Figures like Jan Pieterszoon Coen responsible for mass murders, are still honored in streetnames. To address this, Asian Raisins organized a sticker campaign on August 17, 2024, during Indonesia’s Independence Day, showcasing twelve Indonesian National Heroes. The campaign aimed to take a stand against colonial glorification.
Although Indonesia gained independence nearly 80 years ago, colonialism is still glorified in the Netherlands. Evidence of that can be found in street names or tunnel names, for instance. Dutch colonizers and mass murderers still hold a place in public spaces of the Netherlands. For example, the Coentunnel in Amsterdam is named after Jan Pieterszoon Coen, the man responsible for the genocide of the Bandanese people. But that’s not all: locations named after places in Indonesia are still called by their colonial spelling and names, such as the Indische Buurt in Amsterdam. This shows a lack of respect and recognition for Indonesia’s history. It is high time we recognize Indonesia as an independent and equal state, and to honor Indonesian heroes in the Dutch public space.
That’s why, on August 17, 2024, we highlighted twelve National Heroes of Indonesia through a sticker campaign during the Indonesia Independence Day Celebration at the Tolhuistuin in Amsterdam. On that day, it was possible to pick up these stickers for free at the Asian Raisins stand and thereby take a stand against colonial glorification. The campaign was a huge success. Many people were impressed, and from their compliments, it was clear that while they did not know most of the heroes, the stickers motivated them to do further research.
The title of National Hero of Indonesia is the highest honor that can be bestowed in Indonesia. The Indonesian government posthumously awards this title to individuals for their heroic acts—deeds that are remembered forever and serve as an example—or extraordinary achievements that uniquely advanced the interests of the state and its people. Every year around National Heroes’ Day on November 10, new heroes are announced.
In 2023, Indonesia had 206 National Heroes, 190 men and 16 women. They come from all parts of the Indonesian archipelago, from Aceh in the west to Papua in the east. Additionally, they have diverse ethnic backgrounds, including natives, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, and Eurasians. Among them are prime ministers, ministers, politicians, nobles, soldiers, guerrilla fighters, religious figures, intellectuals, journalists, and educators.
A large number of National Heroes earned the title for their role in the pursuit of Indonesian independence. Many fought against the Dutch East India Company (VOC) or other European colonial powers. Additionally, some contributed to the development of Indonesian society in their own way, for example, through contributions to science, education, or culture.
Many of these heroes faced tragedy during their lives. Raden Adjeng Kartini, Raden Dewi Sartika, and General Raden Sudirman suffered from serious health problems. Cut Nyak Dhien, Captain Pattimura, and Martha Christina Tiahahu were betrayed by trusted companions from their own circles. Tan Malaka was brutally murdered by comrades who should have been his allies. Only Haji Agus Salim, Ruhana Kuddus, Nyai Ahmad Dahlan, Nyai Ageng Serang, and Evy Putiray seem to have led relatively peaceful lives. However, each of them made important contributions to Indonesia’s independence. That is why Asian Raisins chose to highlight these National Heroes in our sticker campaign.
Kartini was born into a noble Javanese family. She realized that women played a crucial role in improving the lives of the Indonesian people. Education was important for girls to develop themselves and to prepare for motherhood. Therefore, Kartini opened her own school for girls, where she taught herself. She developed a curriculum with the same academic instructions as for boys, but also included hygiene, first aid, and money management. She was particularly concerned about the lack of medical care, especially for Indonesian women. Furthermore, she opposed the traditional seclusion of teenage girls, arranged marriages, and polygamy, and believed that women should be free to make their own decisions. Character development was also part of her curriculum because she saw deception and hypocrisy among European colonizers. After her untimely death in childbirth, her work was continued by three of her sisters.
Dhien was born in Aceh. Her parents were of noble descent, and her father served as a military officer. When the Dutch began their war against Aceh, both her father and her first husband died leading the Acehnese forces. After their deaths, Dhien vowed to avenge them and took command of her late husband’s troops. Later, Umar, the leader of the Acehnese guerrilla fighters, asked her to marry him. Although she initially refused, she accepted after he agreed to let her continue fighting. On the battlefield, she fought with a rencong, the traditional dagger of Acehnese warriors. Umar and Dhien fought together for 19 years against the Dutch, eventually having a daughter. After Umar’s death in the war, Dhien took over the leadership of the guerrilla fighters. She refused to surrender to the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL), but six years later, she was captured. In captivity, she died of old age. However, her daughter Cut Gambang escaped and continued fighting against the Dutch.
