A LIFE FREE from Tralvimels: SOEW Arsm DJOJOPOESPITO

A LIFE FREE FROM TRAlVIMELS: SOEWARSm DJOJOPOESPITO AND HER NOVEL BlHTEN HET GAREEL Gerard Termorshuizen University of Leyden The Indonesian writer Soewarsih Djojosapoetro, a descendant from the Djojopoespito became known in the Tjirebon dynasty, and Hatidjah whose Netherlands through her novel Buiten het family were rich Chinese who had gareel, which appeared in 1940. 1 Her book converted to Islam. Thanks to their contains the strongly autobiographical wealthy Chinese grandparents, Soewarsih record of the experiences of a young and her brothers and sisters had a carefree married couple working at nationalist childhood. The mother was a gentle, schools in several towns in Java. In somewhat shy woman who remained in the Soelastri, the character through whose eyes shadow of her much older husband, who we witness the events narrated, we liked to play the grand seigneur, but at the recognize Soewarsih herself; in Soedarmo same time proved to be a bad administrator she depicts a portrait of her husband of the business capital entrusted to him by Soegondo. Both Soewarsih and Soegondo his father-in-law. He occupied a leading Djojopoespito belonged to the group of position in the desa community on account western educated young Indonesians, who of his abilities and education. preferred working for the education and Adventurous by nature, he had seen much improvement of their own people to a more of Java than the small Tjibatok, reasonably well paid job in a government where he settled later. He was a gripping school. This choice meant an uncertain story-teller and a talented dalang who used existence which led to many to give performances with his own puppets. disappointments and often made them Coming from a family which attached doubt whether the ideals they cherished great importance to education and could be realized. Living in bitter poverty learning, he used the prestige of his most of the time, this group formed an aristocratic background to gain places for intellectual proletariat in whose lives the his children at schools in Buitenzorg, nationalist movement had occupied a where western education was provided. major place even while they were still The fact that in doing so he treated his sons students. and daughters equally --"progress lies in It becomes clear from the the hands of woman", he declared in his unpublished-- reminiscences of her youth desa-- was characteristic of his advanced how much this applied to Soewarsih outlook. Djojopoespito.2 In her memoirs she looks The so-called 'ethical movement' at the back to the first eighteen years of her life beginning of the century had given state and describes the difficulties which a education for Indonesian children a simple desa-girl had to face, before she considerable stimulus. But opportunities could work for her people. for girls were still very limited. It was therefore very important that Kartini Soewarsih (her family and friends schools, Dutch schools for girls from the called her Tjitjih) was born in 1912 in the indigenous aristocracy, were founded from desa Tjibatok, some twenty kilometres 1913 onwards. This happened on the south-west of Buitenzorg (the present-day initiative of Mr. C.Th. van Deventer and Bogor), on the main road to Bantam. She his wife. The Kartini school in Buitenzorg was the third of six children of a mixed was opened in 1914 and Soewarsih entered marriage between Raden Bagoes N oersaid it in 1918, two years after her elder sister Soewarsih Djojopoespito 31 Soewarni. Their schooling was paid for by from the kampongs. Even as a child she their grandparents for whom this became was always the centre of attention. She an increasing burden in the course of the found it easy to get along with people, was ensuing years. At first the sisters lived in quick-witted in discussion and full of the boarding house of the school, but when ideas which she was able to communicate later this became too costly, they stayed at persuasively. She was a born leader. home with their parents. Mainly from 1930 onwards, when she had In her memoirs Soewarsih speaks with become Mrs. Pringgodigdo, she played a gratitude of the Dutch lady whose task it very important role in the feminist was "to teach us to speak proper Dutch, to movement in Indonesia. acquire Dutch table manners and to give up It was inevitable that the more introvert the habit of sleeping at irregular hours; she Soewarsih, who as a younger sister was also watched over our moral development." always taken under Nining's wing, Both sisters were gifted pupils and also should for a long time remain in the attended the M.U.L.O. school (advanced shadow of her admired sister. The feelings elementary education) in Buitenzorg. of uncertainty with which Soewarsih Some figures will explain what this meant struggled not only in her youth but also for