CHRISTEN J. GRORUD 1979-2016

Memories of Chris Compiled by the Southeast Asia Center in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington Remembering Chris Grorud 1979-2016

Laurie J. Sears Introduction. I first met Chris Grorud in person when he came out to visit the... 4

Micaela Campbell Pamit dulu. From 2014 to 2015, Chris worked on a pilot project for rural... 7

Celia Lowe Appreciation. Chris was a wonderful student, incredibly dedicated to his study... 8

Allan Lumba Bread and Sasquatch. There’s a somewhat long story behind this piece of bread... 9

Cristoph Giebel Quiet confidence. I have many precious memories of Chris, but want to focus on... 11

Evi Sutrisno Grateful for a good buddy. Chris Grorud was one of my best friends both in... 12

Christina Sunardi In a nutshell. Chris, in a nutshell, was a very special person--a gift. He was... 14

Desiana Pauli Sandjaja Docendo discimus. Students come and go and they leave behind memories. Chris... 16

Joseph Bernardo Chris “Brorud.” Chris Grorud was the first person I met at UW back in 2007... 17

James Pangilinan Heartfelt welcome. Chris will be missed deeply by those whom he graced with... 20

Vince Rafael A philosopher of area studies. Chris Chris’s mother, Caryl, designed wanted to write about the Indonesian... 21 the quilt on the cover for him in 2014. She made it using textiles Chris Grorud he collected from each of the An untitled essay. At first glance, Chris’s islands he visited in Indonesia. untitled essay has a seemingly modest... 24 5 Christen J. Grorud Rudolph Mrazek, studies of the Revolution Revolution, he had been reading relevant Remembered by Laurie J. Sears from outside of Java by Audrey Kahin and Indonesian literature in the original and in others, and one new study of the Revolution translation and exploring methodologies for from a social history, gendered, and using oral histories to gather testimonies I first met Chris Grorud in person when two-year pre-doctoral research fellowship anthropological perspective, Mary Steedly’s about the Revolution. Chris and our he came out to visit the University of that was sponsored by the Health Sciences Rifle Reports, which looks at stories of the Indonesian Senior Lecturer Desiana Washington in spring ’07 after he was programs at Harvard University and Revolution from North Sumatra. Chris knew Pauli Sandjaja spent a year reading a very accepted into the History department’s the University of Washington. Chris that the time was ripe for a re-thinking of challenging novel by one of Indonesia’s best MA program for Fall 2007. We had spoken was chosen because of his extensive the Revolution in Java as new ideas about authors, Ayu Utami. The novel was difficult on the phone once or twice and I was very knowledge of Indonesia, his Indonesian nationalism and revolution have appeared even for Indonesian readers, but Chris and eager to have him as a student. I knew language skills, and his previous over the past two decades. Most followers Bu Pauli were determined to understand his project was both long overdue for the fieldwork on the Indonesian Revolution in of Indonesian politics are aware of the every word. field and that he had the skills to carry Ambarawa, Central Java. frustrations and disappointments of the post it out. His letters from Wisconsin where authoritarian Reformasi period, 1998-2001, he had received an MA in Southeast Chris’ focus on re-thinking the when the great hopes that Indonesians and Asian Studies were glowing. Professor Indonesian Revolution for his doctoral Indonesianists had for the nation fell apart Thongchai Winichakul was a bit saddened research was both timely and important. with the early end of the Abdurrahman that Chris had not found the Wisconsin He started out looking at early formations Wahid presidency in 2001. But scholarly work program a good place for him to continue. of the Indonesian nation’s political system in history in Indonesia opened up in 1998 But there was no Indonesian historian at and the political figures important in for the first time in 32 years and continues Wisconsin, and Chris knew he wanted to the new nation’s formation. In his last to expand and deepen. Chris’ topic was be an historian. He came to the University two years in the graduate program, right on target with the recent interest in of Washington to study with me, and I his research had broadened out to look relations between the postcolonial nation became his academic advisor. Over the at the gendered construction of the and the colonial state and continuing debates years, Chris and I became very close, young revolutionaries or pemuda—male over the tensions between regionalism and more like friends or even family, I would youth—especially in Central Java (the nationalism in 21st century Indonesia. He say, as we worked through the best ways major island of Indonesia that holds over was very aware of the limitations of looking to set Chris on the path he had chosen for 50% of the country’s population). The at the Revolution from the political center, himself as an expert in Indonesian history work had grown into an exciting PhD and this explains his move away from the Chris’ decision to carry out research in and culture. proposal that would have combined oral view from Jakarta to interviewing surviving Central Java also required him to learn histories, theoretical studies of history, members of the early years of the nation and Javanese, a language as different from By 2014, Chris had gained extensive trauma, and memory, and the delicate its Revolution in Central Java, people who Indonesian as French is from Portuguese. experience living in Indonesia, on Java balance between elite diplomats and might now finally be allowed to tell their The lack of Javanese language hampered as well as the outer islands, and he spoke rural revolutionary youth. After the stories. his preliminary research and made him Indonesian at the advanced level and exciting work of George Kahin, Benedict aware of the need to do interviewing in a few other Indonesian languages to Anderson, John Smail, and others in Chris Grorud was a brilliant and dedicated Javanese. I strongly supported his plans various degrees. Chris possessed field the 1950s and 1960s, most scholars of student. Because of his Indonesian language to go to Central Java in 2012 and enroll research experiences in both urban and Indonesia have ignored the Revolutionary command, he had been using Indonesian at Satya Wacana University in Salatiga to rural settings. He was selected for the period of the late 1940s. There have been sources for his research over the past five study Javanese and to visit the Central Transparency in Development Project, a chapters in books by James Siegel and years. In addition to his research on the Javanese city of Solo, reputed to be the 6 7

