Moving Saminism and Forming It Local Interest of Samin's Indigenous People
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2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 MOVING SAMINISM AND FORMING IT LOCAL INTEREST OF SAMIN'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE Sudarmi, Eldi Mulyana Indonesia University of Education [email protected] [email protected] Abstract Samin is a cultural phenomenon that is full of meaning and message. The teachings of Saminism are rooted in Javanese philosophy and culture. This teaching emphasizes the importance of good, honest behavior, does not hurt others, obeys worship, always introspective, wise (Jatmiko) in wanting and making decisions and responsiveness and quickly overcoming natural disasters. The teachings of Samin then metamorphosed into a social movement that opposed the policies of the Dutch East Indies government, namely as a form of nonviolent moral movement to fight against the Dutch colonial government. The form of resistance of the Saminism movement towards the government produced a characteristic for the Samin community that distinguished it from the surrounding community. The life of followers of Samin Surosentiko that are different from most people, in general, causes them to withdraw from the general social community. The withdrawal of Samin followers from society in general eventually gave birth to groups of people who have their own culture, language, tradition, and religion. This phenomenon then gave birth to the local wisdom of the Samin Indigenous People based on the values of Saminism teaching. Keywords: Samin, Saminism, Local Wisdom Introduction Klopo Dhuwur. His teachings emphasize the The Samin community, with its various importance of good, honest behavior, not hurt- traditions and cultures, is one of the indigenous ing others, obeying worship, always being in- communities found in Central Java Province. trospective, wise (willing) in wanting and mak- Samin people can be found in the northern ing decisions and responsiveness, and quickly coastal region of East Central Java to around overcoming natural disasters. This teaching Teak forests in the North, Central and South later metamorphosed into a social movement Kendeng Mountains. They live around the teak that opposed the Dutch East Indies government forest or the edge of the village that is far from policy. Samin Surosentiko managed to inflame the community in general. Samin is a commu- the spirit of resistance to the Netherlands in nity group that adheres to the teachings of other forms outside of violence. The teachings Saminism. of Samin Surosentiko received a good re- Samin is considered a blurred portrait of sponse, and immediately attracted many people society because this community is synonymous from other villages around Klopo Dhuwur. with ignorance, backwardness, insubordina- They are joined together to rise against the ar- tion, atheism, disobedience, and non-coopera- bitrariness of the Dutch Colonial Government. tion. This view appears from the background of Resistance is carried out not physically but in the birth of this community, which began with the form of opposition to all regulations and a process of defiance of the Dutch colonial obligations that must be carried out by the peo- government carried out by its founder, Samin ple towards the Netherlands or the government, Surosentiko. The teachings of Saminism for example by not paying taxes. Carrying on by emerged as a reaction to the Dutch Colonial his opposing attitude, they then made their or- government, which was arbitrary towards in- der, customs, and habits. digenous people. Initially, Samin Surosentiko On the next trip, the Samin followers only spread kebatinan teachings rooted in Java- then began to withdraw from public life in his nese philosophy and culture in his birthplace village, refusing to contribute to the village- 209 2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 granary and refusing to graze livestock with and 139 km from the city of Semarang. Klopo other livestock. So, at that time, the Samin Dhuwur topography is in the form of lowland community was identified as a society that to hills. Most of the land is in the form of teak wanted to free itself from the great ties of tra- forest, this is because the location of the village dition controlled by the ruling elite, namely the of Klopo Dhuwur is in the karst area, besides colonial government. The efforts of the Samin that the land is also used for farming rice fields community to withdraw from public life were and fields. The Samin Indigenous Community one form of their rejection of the Dutch occupa- occupies the area of Dhuwur Klopo Village, tion. Dutch colonialism which took a very long Banjarejo District, Blora Regency, Central time increasingly dissolved the values and tra- Java Province. By Blora District Government, ditions of the people and made the Indonesian this Klopo Dhuwur Village was designated as people forced to swallow what was adopted by the Customary Village of Samin. Klopo the colonial as its ruler. Therefore, the