tenang ketika mereka sakit, atau tidak menangis ketika ASI yang baru kita perah tumpah. Hal-hal tersebut tidak pernah terpikir akan menantang ketika aku belum merasakan sendiri. 2. Ibu merespon apa yang dia dengar dan dia baca dengan cara berbeda Aku akan terima saja kalau dibilang baper, tetapi memang setelah melewati banyak proses rasanya jadi ibu membuatku lebih thoughtful dalam berucap dan menulis. Karena ibu merasakan apa yang ia dengar dan ia baca dengan mendalam, sambil memutar kembali rekaman peristiwa yang ia alami. Hal ini tidak remeh, karena mengasah empati. Suatu skill yang penting dimiliki seseor
Posting Komentar
Baca selengkapnya

Dalam Upacara Perpisahanku

Malam itu puluhan orang berkumpul, di ruang yang tak punya tembok, atap, lantai, maupun jendela Mereka tidak masuk lewat pintu, tetapi dari sesuatu bernama tautan   Sambutan demi sambutan, cerita indah hingga sedih, saut menyaut Ingin rasanya aku menanggapi tiap kisah yang mereka lontarkan Misalnya, ketika ada yang bilang aku orang yang tegar -- padahal tidak jarang aku mengeluh dan menangis diam-diam Atau.. Ketika ada yang mengatakan masih punya utang janji padaku, rasanya ingin kutagih tunai malam itu juga   Tapi apa, aku tak ada..  Di daftar nama peserta itu, namaku tak nampak Di layar itu, fotoku tak terlihat Ternyata begini rasanya bisa menyembunyikan tawa dan tangis tanpa harus menutup  microphone  atau kamera -- yang biasa aku lakukan beberapa bulan ini, setiap hari   Dalam upacara tersebut, tidak ada lagi kesal.. Tak ada lagi benci.. Tuntas sudah yang belum selesai Yang ada hanya rasa sayang, rasa syukur aku pernah bertemu mereka dan mencipta banyak kisah indah, unik, atau mela
Posting Komentar
Baca selengkapnya

Jalan Kesana

Kata mama saya, sejak dulu anaknya ini terobsesi dengan Inggris. Asumsi yang didasari oleh hobi masa kecil saya mengumpulkan post card gratisan dari majalah Bobo. Salah satu favorit saya waktu itu yang bergambar Princess Diana. Gak paham lagi, dia anggun banget dan berjiwa sosial, super ngefans! Waktu kecil belum paham tentang skandal percintaannya, jadi tiada celah baginya wkwk. Lalu suatu hari saya pasang post card tersebut di album foto, di sebelah gambar saya lagi tiup lilin ulang tahun ke-5. Kayaknya random aja waktu itu, bukan ala ala sikap yang penting untuk dikenang bertahun-tahun kemudian. Saya sendiri lupa sama sekali kejadian itu. Dan ingin ke London karena entah kenapa saya penasaran sama Inggris, belum pernah kesana, dan negara itu tampak sangat unik. Banyak musikus yang karyanya saya nikmati berasal dari Inggris, seperti The Beatles, Elton John, Sting, Coldplay. Saya selalu yakin nuansa sebuah kota berpengaruh terhadap jiwa seni warganya, semacam Jogja atau Ba
Posting Komentar
Baca selengkapnya