site of excellence for the command of the in shaping Indonesian history in the 21st higher, more polite and hierarchical, levels century. Chris was very comfortable in of Javanese language. Chris had an original Indonesia and with Indonesians of all walks mind and was becoming an excellent scholar of life. The opportunity to spend a year producing field-changing work. He took his or so in rural Indonesia working with the MA exams in History in Spring 2011 and Transparency for Development Project was advanced to the PhD program. His PhD very appealing to him. He was an excellent committee included Professors Vicente fit for the needs of the Transparency for “I think most of Chris’s Rafael for theories of nationalism, Christoph Development Project. fellow graduate Giebel for comparative work on revolution students have memories in Viet Nam, and Professor Francisco “Kiko” After spending a year and a half working for of being at Shultzy’s Benitez, a scholar of Indonesian and Filipino the Transparency in Development Project, Pamit dulu with him at one time or Comparative Literature and Film. Chris decided that he would prefer to live another. Beer, bratwurst in Jakarta where he had close friends and Remembered by Micaela Campbell and fries, and campus Chris was also an excellent teacher. He was where he had recently secured a highly adjacent. We would generous with his fellow graduate students desirable job working for the Jakarta often end up here and both rigorous and compassionate in International School (JIS) as a history after a seminar class undergraduate classrooms. When he was my teacher. This was the perfect fit for Chris. or a Southeast Asia TA for the first time in Spring 2011, I had the He could share his love and knowledge of Center event. This is opportunity to observe his teaching and was Indonesia with high school students and From 2014 to 2015, Chris boulders and mud. Every Chris sitting in the front very impressed. His skills at gently guiding continue to carry out research in Jakarta worked on a pilot project for time he wanted to make a booth at Shultzy’s on the students to discover for themselves new and Central Java on school vacations. Sadly, rural maternal health that call or send an email, he’d a spring afternoon in ways of looking at problems was a learning this future was unable to unfold. Illness was jointly sponsored by have to go down this road 2 011 . ” experience for me. He gently explained his took Chris Grorud from us tragically and Harvard University and the about three miles just to questions in several different forms until the unexpectedly in January of 2016. He is sorely University of Washington’s get patchy Internet and cell students saw a variety of ways to approach missed by all of us who came to love, laugh, Health Sciences Program. phone reception. the topics under discussion. I looked forward and learn from this amazing young man. He was living in Banten to the time when he could begin to teach his province at the same time In this picture (next page) own classes. Lee, Hilah, and I were we are standing on the Laurie J. Sears in Jakarta. He came to path beside the house that Chris’ research topic leads into debates Walker Family Endowed Professor of History see us quite a few times Chris was renting from an that are filling U.S. and global newspapers Director, Southeast Asia Center during those months. It elderly couple in the village. every day as nations emerge from brutal wasn’t until he arranged to He could have lived more postcolonial military rule. I looked forward have us go visit him that I comfortably elsewhere to each of his research papers and to his realized the huge effort he but he chose to stay here dissertation. He was the only student who put into getting to Jakarta. because he wanted his managed to spend hours with the late Geographically, it wasn’t rent money to go to the Photo and memory from Benedict Anderson during Anderson’s recent that far but it was the rainy family in the most need. Micaela Campbell. visit to UW as a Danz Lecturer because season and once off the The mountain Chris told Anderson was so interested in Chris’s main highway the road the story of climbing for his research. He became a fine scholar and was mostly potholes and 36th birthday is peeking seemed destined to play an important role 8 Remembering Chris Grorud 9

