Museum Kebangkitan Nasional, ex STOVIA

Last Saturday  four of my friends and I went to the National Museum which is called by Museum Kebangkitan Nasional. The Museum is located in the Senen area, at Jalan Abdul Rahman Saleh 26, Central Jakarta. We met at school as we planned to go together to the museum. Around 10:00, we departed school to Museum Kebangkitan Nasional.  Museum Kebangkitan Nasional contains of the history of old buildings, furniture, clocks, lamps, bell hangers, health supplies, clothing, guns, photos, paintings, sculpture, diorama, map / mockups / sketches, miniature. This museum building formerly was a Stovia building (Tot School Opleiding Van Inlandsche Arsten) which constructed in 1899 until 1901 and inaugurated in March 1902. This building was Medicine school for the native Indonesian people who came from different regions in all of Indonesia.  The study takes 2 to 3 years, and then continued with the study of medicine for 5-6 years. As this old building had no longer eligible for medical education, in 1920, the STOVIA moved to Jalan Salemba 6. In 1925, Stovia building was used for junior high school (MULO), AMS high school (AMS), and Assistant Pharmacists School. Since the arrival of the Japanese army, the building was used as a shelter for former Dutch soldier prisoners of war in the years of 1942-1945. That is why the operation of this school lasted until 1942.  April 1973 the Government of DKI Jakarta conduct the restoration of the building and after the restoration was completed, the building was inaugurated by President Soeharto on May 20, 1974 under the name Gedung Kebangkitan Nasional.  The name of this building refers to the place of birth of the first national organization movement on May 20, 1908 known as Budi Utomo,

After asking a few people on the way to the location of this museum, we finally arrived to the museum. We went in a hurry as the museum is only open until 2 pm every Saturday. We've browsed via the Internet, and it’s suprisingly the entry ticket price only IDR 2,000, As there was an exhibition in the museum, we don’t need to pay the entrance ticket. Then we started to get into the museum.

We then entered to the next room; we found many national heroes statues wearing traditional costumes. I will discuss further about one of the traditional costumes, mainly the traditional costumes of Sultan Thata Syaifudin (1816-1904), the hero from Jambi. His childhood was known as Thahaningktar. After throned as a Sultan, he was given a title as Thata Syaifudin. He did not want to continue the agreement with the Dutch Company as it made its predecessors by refusing to sign the agreement. As a result, Sultah Thata Syaifudin received threats and attacks from the fleet of the Dutch army if he would be exiled in Batavia. However, he did not waver, he instead alerting the army. Supported by the people of Jambi and his war strategy he could have a fleet against the Dutch troops. The Dutch Fortress in Jambi was invaded and the headquarters in Surolangun Rawas got onslaught. The attacks of the Sultan Jambi troops had forced the Dutch to bring their troops stationed in Aceh to help them. Unfortunately, it’s failed as the Sultan’s troops continued to battle. Until the end of Sultan Thata, he, even, was never caught. He passed away on April 26, 1904 and his remains buried in Tebo Muaro Jambi.

The next room is the room that contains of the Indonesian traditional weapons, and Dutch weapons. Here, there are also a keris, crossbow, cannon, and others. I chose a VOC replica cannon as a discussed material. The original VOC cannon actually entered to Indonesia brought by the Dutch as a weapon in the face of opposition when they were trying to find the areas which produced spices. Furthermore, the cannon were also widely used in Indonesian kingdoms to defend themselves from enemy attacks.

Next to the weapons room, there is another room which only has a few things inside, only a replica of the ship and the paintings as well that illustrate the situation in the colonial period. I would like to discuss further about this replica of the ship. This picture shows the Phinisi replica. Phinisi is a traditional sailing ship made by "Bugis" craftsmen in the Land of Beru, Bulu Kumbuh, South Sulawesi. These ships generally have two main masts and seven sails, three on the front end, two in front, and two behind; generally used for transporting goods between islands. Phinisi is a sailing ship that uses this type of sails with two mast schooner with seven strands of the sails representing that the Indonesian ancestors are able cruise seven oceans of the world. According to the historical records in Acopulco, Mexico has found Phinisi fossil sister ships. So it is possible that the glory of the ancestors of Indonesia has managed to navigate the ocean in order to conduct the business of the spice trade.

The Ritual of Phinisi boatbuilding is quite difficult. For that the craftsmen have to calculate a ‘good day’ to start searching wood for raw materials, wood. Usually it falls on the fifth day (Figures 5/naparilimai dalle'na which means the fortune already in hand). And seventh (figure 7/natujuangngi dalle'na means always get a fortune) in following months. After finding a good day, then foreman called a punggawa will lead the search. It will be a special procession for any activities, such as laying the keel. When cutting the keel, it should be placed facing the Northeast. The front of the keel is a symbol of man, while the back is interpreted as a symbol of the female. After charmed, part of which will be cut which marked by a chisel. Cutting is done with a chainsaw should be done at once without stopping. That is why to do the cutting must be done by strong people. Similarly, each subsequent stage is always through certain rituals.

Just next to the room where a replica of the ship placed, there is a collection room. One of the collection is Mr. R. Soetomo Dojoh’s letters which stored in a glass box. The picture shows Mr. R. Soetomo letters to Mr. Dojoh written in 1935. The collection of Museum Kebangkitan Nasional was donated from Direktorat Permuseuman on August 1, 2000.

In the next room, there is demonstration room called by Kartini Room. We can find Kartini who was teaching in that room, besides her, we can also find a blackboard to write her lesson. In front of her, there are some female students who learn by sitting on the floor. This room was made similarly to the original one.  Even, there is a book that seems to be read by Kartini’s students.

The book is written in Dutch. Raden Adjeng Kartini, known as Kartini was born in Jepara, Central Java on 21 April 1897, who was a prominent Javanese and Indonesian National Hero. At the time, Kartini was known as a pioneer of native women’s equality and she also published a book entitled " Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang” written  in Bahasa Melayu. Unfortunately Kartini passed away at the young age of 25 years in Rembang, Central Java in September 17, 1904. Until now, we still commemorate the date of her birth as Hari Kartini.

After around the front room, we continued to go to the back and wing sides. On a wing side, there is an interesting library. Unfortunately, the library was locked. So we continued to the other room, the Medical Equipments Room. In this room, we can find two equipments, as follows:

First is a pacemaker. At that time, this equipment is used as a pacemaker. Of course, it looks very different from today as everything is very practical. The second equipment is a sterilizer. The function of this equipment is to sterilize medical devices after using them.
Finally, we finished our trip at the Museum Kebangkitan Nasional. Although the museum has only limited collection, but it is very interesting collection. The ticket price is only IDR 2000 and I think it is very cheap comparing to very much knowledge we get. In my opinion, It is very good museum although the room is dark and looks less neglected.