Samin Dhuwur village has an area of approximately Community strives to maintain and preserve its 687.5 ha. Administratively, Klopo Dhuwur values even though it must be isolated from out- Village is bordered by Gedongsari Village in side life. the north, state forest in the south, Sumber Carrying on by his attitude, then the fol- Agung Village in the west and Blora City Dis- lowers of Samin Surosentiko made their order trict in the east. This village is at an altitude of of life that was different from society in gen- 75m above sea level. The distance of the vil- eral. They then formed an indigenous commu- lage from the central government of Blora City nity known as Wong Samin or Sedulur Sikep. is about 9 km, and 139 km from the city of Life in this community by adhering to the Semarang. Klopo Dhuwur topography is in the teachings of Samin Surosentiko. The values form of lowland to hills. Most of the land is in contained in the teachings of Saminism that are the form of teak forest, this is because the loca- believed by this group then transform into a tion of the village of Klopo Dhuwur is in the characteristic that distinguishes it from society karst area, besides that the land is also used for in general. Gradually the way of life, culture, farming rice fields and fields. values, norms, and customs that developed in Once you hear the word Samin, the ma- this community finally transformed into a form jority of people will think negatively. Samin in of local wisdom of the Samin Indigenous peo- the view of many people is described as a per- ple. Local wisdom that should be preserved son who is strange, opposing, disobedient, and because it is full of good values, although there stupid, does not keep up with the times, isolates are some that conflict with religious norms and himself and closes himself in their community. the government. With the background of these Outsiders have thought of them as an innocent conditions, the authors are interested in bring- group, like to steal, refuse to pay taxes, do not ing up the theme "Saminism Movement and the want patrols, do not want to pay for tickets, and Establishment of Samin Indigenous People's become material for jokes. Being stupid Local Wisdom". (mbodoni) is also a characteristic of the Samin. Negative views about the Samin Society arose Saminism Movements History from the attitude of the Dutch Colonial govern- The Samin Indigenous Community oc- ment towards Samin Surosentiko, the pioneer cupies the area of Dhuwur Klopo Village, Ban- of the teachings of Saminism. According to the jarejo District, Blora Regency, Central Java Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) re- Province. By Blora District Government, this searcher Sutamat Arybowo (2009), some Klopo Dhuwur Village was designated as the Dutch colonial records mention that Kyai Customary Village of Samin. Klopo Dhuwur Samin Surosentiko as a dissident, rebel, always village has an area of approximately 687.5 ha. opposed the government. Kover (1976, p. 250) Administratively, Klopo Dhuwur Village is tells us that in the beginning the Samin move- bordered by Gedongsari Village in the north, ment was aimed at restoring access and use of state forest in the south, Sumber Agung Village forests and another public land; elimination of in the west and Blora City District in the east. taxes and employment; the cancellation of all This village is at an altitude of 75m above sea types of new village regulations introduced by level. The distance of the village from the cen- the Dutch colonial government together with- tral government of Blora City is about 9 km, 210 2nd International Conference on History Education 2018 the birth of ethical, political policies. The begin- Samin's teachings then developed into a moral ning of the conflict between Samin Surosentiko movement without violence as a form of re- and his followers with the Dutch Colonial gov- sistance to the Dutch colonial government. ernment according to Benda and Castle (1969, In 1905 when the movement carried out p. 211) began in 1905 when Samin and his fol- by the Samin Society under the leadership of lowers withdrew from the general life of his Surosentiko was increasingly heating up and village — refusing to donate the village began to spread in the surrounding area, the granary, refusing to give taxes and refusing to Dutch government then took action to repress put their cattle or buffalo in public cages with it by arresting the leaders of the Samin move- other residents who were not Samin. Tax status ment to exile them then. In 1907, Samin changes from the obligation to be voluntary, Surosentiko and eight of his followers were ar- even Samin alone stops paying taxes as a rested by Assistant Wedana Randublatung, whole, "About 1905 this started to change: the Raden Pranolo. The arrest of Kyai Samin itself Saminists began to withdraw from common was only 40 days after he was appointed by his village life, refusing to contribute to rice banks followers as the Queen of Justice (fair king) or to keep their animals with the common herds.