The National Awakening Museum and I

For this assignment I visited the Kebangkitan Nasional Museum, also known by the name of ex-STOVIA. The museum is located at Jl. No Abdurahman Saleh. 26. This museum was once a building called STOVIA (tot School Opleiding Indische van Artsen). STOVIA was a medical school in Batavia in the Dutch East Indies colonial era. The building which was once a place called Stovia has been restored by the Government of Jakarta in 1973. This building was inaugurated by President Soeharto as “Museum Kebangkitan Nasional”, on May 20, 1974. This museum was divided into several museums, Kebangkitan Nasional Museum, Health Museum, National Press Museum, Museum of the Indonesian Women's Movement and The Idayu Foundation. The Kebangkitan Nasional Museum was placed in the former Stovia building to document the first organization that underlies the national awakening of the Indonesian people in this building. In this museum there can be seen photographs and paintings of the students who co-founded Stovia Budi Utomo doing their activities. The existence of Health's National Museum in this building is a tribute to the opening of the medical school of Java, which was due to the occurrence of health problems in Java in the colonial period. The school was then able to increase the ability to think, which gave the awareness of national pride. In this museum there is a wide range of miniatures, dioramas, sculpture, paintings, photographs, medical devices, weapons, letters, clothing, and much more. These objects are located in various rooms. Some of the collection that caught my attention during my visit to the museum was a collection of spices, Sultan Taha Syaifudin’s robe, a replica of the VOC cannon, demonstrations of STOVIA students who are learning, and a demonstration of a class taught by Kartini. These collections I will discuss in this task. 


Spice Ingredients 
The spice ingredients which are part of a collection in the Kebangkitan Nasional Museum is cinnamon, fennel, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves. These spices which are also known as herbs are the most valuable source of wealth in the pre-colonial era. Spices not only a staple of the Indonesian nation but also for other nations such as the nations of continental Europe. Spices are one of the reasons why the Portuguese colonial, Vasco De Gama sailed to India and the Moluccas. Spices were also the reason why the Netherlands also went to the Moluccas. These herbs have many benefits that can be used for treatment. For example; cinnamon, cinnamon fruit can be used to treat coughs, it’s skin can be used to treat ulcers and high blood pressure. Another example is pepper which can be used to treat asthma, colds, influenza, and others. 


Sultan Taha Syaifudin’s Cloak 
One of the traditional dresses which is part of the collection in the Kebangkitan Nasional Museum was owned by Sultan Taha Syaifuddin. He was one of the last sultan of the Sultanate of Jambi. He was born at Jambi palace in the mid-1816. As a child he used to be called Raden Taha Ningrat. He was a humble person and often hung out with common people. In his struggle to defend the country, Sultan Taha Syaifudin never wanted to compromise with the Dutch colonists. In his struggle for 46 years, Sultan Taha have once sunk the Dutch warships in the waters of Jambi which killed about 800 Dutch soldiers. In the battle on the River Aro, Sultan Taha could not be traced by the common people, the only person who knew where he was was his helper who was very close to him. Sultan Taha died on April 26, 1904 and was buried in Muara Tebo, Jambi.


A Replica of the VOC Cannon 
Vereenigde Oodtindische Compagnie (United East India Company or Dutch East Indies Company) or which is known by it’s abbreviation, VOC is a Dutch company monopolized trading activities in Asia. When the VOC was in Indonesia, there were many Dutch resistance therefore Indonesia needed a variety of weapons, like cannons. The cannons were brought in to Indonesia was by the Dutch which they used as a weapon to fight the Indonesians. Furthermore, the cannon was also widely used by the kingdoms in Indonesia to defend themselves from their enemies. 