through the mist We spent the next porches and into everything about in the background. hours walking living rooms to sit that pilot project Our plan that day through the village, on mats and drink was a challenge but was just to have a meeting his various cups of sweet tea it was a pleasure short visit and then neighbors and the and eat platefuls to watch Chris that he would come village leaders, of gorengan. day as he moved back with us to being invited onto It seemed like through all the Jakarta. But nothing formalities and happens quickly or settled effortlessly Bread and Sasquatch according to plan into the lighthearted when it comes to life banter of everyday Remembered by Allan Lumba in rural Indonesia. conversation that Chris, being the unfolds between gracious and people at ease conscientious guest in one another’s There’s a somewhat long that he was, made company. story behind this piece of sure to introduce us bread. Before our trip to the to everyone and to Micaela Campbell Sasquatch festival, we were “pamit dulu” (ask for PhD Candidate disappointed to find out permission) before Department of History that once we entered for he left. the day, we couldn’t return Chris, Hillah and Micaela in Banten. to our camp. Which meant that if we wanted to eat or drink anything we had packed, we had to carry it “Chris was a wonderful student, about how the lines between victim into the concert area. This incredibly dedicated to his study of and perpetrator are not always clear, meant that we would have Indonesia. He was a pleasure to work but no one seemed sympathetic to pay outrageous prices with on projects at the Southeast Asia toward those who were coerced into for any sort of alcohol (think Center. I especially remember one time participating in the killings.” He then $12 for a can of bud light). that Chris ran a class for me while I described how he tried to teach Chris Grorud and I had was out of town. He showed a film and the students that Americans have asked Micaela Campbell led a discussion on the events of ‘65 skeletons in the closet as well, giving for advice on how to sneak in Indonesia. He was very humble and the example of racial segregation. I in a bottle of whiskey. imagined that it was not successful, know that he made a great impression She told us that we could but I learned otherwise from the on the students that day, and I was hide it in a loaf of bread. undergraduates and graduates very appreciative of his work.” Geniuses that we were we who appreciated how he led the cut a hole on one end of discussion. I would have trusted no Celia Lowe the loaf, painfully hollowed other student to lead such a sensitive Associate Professor of Anthropology it out, and attempted to conversation. He wrote me, “We talked stuff the bottle in. It was 1979-2016 10 Remembering Chris Grorud 11

quite a mess but it eventually worked. (By the way for future reference, we did it incorrectly, saw off the top part of a loaf and hollow it out to place Quiet confidence the bottle inside. Don’t be dummies like us and try and Remembered by Cristoph Giebel do it from the end of a loaf). Everyday, for three days, we I have many precious memories of Chris, but want to focus on hid the bottle of whiskey in the our relationship as co-instructors. Chris was a TA in my Viet same loaf of bread. For most Nam Wars course (in 2010) and also in my general Southeast of these three days at the Asian history class. I can say with complete conviction that Gorge, it was the typical kind Chris was among the top three TAs I have had the privilege of weather you’d see, overcast to work with over the years; he had a bright future as a with intermittent showers. teacher and mentor! My Viet Nam Wars course is a tightly Nothing too crazy, but fairly choreographed, fast paced and intense class that demands of miserable if you weren’t my TAs close coordination with their weekly sections. Although already used to the climate an Indonesianist by focus, Chris performed superbly. He truly in the Pacific Northwest. As “got it” when it came to the historical themes I was developing you can see Chris is wearing over time and the specificities of their Vietnamese context, and multiple layers, like a great his students responded with enthusiasm. outdoorsman. On this day, however, the sun surprised Even more masterful was Chris’ teaching in my Spring 2012 all of us in the afternoon. At Joseph Bernardo, Allan Lumba, Balbir Singh, and Jon course on Southeast Asian history. By then I had such complete this time, the band playing on Olivera with Chris at Allan and Balbir’s wedding. confidence in Chris’ historical competence and pedagogical the main stage was MGMT. talent that I offered to teach one of his sections for the quarter Chris and I liked to make had any need for our “covert” in exchange for his lectures on Indonesian history over time. fun of MGMT fans--pretty loaf, I dared Chris to eat it. So Chris’ four full-length lectures were the highlight of the much anyone wearing mall- what you see captured here is quarter, presented personably, yet with quiet confidence, style “bohemian” clothing (for Chris being Chris, never one to let informative and challenging yet with a light touch, and instance a southwestern motif common sense get in the way of developing connections and comparisons with other Southeast of feathers, turquoise, day- a funny bit. Don’t worry, he didn’t Asian and global developments in ways that were most glo). We would faux cheer eat more than a bite. impressive and inspiring. after every song with shouts of “THE MANAGEMENTS!” a Allan Lumba, PhD Christoph Giebel nod to a joke on hipster runoff. Department of History Associate Professor of History and International Studies By this time the whiskey was finished and the bread was extremely stale and we figured it was inedible. Since it was Chris playing with the UW the last day, and we no longer gamelan ensemble. 1979-2016 12 Remembering Chris Grorud 13

