The Nationality Movement in Gorontalo
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Analisa Journal of Social Science and Religion Website Journal : http://blasemarang.kemenag.go.id/journal/index.php/analisa https://doi.org/10.18784/analisa.v3i02.678 THE NATIONALITY MOVEMENT IN GORONTALO Hamzah Harun Al-Rasyid1 and Saprillah2 1Alaudin Islamic State University, ABSTRACT Makassar, Sulawesi 2Office of Religious Research and Religion and nationalism are two terms that are closely related with one another. Development, Ministry of Religious In Indonesia, the debate about religion and nationalism has narrowed down to two Affairs, Makassar Sulawesi major issues: The first is the integration of religion and nationalism in the form of a religious state. The second is religious accommodation within the country. The [email protected] Indonesian founding fathers have agreed to choose the accommodation model [email protected] by making Pancasila as the foundation of the country, whose core is based on the Paper received: 04 September 2018 universal values of religion, such as divinity, humanity, unity, deliberation and Paper Revised:: 04 - 08 December 2018 social justice. This research was conducted in Gorontalo city and applies qualitative Paper approved: 22 December 2018 method. Data collection was carried out using interview techniques and document studies. Interviews were conducted with informants ranging from religious leaders, historians, and academics. This paper aims to illustrate that the choice to accommodate religion in the country is the right action, given the national movement in Indonesia is based on religious movements. The independence movement in 1942 in Gorontalo was the culmination of the movement of nationalist movement such as Sinar Budi and Islamic-based organizations such as Syarikat Islam (SI), Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatus Sjafiiah, which had been carried out 10-20 years earlier. Keywords: Religion, nationalism, integration, accommodation, religious movement. Introduction even wish for a universal Islamic state (popularly known as khilafah system). Why do the founders of this state, including their Ulama (Muslim leaders), prefer the form of The statement or question that challenges a unitary state, instead of a religious state? Is not the relationship between religion and nation is that the majority of the Indonesian population not adequate to be answered theoretically but can are Muslims? This question is such a classic be invoked to re-read the historical movements question but still continues to find its context. of the Indonesian struggle for independence In every phase of Indonesian history, there are in various regions. Looking back at the history always certain groups who keep questioning of struggle is something that is very essential about this. As if, the role of the religious leaders for today Indonesian young generation. They behind the formation of this country was not must understand that religion is an substantial enough to be the answer. In fact, later, religious foundation in the independence movement and movements emerged from certain groups who the formation of a nation, that we now recognize questioned national ideas and considered them as an Indonesian nation. Without the need to re- to be contrary to religious spirit. They demand confirm, why this the founding fathers did not a state in the form of religion (Islam) and some prefer a religious-labelled-country. 279 Analisa Journal of Social Science and Religion Volume 03 Number 02 December 2018 pages 279-295 This study then attempts to re-write a took place in Gorontalo showed that resistance story of independence movement from local to the Netherlands was a common resistance perspective. The story illustrates when both for the common goals. Although the Indonesian Islamic and nationalist groups fight together to people had not been officially formed, Nani achieve the independence. In this place, there are Wartabone was not feeling awkward to call important and interesting events at least for the himself an Indonesian, red and white as a symbol people of Gorontalo. The event was a statement of struggle, and the song Indonesia Raya as the of Indonesian independence from the Dutch official song. Nani Wartabone and his friends did in the City of Gorontalo. Again, the statement not proclaim the independence of Gorontalo but of Indonesia’s independence and it was not the firmly declared it as an Indonesian state. independence of Gorontalo which took place Nani Wartabone has been a very important three years before the National Proclamation of name in social movements in Gorontalo. Nani Independence, namely on January 23, 1942. Wartabone was also a Muhammadiyah cadre who On that mentioned date, a large solemn had a very strong social movement perspective ceremony was held in the square in front of the and managed to consolidate social movements house of the Dutch Assistant Resident (Coern). against the Netherlands. Political activities in The Dutch flag was lowered and replaced with the Surabaya, meet with national movement figures red