Dewi Sartika was born into a Sundanese family. Although her parents were noble, they opposed Dutch colonial rule. After they were imprisoned, Dewi was raised by her uncle. As a child, she often pretended to be a teacher while playing with her friends. After her father died, she and her siblings stayed with their uncle, who educated her in Sundanese culture. Her knowledge of Western culture was taught to her by the wife of a Dutch official. She became a teacher and founded the first school for girls in Indonesia. The girls learned reading, writing, arithmetic, religious education, and various skills. Over the years, eight more schools were established. Eventually, this number expanded to one school per city and district. However, during the Japanese occupation, her school network faced severe financial and material pressure. A few years after her death from illness, a foundation was established to continue her work.
Martha was the daughter of the Moluccan village chief Captain Paulus Tiahahu. Her father was an ally of Pattimura, the leader of the revolt against Dutch occupation of the Moluccas. Although her father initially forbade her to attend Pattimura’s meeting, she insisted on joining. Eventually, with Pattimura’s permission, she accompanied her father as an “arms bearer.” She participated in several battles. Some stories claim she threw stones at Dutch soldiers when her troops ran out of ammunition, while others say she wielded a spear. She also encouraged other women to join their husbands in the fight against the Dutch. Ultimately, she was captured and enslaved. During her voyage to Java, she became ill aboard the ship. She refused food and medicine and died during the journey across the Banda Sea.
Sudirman was the son of Javanese parents of humble origins but was adopted by his noble uncle, who gave him the title raden. He worked as a teacher and school principal during the Japanese occupation. A few years later, however, he joined a paramilitary organization set up by the Japanese. As a commander, he became involved in a failed uprising against the Japanese, which led to his internment. After Indonesia declared independence, he oversaw the Japanese surrender. When British and Dutch troops tried to re-establish colonial rule, Sudirman launched attacks. His military successes against European colonizers made him very popular with the Indonesian people. He was eventually elected Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian Army. Like many republican forces, he supported Tan Malaka’s political coalition. He waged guerrilla warfare against the Dutch for months, but eventually died of illness, just a month after the Dutch finally recognized Indonesia’s independence.
Thomas Matulessy was born into a Protestant-Christian Moluccan family. His grandfather held the noble title pattimura, which Thomas adopted as his nom de guerre. After years of Dutch mismanagement, the British takeover of the Moluccas was initially seen as positive by the Moluccan people, including Pattimura, who served as a sergeant-major in the British army. However, after six years, the Moluccas were returned to the Dutch. Although Christian Moluccans were sought after as soldiers by the Royal Dutch East Indies Army (KNIL), the Dutch reoccupation was met with resistance. Pattimura and his comrades, including Martha Tiahahu, rose up in revolt. His leadership not only inspired his own people but also gained support from the people of Sulawesi, Java, and Bali. Unfortunately, he was betrayed by one of his own people and sentenced to death by the Dutch. Despite his courageous uprising, the myth of centuries-long Moluccan loyalty to the Netherlands persisted.
Ibrahim Gelar Datuk Sutan Malaka was born in Sumatra as Sutan Ibrahim. As the son of a noble mother, he received the title Datuk Tan Malaka. His studies in the Netherlands introduced him to Western philosophy and communist ideology. After returning to Indonesia, he worked as a teacher and journalist. He was also politically active and joined the Sarekat Islam and the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI). He founded a new school, Sekolah Sarekat Islam (later Sekolah Tan Malaka), as a counterpoint to Dutch colonial education. However, he became entangled in the internal power struggle between various Indonesian political factions. Eventually, he broke with the PKI and formed a political coalition that gained strong support among the Republican forces, including General Sudirman. President Sukarno appointed Tan Malaka as his successor in case something happened to him and Vice President Mohammad Hatta. Amid the chaos, Tan Malaka was captured and executed without trial by another faction.