Grateful for a good

An image from “Ribbons to Roots: The Threads buddy that (Un)Bind Us. A Play about Southeast Remembered by Evi Sutrisno Asian Migration, Identity and Home,” which was based, in part, on Chris’s interview with Evi’s son.

Chris Grorud was one of my together or just come over to Campbell and the class. Then Chris with Evi and Micaela best friends both in and beyond visit me and my boys. On one the play was performed by the the classroom. Different bright Sunday, he appeared at students taking the class and languages and cultural our house and offered to watch other students interested in the backgrounds had brought a Seahawks game together work of the class. My son felt us closer together. For an with my sons. They had a great so proud that his experiences international student and non- time together and it became a were useful to others. Only native English speaker like me, memorable day for them. Since Chris would have thought of Chris was always willing to the father of my sons was back interviewing an 11 year old boy. help in editing my papers. He in Indonesia, Chris meant a lot didn’t just correct my grammar. to my boys. We are so grateful to have had He also gave me suggestions Chris as our good buddy. We on how to improve the structure One very special thing that miss him a lot. and content of my papers, Chris did was to interview which were intellectually my oldest son about his life stimulating. On the other in the States. This was for Evi Sutrisno hand, he was eager to speak a class at the UW being PhD Candidate in Bahasa Indonesia with me. taught by Tikka Sears and Department of Anthropology As a student in Indonesian Theresa Ronquillo. The idea studies, he was always well was to interview people from informed about the socio- Southeast Asia about their political situation in Indonesia. experiences in coming to live He always wanted the latest in America. The interview update. that Chris did was one of the best that was received. It was Outside the classroom, Chris chosen to be used in the play always made time to get that was written by Micaela 14 Remembering Chris Grorud 15

instruments—so a person Sunardi that he was part of generous with his could really talk to Sunardi’s. We both time and his truck- and trust. They often reminisce of -and a wonderful also enjoyed Chris and treasure presence in the hanging out and our memories of classroom, onstage, getting lunch him. and backstage. together—usually Thai or Vietnamese Chris’s passing has food. I considered Christina Sunardi been a very hard him a good friend, Associate Professor loss for both my too. I miss him of Ethnomusicology husband Sunardi very much, but am and me. Chris grateful to have had was such a good him as a part of my friend to Sunardi, life and am grateful

Chris with Heri Purwanto, Sunardi, and Christina Sunardi

In a nutshell “Although I started as an art about before. One day he would major in college, I decided to talk about his experience in the Remembered by Christina Sunardi take some classes about Eastern midst of the student riots and religion and Southeast Asian the next day would be about history out of curiosity. I ended Sukarno’s political legacy. It was up spending hours in the library then that I knew I wanted to be Chris, in a nutshell, bridged music and performance, reading up on Buddhism, import an Asian Studies major and travel was a very special Southeast Asian and performed substitution in Japan…anything to Southeast Asia.” person--a gift. studies. He was gamelan music I could get my hands on. My He was a very an enthusiastic with visiting artists friends from overseas also told me Remembered by an important part of participant in from Indonesia. stories of their lives back home. undergraduate in Chris’s TA my early years gamelan at the Chris was always But what truly won me over were section at the UW and in UW. Among other so helpful with the stories my TA Chris told my energizing me in my things, he helped visiting artists quiz section about Indonesia, new life as a faculty with translation for from playing in a country I never really thought member here who a shadow puppet concerts to moving 1979-2016 16 Remembering Chris Grorud 17 Docendo discimus