A Demonstration of The Students of STOVIA 
The picture above is a Diorama of the students of STOVIA being educated in class by educators from the Netherlands. Human-sized installation works are placed in one of the study rooms at the Kebangkitan Nasional Museum shows the students of STOVIA dressed in semi-traditional clothes. The history of STOVIA’s development is connected to the outbreak of infectious disease that first occurred in Banyumas and Navan in the reign of the Netherlands. When the outbreaks occurred, traditional medicine was not enough to cure the disease. In media, the Dutch doctor was limited. The lack of medical interpreters to deal with outbreaks of dangerous diseases in various regions of colonies, made the colonial government organize a course of medical interpreters in the Netherlands Indies. Although since it was first established, the building was first intended for medical school. But before that the building was a medical school specifically made for Javanese, so this medical school was named Java Medical School (Sekolah Dokter Jawa) with a three-year education period. The graduates of these schools given the title of Doctor of Java, their duties were under the supervision of Health Department of Civil Government of the Netherlands East Indies. Realizing that the period of the education for the Doctor of Java, which was for 3 years, was not enough the Dutch colonial government decided to advance the medical school and changed the name to the School Tot Java Opleiding Indlandsche van Artsen (STOVIA) in 1900. STOVIA is a medical school for the sons of the earth from various regions, not just Javanese. The graduates were then given a degree Inlandsche STOVIA-Arts. In 1913 STOVIA made improvements to their curriculum. The period of medical education was then changed to seven years and the degree was changed to Indische Arts graduates. The use of Dutch in learning activities facilitate students in understanding the literature. 


The Demonstration of Kartini’s Class 
The diorama of Kartini’s class clearly illustrates Kartini’s struggle to provide education to women. In this diorama you can see Raden Ajeng Kartini watching her students studying in her school hall, which was placed in her father's house, located in Jepara. The diorama was made to be very similar to the actual state of Kartini’s class as shown in the photo Kartini’s class which is now also on display at the “Museum Kebangkitan Nasional”. In the diorama a few students Kartini looks like they were concerned of Kartini’s explanation, while some others look was reading a book that were written in Dutch. On the chalk board there are letters of the alphabet which is still written in ancient writing. Adjeng Raden Kartini is one of the gentry or nobility of Java classes, the daughter of Duke Ario Sosroningrat Raden Mas, Jepara district. She is the daughter of first wife, but not the major's wife. His mother named M.A. Ngasirah, daughter of Nyai Siti Aminah and Kyai Haji Haji Madirono, a religion teacher at Telukawur, Jepara. From his father's side, the genealogy can be traced to Hamengkubuwana Kartini VI. Kartini's father in the beginning was a district officer in Mayong. Regulation of the colonial time it requires a regent beristerikan a nobleman. Because M.A. Ngasirah not the high nobility, then his father married again with Raden Adjeng Woerjan (Moerjam), a direct descendant of King of Madura. After the marriage, Kartini's father then became regent in Jepara, replacing the real father of RA Woerjan, R.A.A. Tjitrowikromo. Kartini was the fifth child of 11 siblings and stepfather. Of all siblings, Kartini was the eldest daughter. His grandfather, Prince Ario Tjondronegoro IV, was appointed regent at the age of 25 years. Kartini's older brother, Sosrokartono, is a smart in the field of language. Until the age of 12 years, Kartini allowed to attend school in the ELS (Europese Lagere School). Here, among others, Kartini learned the Dutch language. But after age 12 years, he should stay at home because it could be secluded. Because Kartini could speak Dutch, then at home he began to study himself and to write letters to friends correspondence originating from the Netherlands. One is Rosa Abendanon a lot of support. From books, newspapers, and magazines of Europe, Kartini interested in the advancement of women think of Europe. Arising desire to promote indigenous women, because he saw that indigenous women are at a low social status. By her parents, Kartini was told to marry a regent Apex, S. Duke Ario Djojo Adhiningrat Singgih, who had already had three wives. Kartini were married on November 12, 1903. Her husband understood Kartini Kartini and desires are given the freedom and support to establish girls' schools in the east gate of Apex district office complex, or in a building that is now used as the Scout House. Thanks to his perseverance Kartini, then founded the School for Women by Kartini Foundation in Semarang in 1912, and later in Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Malang, Madison, Cirebon and other areas. The school's name is "Sekolah Kartini" which means Kartini's School. Kartini Foundation was founded by the family Van Deventer, a member of the Ethical Policy.