Masyhudul Haq was born into a prominent Sumatran family. His name means “defender of the truth,” but he was nicknamed Agus early in his childhood. Although he was a brilliant student, he failed to secure a scholarship to study in the Netherlands. An offer from Kartini to transfer her scholarship to him also fell through. Haq worked as a translator and notary’s assistant and later at a Dutch consulate in Saudi Arabia. After returning to Indonesia, he founded the Hollandsch-Inlandsche School (HIS). He then worked as a journalist and editor. He became a prominent leader in Sarekat Islam and was known for his sharp humor and debating skills. As an Islamic reformer, he differed in opinion from Tan Malaka, who followed a leftist, more radical course. His career primarily focused on diplomacy. After retiring from politics, he remained active as a writer, journalist, and teacher until his death.
Siti Ruhana was born into a prominent Sumatran family, just like her cousin Agus Salim. She learned to read and write from her father and received a traditional upbringing in household skills, including lace-making. To combat the discrimination against women, she founded her own vocational school. A few years after her marriage to Abdul Kuddus, she established a new, better-organized vocational school. Amai Setia taught crafts and skills beyond the usual household duties, such as silver-smithing, studying Javanese, Arabic, and Latin, and managing a household. It was the only craft producer that met international procurement standards. However, Ruhana did not stop at vocational education for women. She founded a newspaper for women and became its editor-in-chief, making her Indonesia’s first female journalist. After her death, Amai Setia continued to serve as a platform for artisans specializing in silverwork and embroidery in Koto Gadang.
Siti Walidah was born as the daughter of a Javanese Islamic scholar of noble descent. After her marriage to her cousin Ahmad Dahlan, the founder of the reformist Muhammadiyah movement, she became known as Nyai (wife of) Ahmad Dahlan. She started her own prayer group, Sopo Tresno, which after a few years evolved into the women’s group Aisyiyah, which later became a formal branch of Muhammadiyah. Siti Walidah established schools and dormitories for girls, as well as literacy and Islamic education programs for women. She also preached against forced marriages. After her husband’s death, she remained active in Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah and became the first female chairperson of the Muhammadiyah Congress. During the Indonesian War of Independence, she ran soup kitchens for soldiers and promoted military service among her former students. She also participated in discussions about the war with General Sudirman and President Sukarno. Sadly, she died before Indonesia could free itself from Dutch occupation.
Raden Ajeng Retno Kursiah Edi was the daughter of Prince Ronggo Seda Jajar, the ruler of Serang. The Dutch attacked her father because he had troops, violating the Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty was the result of the Third Javanese Succession War, in which the king of Mataram and his allies supported a Chinese uprising against the Dutch. After her father’s death, Retno Kursiah Edi replaced him as military commander and became known as Nyai (daughter of) Ageng Serang. She participated in military training and tactics alongside male soldiers and wielded a spear on the battlefield. According to her belief, she had to be ready to fight the colonizers as long as they remained. Later, at the age of 73, she became the military advisor to Prince Diponegoro. Her most famous strategy was the use of lumbu (green taro leaves), which her troops attached to poles for camouflage. After three years of fighting, she passed the command to her son-in-law.
Evy Putiray was the daughter of a father of Moluccan descent who, by law, was equated with Europeans, and she received a strict Christian upbringing, entirely in Dutch. Later, she made use of her right as a civil servant’s child to take a one-way trip to the Netherlands. There, she joined the Perhimpunan Indonesia (PI), an anti-capitalist, anti-fascist, and anti-colonial student association, where she quickly learned Indonesian. The PI was banned during the German occupation and went underground under the guise of the Indonesian Christian Youth (ICJ), of which Evy was the secretary. Together with Marangin Sianturi from Sumatra, she organized illegal meetings for non-ICJ members, Nazi refugees, Muslims, and Dutch students. Immediately after the liberation, the PI published a manifesto calling for Indonesia’s independence. During a political mass rally, Evy asked, “People of the Netherlands, are you willing to fully recognize the right to self-determination of the people of Indonesia?” The resounding “Yes!” from the crowd echoed all the way to The Hague. Nevertheless, it was not enough to stop Dutch military aggression. Along with hundreds of other PI members, Evy returned to Indonesia, where she married Sianturi and started a family.
Campaign concept: Rui Jun
Graphic design: Rui Jun
Text: Lisa
Illustrations: Maaike & Willemijn
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