Remembered by Desiana Pauli Sandjaja you smell that?” And he commitment to his study taught me valuable answered, “Do you have a kept him going. He paused lessons of perseverance, Cross?” I shook my head to collect his strength and patience and joy. Doscendo and said, “Let’s get out kept it going and kept it discimus. Selamat jalan, Docendo discimus, by said, “Bu Pauli, I know you of here!” We immediately going and kept it going. I Chris. teaching, we learn. need a drinking buddy!” packed our stuff and ended am very grateful for this the class early. Every time life lesson that he showed Desiana Pauli Sandjaja In my life as a teacher, There are too many we met after that quarter to me and to many people Senior Lecturer students come and go memories to share but if I ended, we still talked about around him. Department of Asian and they leave behind have to pick one, I’d pick it, with much laughter. Languages and Literatures memories. Chris did not this one. Chris took an Chris, your kindness, sense only leave me with lasting independent study with me Life as graduate students humor and uplifting spirit memories, but with many to work on reading a novel is tough and I have seen have touched so many of valuable lessons from for his research. It was such struggle through Chris us and will remain in our which I learn to be better a very complicated and as well. His passion and hearts forever. You certainly at my job and as a human intense novel by Ayu Utami. being. It was typical cold and rainy Seattle late afternoon. Our Chris was the type of class was at the basement person who would take of Denny Hall. That day, we the time to really get to were reading the part about know you and to show the character mutilating his that he really cared in grandmother. Just as the Chris “Brorud” the most genuine way. story became very intense, Once we had a discussion and frankly, scary, the door Remembered by Joseph Bernardo about, of all things, beer slammed. We jumped off drinking culture. I told him our chairs and looked at Chris Grorud was the first person I met at UW back in that I could not drink beer each other but finally said 2007. It was orientation for incoming History graduate alone since I used to drink “Maybe it’s just the wind.” students and we got to talking while taking a walking socially with my family, And we continued reading. tour of the campus. It was your typical basic small talk, especially with my Dad. A moment later, there was “Where are you from?,” “What are you studying?,” “Who’s Drinking alone would just some sort of flower smell your favorite basketball team?,” etc. After the half-day make me miss my family in the air. We were at a orientation, we somehow ended up at another student’s sorely. A couple of months basement of an old building apartment to partake on some homemade pasta and later, we were at a function. with all windows were shut. socializing. After a short while, I sat next to Chris who He came to me and brought We looked at each other. introduced me to his then-wife, Jinny. We bonded, talked me a bottle of beer and I asked him, “Chris, do about sports, his life in Madison, his affinity towards In- 1979-2016 18 Remembering Chris Grorud 19

donesian history and culture. After a bowl The following fall, our friendship relationship with his ex-wife, his love visit me in LA as I knew we would begin of mediocre pasta, I went home knowing somehow finally clicked. Not sure how for singing “Ghostbusters” on the Magic new adventures. Unfortunately, the last that I made a potential friend. it happened. Allan may have been trav- Mic, his struggle with anxiety, and his time he was here, I wasn’t the best host. I elling and I got to Seattle fairly earlier 2am hunger cravings for 7-11 hot dogs. was miserable at my former job and took Unfortunately, we didn’t hang out much than normal, but there was a short I cherished our long conversations dur- out my frustration at him a little bit during that first year at UW. We saw each other stretch prior to the start of the quarter ing those times we had a few hours to his visit. I eventually apologized for my once in a while, but we didn’t have the that we hung out a lot. I remember kill. grouchiness, and in typical Chris fashion same classes or same social circles, so I one time I came over to his house and where he thinks of others before himself, didn’t talk to him very often. Allan spoke started to feel sick from something we While his own graduate student career he replied, “Don’t worry about it. I know I to him more, but even he didn’t get to ate earlier. All of the sudden I started to was in jeopardy, Chris nevertheless haven’t.” know him much that break out into a fero- always had time to support others’. He year. We went about cious sweat and felt was a helpful ear to complaints about Today, family and friends of Chris cel- our ways, thinking nauseous while play- academic life. He was there to celebrate ebrate his life, with Allan and Balbir after an initial start, ing the latest version Allan and my respective triumphs after representing all of us at the funeral. I’m we would only be- of MarioKart. I im- exams. Such selfless loyalty is what sad that I couldn’t be at there in person, come acquaintances. mediately ran to his epitomized Chris. He was always there but I plan to make a trip to Fremont, Ne- bathroom (which was for you. He was there on the morning braska in the coming months – something On the first day I quite disgusting by of my wedding, making Gerlie’s aunt I always promised him I’d do. I’ve always got back to Seattle the way) and vomited iron his clothes since he didn’t know found that the silver lining in one’s death before the start of our out what I consumed. how to operate one. He was there at is that it brings people together. Sharing second year, Allan He felt really bad for my dissertation defense, hashtagging great memories of him with all of you invited me to Laurie me, but laughed at #joejamdefense as he was posting mo- whom I met in Seattle makes me cherish Sears’ house for a my misfortune at the ments from it on social media. He was a special time and a special person. I’m small gathering for same time. Laugh- the first person to call me Dr. Joe. He positive we’ll all see Chris again soon, but Southeast Asianists. ing at each other’s was there at my graduation where he before he left, he left with his most self- Kind of randomly, mishaps was a pat- charmed my family including my rugrat less gift to all of us: time with each other. Chris happened to tern that repeated nieces and nephews. I can never forget I love all of you and hope you are well. corner me in Laurie’s constantly. them yelling out “Uncle Chris! Uncle Here’s hoping for more memories together kitchen and divulged Chris!” while he was wrestling with for years to come. the details of a per- That year, we were them or giving them ice cream. My sonal matter. Mind you, I hardly spoke to inseparable. We hung out with each oth- mom told me that weekend, “I really Joseph Bernardo him up to that point. I was a bit astonished er almost everyday. One time we were like Chris.” Jokingly, I attributed his PhD Candidate, Department of History that he opened up the way he did, but studying, Allan came home and said, charisma to his white skin and conjured you couldn’t help but feel for the guy. He “Well, if it isn’t the Shell and the Ker- up playful hashtags like #whitelove and bonded a lot with Allan and came over to nel,” a funny reference to an article we #promiseofthegrorud to describe my our apartment fairly often. We hosted a had to read for Laurie’s class. I learned family’s love for him. house party that happened to land on his a lot about Chris that year: his journal- birthday and Allan bought him a cake. ist background as the editor for his high Despite our distance the last few years, Nobody at the party really knew him (even school paper, the tattoo on his foot, his we were always pretty close and made I barely knew him), but he still loved the insane binder of Tecmo Bowl statistics, even more memories. I remember get- kind gesture. his cross-country days, his estranged ting so excited when he would come 1979-2016 20 Remembering Chris Grorud 21

