Dutch documentary immortalizes Indonesian heroine

The pen is sharper than a blade. This was an adagium used by social observer and woman activist Debra H. Yatim to describe the struggle of the Javanese lady aristocrat Kartini in breaking the old customs that barred women from access to education and the right to self-determination.
She was the moderator of a film discussion on the national heroine’s life story held at Erasmus House on April 18.

The event started with a film screening Just Call Me Kartini.

The original title was in Dutch Noem Mij Maar Kartini, a documentary written and directed by Hans Hulscher.

The documentary is about Raden Adjeng Kartini’s life based on her letters written in Dutch to her friends, black and white archive film and photos of Kartini and her Java traditions from the 19th century.

The films opens with Javanese gamelan music; continued by a narrator speaking in Dutch who read Kartini’s letters to her friends in the Netherlands.

Kartini’s letters reflect her rebellion against the old customs in Central Java, revealing her deep thoughts on women’s emancipation, education, the fight against polygamy, and finally her understanding

of her social environment. Kartini’s big dream, which was to fight for her freedom and women’s rights was not realized in her own lifetime.

She had to marry the regent of Rembang who already had three wives and seven children, in a show of loyalty to her father.

Dutch ambassador Nicholas van Dam said in his speech after the movie that the whole event was held to commemorate Kartini Day on April 21.

In her speech, State Minister of Women’s Affairs Meutia Hatta highlighted that despite modernization, a lot of women were still thinking in a backward way, far from Kartini’s forward thinking. She hoped there would be more modern Kartinis in these present days.

“Kartini, who lived 130 years ago, used letters to communicate and share her thoughts. Nowadays with the rise of technology, women could communicate their concerns much more easily, such as by Facebook, which is known by most city people, as a great tool for communication,” said Debra, starting off the discussion.

Irma Alansyah, on the specialist staff from a state ministry, drew attention to the spirit of communication, better education, humanism, and the changes in the mindset of women moving from domestic to public life, as making relevant Kartini’s message for modern times.

“In Kartini’s era, there was a need of emancipation. But, nowadays men and women have the same rights. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of problems including poverty, domestic violence, polygamy, human trafficking, low job opportunities, and low involvement of women in government policy,” added Yuda Irlang from the Institute of Women’s Voice Development Movement (Yayasan Gerakan Pemberdayaan Swara Perempuan).

Reza Dyan Perdani, a medical student at the University of National Development “Veteran” (UPN) Jakarta, said Kartini had changed the nation into what it is today.

“I’m proud of Kartini … she deserves the title of Indonesian heroine. I feel blessed that I can have a proper education, freedom to express myself, and freedom to choose from my own free will, unlike in Kartini’s era.”

Barbara Brouwer, the event organizer, said: “The public responded very much. Maybe some people miss the spirit of the women’s movement. Years before, Kartini Day commemorations were always a little stiff; people just used kebaya and traditional clothing [to remember her contribution]. Now, by discussing and working out the solutions on women’s issues , we can make a real contribution on Kartini Day.”



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