and white flag. The song of Indonesia Raya such as Moh. Yamin and Soekarno became his was echoed by Gorontalo youth. The atmosphere inspiration when he returned back to Gorontalo. of emotion burst in the minds of all the people. When he returned back to Gorontalo, he Nani Wartabone (Gorontalo national hero) stood founded the Gorontalo Farmers’ Union in in the middle and began to speak: November 1927. A year later, he founded the “Today, January 23rd, 1942, we Indonesians are Gorontalo National Indonesian Party (PNI). Nani free from any nation’s colonization. Our flag is became anti-Western and sometimes even went red and white, our national anthem is Indonesia extreme. For example, rejecting Dutch education Raya. The Dutch government has been taken over by the national government.” which he considered adoring the superiority of Western nations. That was why, in 1932, Nani Nani Wartabone’s voice echoed that was established a Muhammadiyah village school responded by the cry of independence by the in Suwawa. A year later he also established the people of Gorontalo. The long struggle of the Muhammadiyah Cooperative Unit in Gorontalo people of Gorontalo has been paid for years. (Habibie, 2004). The neat struggle started by Nani Wartabone Nani Wartabone - carrying out cultural and the Gorontalo fighters ended sweetly. The resistance by carrying out the “cadre” of the red and white flag was raised, and the Indonesia farmers through the peasant organizations which Raya song was then announced. Later, a national he made, political resistance through the PNI government was formed which was known as (Indonesian Nationalist Party), and fighting for the PPPG (Head of Gorontalo Government education through Muhammadiyah schools. Leadership) led by Nani Wartabone. The The peak of the social movement in Gorontalo formation of this government was a result of the occurred on January 23rd, 1942. Nani Wartabone Committee 12 meeting. campaigned for armed resistance against colonial This event is one of the most interesting (Habibie, 2004). national milestones. Recognition of Indonesia as a nation was clearly stated in Nani Wartabone’s Theoretical Framework short speech. In fact, at that time the Indonesian What is nationalism? Ben Anderson state did not yet exist. The government switched (2002:8-9) proposes a good definition on from the Netherlands to Japan. The events that this topic. For Anderson, nationalism is an 280 The Nationality Movement in Gorontalo Hamzah Harun Al-Rasyid, Saprillah imagined political community with limitation cannot be ignored in the state. Religion has a and sovereignty. Nation is an imagined thing noble humanitarian concept that is very likely because the members of the nation did not know to be used as a moral foundation in religion. The each other, never met each other, and even never problem is how to use religion symbolically in the heard about them. But, they live in imagination of state, in a multi-religious society, like Indonesia. their togetherness as one nation. For example, the The choice is that the state is not religiously based Bugis people, somehow, never met their Papua but accommodating the spirit of religion through brother. There is a long distance separated them. Pancasila. This is the strategic and appropriate But, the both of these tribes felt and imagined that choice. All components of religion in Indonesia they are in one nation. That is a simple definition have an attachment that is equivalent to a so- of nationalism. called as Pancasila (Baso, 2015). The discourse according to Brubaker (2011) Karim (2015: 3-9) stated that there were with regard to religion and nationalism can be only two forms of state, religion-state and civil viewed from four perspectives. First, religion state. The state of religion has ended, after the and nationalism are phenomena that stand death of the Prophet Muhammad. State of religion alone, as well as ethnicity. Second, religion can is a limited to a state model in a particular system, be used as an instrument to explain nationalism. namely a system of government that is only given Third, religion is part of nationalism. Fourth, by God specifically to a handful of people who it is the separation between nationalism and are called noble apostles without expanding to religion. The four perspectives of Brubaker which them. In this sense, the state of religion is truly are mixed from various theories accumulated controlled by God through revelation to the about religious and nationalism relations are chosen people. After the Prophet Muhammad, comprehensive enough to see the presence or as the last prophet, passed away, this model of absence of (religion) religion in the country. the political system, has automatically ended From the perspective of religious relations, and it was cut off. After that, the companions of furthermore, we can find three forms of state, the Prophet Muhammad formed a civil state, or secular, integration, as well as accommodation. a state agreed upon through a social contract, The secular state adopts the first and fourth parts without any direct control from God.