When I last saw Chris, I sought to left, as if he wasn’t leaving for family back reciprocate, if possible, the same welcome home and Indonesia, in the near future. he offered to me. He was in town, on leave While Chris indeed left, his welcoming Heartfelt welcome from Indonesia, after struggling with presence will be felt and honored through health and dental issues there. I gladly prolonging his hospitality here. Remembered by James Pangilinan hosted him in my study space, amidst all of the Southeast Asian studies books, many of James Pangilinan Chris will be missed deeply by those whom he graced with which he gifted to me. We walked around Graduate student at University of British his humor, generosity and care back home, in Seattle, and in his former neighborhood (the Central Columbia Indonesia. I recall fondly how, from the first time meeting, he District); got Ezzell’s and picnicked by imparted a sense of welcome. Lake Washington, with a sherbet vista of Mount Rainier in the distance. Eventually, After sitting in a seminar on Foucault taught by Vince Rafael, we met up with Joseph Guanlo in Capitol Chris reached out after class and discussed what made for a Hill; moving through Seattle as if he hadn’t good life in Seattle as opposed to other options and places I was considering. He was well acquainted with the geography of Southeast Asian studies centers, having been a Badger before a Husky. But, besides such institutional ties, one felt his honest fascination and intensity of interest in Southeast Asia. Chris’s intellectual and personal passion for the field was palpable in the mundane manner through which he could chat about sports or Indonesian politics both with equal succor. That is to say, he was A philosopher of area intellectually curious and cosmopolitan in the most equitable of ways. studies From the first time meeting, a quality of broad curiosity and heartfelt welcome came through with earnest insistence. I have Remembered by Vince Rafael spent a good deal of my time thinking of what makes hospitality Chris with Balbir Singh. possible and what sustains a culture of welcome. Seattle isn’t the best in place in this regard. But Chris would seem to instill and insist on making this place, school and community more open and more welcoming. Let’s hope Chris’s hospitality may I knew Chris as a student evening with Ben Anderson but during one of our continue welcoming others with the same generosity, care and in a couple of my seminars. when he visited Seattle conversations he told hospitality. As most of you know, he who gave him some good me something very wanted to write about the advice. interesting: that he had Indonesian revolution and been a philosophy major we talked a few times about I myself wasn’t quite sure as an undergraduate. his project. At one point, he why he was interested in Why would someone even managed to spend an the Indonesian revolution, interested in philosophy-- 22 Remembering Chris Grorud 23