an indigenous girl in those days. In later, may be partly explained through this 1918 Soewarsih was one of about fifty girls relationship with her older sister, which who were admitted to the first form of the was also the reason why developing her Kartini school. Thirteen of them completed strong personality was such a difficult all seven forms, but only four were allowed process. In the middle of the thirties it to attend advanced education. Thus became clear how unyielding Soewarsih Soewarsih and her sister were in an could be even towards her sister, when she exceptional position. They themselves opposed Nining's constant suggestions and became sharply aware of this, when for the advice and, together with her husband, first time they came in contact with continued along the difficult path which she European and Eurasian fellow students. had chosen much earlier. The experience of being considered After the M.U.L.O.-school Soewarsih 'inferior' by their classmates and the attended the European teacher training impossibility of breaking through the college in Soerabaja from 1928 to 1931. She dividing lines between themselves and the received free education and her room and others, strengthened their feeling of being board were paid for by the Kartini fund. 'different'. Of that period Soewarsih was to She was one of only two Indonesians write: "Although we were still very young selected for a class of thirty students. In at that time, we realized that life would not her memoirs she talks about it: "At the be easy for us and that intelligence and beginning my Dutch classmates were learning would be the only weapons with slightly contemptuous of the two little which we could overcome the numerous Javanese who had been chosen to study with difficulties. " them. Their attitude was understandable In their uncertain search for their own and I could forgive them, because in their identity, nationalist feelings were playing eyes at that time Indonesians were an increasingly important role. Both of considered inferior. Keeping a school them joined 'Jong Java', a nationalist 'white' gave style and standing to such a youth movement. Even at the age of sixteen school. Because of our presence its status Soewarni --or rather Nining, as she was had been seriously damaged." However, always called-- was one of the prominent she also writes that they gained the respect figures in this movement. She was, for of their fellow students on account of their instance, the moving spirit behind excellent records. Her Dutch teacher gave providing education for illiterate women her high marks for her essays: "this was a 32 Gerard Termorshuizen token of great courage, given the situation linked with secondary education, were far . in those days; if he had given lower marks, too few; from 1932 onwards, mainly nobody would have protested, because the because of far-reaching cutbacks, no more difference between the Dutch and new schools were founded. In these Indonesians was so great and seemed so circumstances the Indonesian nationalist unbridgeable. " leaders decided to deal themselves with the The same teacher told his students enormous problem of illiteracy among about Multatuli and read from his works. their people --,about 95% in the nineteen The great importance of Multatuli's thirties-- by (ounding their own schools. influence on young Indonesians showed As the native teachers in these schools itself also in Soewarsih's case: "When my had themselves received a Dutch education, teacher had read something from Max it was a matter of course that the materials Havelaar, I no longer felt lonely at home. and methods they used were western My life had become meaningful again, orientated. Moreover, the nationalists and I realized which direction I had to give understood very well that the schooling they to my future. I heard the girls next door gave had to meet the requirements of laughing and enjoying themselves. And I modern society and that such a western said to myself: 'My life differs from theirs. direction was in the interest also of their One can say that we have no 'youth', but own future state. At the same time, 'youth' is not granted to us, young however, they had to think about the way in Indonesians. For, as soon as we have left which the Indonesian identity could be school, a difficult task lies ahead of us: to be retained in their schools and the leaders of our people.' It seemed arrogant nationalist consciousness could be to put it this way, but in later years it developed. In this connection the founding, appeared that my generation had to in 1922, of the Tam a n - Sis w 0 contribute a lot to the nationalist (Kindergarten) movement by the Javanese movement, albeit only as small aristocrat Ki Hadjar Dewantoro was an contributors, not as the leading figures we important event.

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