and presumably Western philosophy: discovering that had, in other words, all philosophy--want to go into part of himself that lay in the makings of a historian area studies, especially the the other. And his interest in of the revolution and a history of Indonesia? I was the history of the revolution philosopher of area studies. fascinated by this curious made all the more sense-- conjunction. His interests even though perhaps he did We all miss Chris, and the seem to come from entirely not realize it at that time-- gentle intelligence with different places. Yet I could inasmuch as revolution is which he touched all things. see how each fed into the about radical change. It is Thinking of him brought other. about getting at the root of to mind these lines from things, as the word “radical” the writer David Ignatow: Both philosophy and area suggests, exploring and “I wish I understood the studies, after all, involve exploding the fundamental beauty in leaves falling. To bringing us closer to the elements of life. Or to put whom are we beautiful as world by drawing us away it another way, revolution we go?” from it. Both make us is about making the world strangers to ourselves philosophical again. so that we become open Vince Rafael and available to others Chris had about himself Professor of History who are yet to come. In a quiet bearing, a sly approaching Indonesia, sense of humor, and a Chris seemed to me to ready hospitality towards be continuing his work in those near and far. He

Chris carrying Hillah in Jakarta. 24 25 An untitled essay

By Chris Grorud

historical factors, the essay sets out to failed to fully capture the messiness demystify numerous Indonesian figures and the absolute singularity of of the Revolution. The essay therefore Revolution, demonizing what could compels us to see mythologized not be domesticated as “extremist” or Introduced by Allan Lumba ethnography and oral historical figures such as Sukarno, Hatta, Sjahrir, “terrorist.” methodologies, Chris reveals how and the pemuda, as Chris saw them. At first glance, Chris Grorud’s untitled the quotidian day-to-day stories Not through a strict moral or political Chris was a perfectionist and essay has a seemingly modest thesis: offered to him and his interpreter lens, but rather through the lens protective of revealing work he the histories of Ambarawa remain turn out to be merely rote scripts of Revolution itself. To examine the believed to be incomplete. This was anomalous to official national and that neither contradict nationalist concept of Revolution itself. To ask not out of some sense of safeguarding state-sanctioned scripts of Revolution. narratives of independence nor make if Revolution was even possible. For intellectual property. Rather, Throughout the piece Chris claims to partaking in the movement Chris, questions concerning Revolution his reluctance to share what he carefully highlights the dissonance for Indonesian sovereignty. Thus, simultaneously sprang from, and led considered incomplete emerged from of Ambarawa within the body of a particular normative “collective to, Indonesia. an ethical impulse. Perhaps this ethical influential works on Indonesian memory” is repeated and reinforced, impulse was why he was drawn to the Revolution, drawing specifically from not through the production of Thus, despite being incomplete, history of the Indonesian Revolution, James Siegel, George Kahin, and more narratives, but rather through this essay gestures to Chris’ deep and the ways myriad powerful people Benedict Anderson. Upon closer tentative evasion, frequent breaks, love for Indonesia. It is clear he did and institutions worked toward inspection, however, one notices and friendly suggestions to consult not love the nation, and he was its failure. Perhaps he carried a quickly that Chris is not interested in local authorities. Chris then soberly certainly inimical to the state. And particular responsibility to reckon presenting a localized version of what comes to what he admits is a although he had immense respect with the wrongs of the past and these past authoritative scholars of frustrating conclusion: “the people” for its communities, his love was not held a utopic desire to create the Indonesian national independence of the Revolution, refused to speak of even for “the people.” Chris was conditions for justice in the present. have argued. Rather, the essay Revolution. This conclusion compels far too brilliant to be seduced by I therefore consider this essay a gift patiently chips away at the multitude Chris to break free (as best as he any of those fantasies. Instead, this in the most ethical sense of the word. of mythologies, academic jargon, could) from his own investments essay illuminates how Chris loved the And I am grateful to have read along and nationalist narratives that have in the collective and academic messy assemblage of experiences, with Chris’ ethical way of thinking, to structured the history of Revolution memorialization of Revolution in the cultures, languages, politics, desires, intellectually follow his singular mode in Indonesia. Even mundane stories rest of the essay. religions, traditions, and socialities of historical exploration. recounted by residents of the that the concept of “Indonesia” small town of Suruh are stripped of In the essay’s later sections, his attempts to capture. But as this nostalgia. expertise on Indonesian political essay set out to illustrate, both the Allan Lumba, PhD and cultural history is put on display. nation and the state consistently Department of History Through an elegant blend of Accounting for both local and global 26 An untitled essay 27

that one just struggled to survive during this collective memory of the period in that both powerful ability of the state to control the dangerous period because to account for the the state and the residents of the greater popular memory of the Revolution within the hardships one faced truthfully does not put Ambarawa area desire to bind and confine nationalist narrative. Halbwachs’ conception “We must seize Ambarawa with one among the revolutionary fighters. It is local experiences only to a depoliticized vision of the role of national history within the simultaneous attacks because unacceptable because an assertion of this of village normality. In doing so, the residents collective memory highlights the desire of the Ambarawa is the key for them to kind—that is, an account that does not place remain invisible to historical accounts of individual to connect to the collective memory dominate the whole of Central oneself within the state’s heroic narrative revolutionary heroism. Unlike the majority in both a present and future moment despite Java and Yogyakarta. This would of the war for independence—creates the of Indonesians whose possible invisibility differences that exist between the individual’s endanger the position of the possibility of being misrecognized as an or exclusion from revolutionary participation and the collective’s memories. In Siegel’s Republic. We frankly admit that enemy of the state. Consequently, their augers the potential for misrecognition as analysis the desire to re-live the Revolution by we are less strong in terms of our personal narratives of the mundane qualities an enemy of the nation, the residents of placing oneself as a secretive participant in weaponry. But circumstances of this of daily life, especially those tales structured the greater Ambarawa area must remain the memory controlled by the state is shown kind will not hamper us or reduce around passing encounters of Dutch troops, anonymous bystanders of the Revolution for to be a desire for recognition of the individual’s our desire to defend our country. are related in such a way as to prevent this the sake of their inclusion within the national membership in the nation. The desire for We have defined a strategy; that is, misrecognition. Siegel writes, “That they identity. Any assertion of either direct or, recognition is not merely the wish to belong to simultaneous surprise attacks with nonetheless considered themselves to have in the cases examined by Siegel, secretive the national identity, but is also motivated by a pincer movement. Command of fully participated in the revolution is because revolutionary participation negates not only the the fear of the potentially fatal consequences the attack will be administered by they thought of themselves as being in official nationalist narrative, but also the state- of being misrecognized as not belonging the commander of the TKR division. danger.”3 mediated national identity. to that identity within the official narrative Forces from the struggle organizations of the state. This paper examines how the (badan perjuangan) will serve as Apart from Siegel’s incisive analysis of In discussing the concept of collective memory fear of being misrecognized also creates the a rear guard. The assault begins language, memory, and history in Indonesian of a national history, Maurice Halbwachs possibility of, and the justifications for, having tomorrow morning at 04:30. Good luck society, there is the question of persistent describes it in contrast to the memory of the one’s participation in the national struggle with the fight, Allah is with us, Amen. nonappearance. Siegel effectively shows the individual: of the Revolution remain untold and unseen Merdeka!” utility of remaining unseen in order to survive by the national collective memory. It is my during the Revolution. By appearing as an “In recalling [the events around contention that those who lived in and around -Soedirman, December 10, 19451 anonymous member of ordinary society, which the memory is formed], I must Ambarawa, a small town in the highlands of one minimized the possibility of being killed rely entirely upon the memory of Central Java, represent such a case. In Fetish, Recognition, Revolution, James as a consequence of being recognized or others, a memory that comes, not as Siegel discusses the processes of recognition, misrecognized as either a supporter of the corroborator or completer of my own, or rather their failure, in Indonesia through revolutionary struggle by the Dutch or a but as the very source of what I wish LOCAL SILENCE the examples of an essay contest held by the supporter of the Dutch by the revolutionary to repeat. I often know such events Indonesian state on the thirtieth anniversary of fighters. However, as noted above, being no better nor in any other manner than In the summer of 2008, I interviewed an the proclamation of independence.2 Through unseen in the historical memory in the post- I know historical events that occurred 86-year-old woman in Suruh, Central Java, an examination of the narratives submitted of Revolution period is constitutive of a danger before I was born.”4 about her memories of the Indonesian personal experiences of the Revolution, Siegel in itself in that it invites the possibility of Revolution (1945-1949). Suruh is a small notes that most Indonesians continued about misrecognition. Rather than altering one’s The Indonesian collective memory places the village roughly fifteen miles southeast of the their daily lives in their usual occupations own personal narrative to become more Revolution as the originary moment of the city of Ambarawa and is within the area that rather than participating directly in the present within the national narrative of the modern nation. Told as a period comprised was known during the early months of the revolutionary struggle. Nevertheless, it is Revolution, Ambarawa presents a unique as a series of heroic events, Siegel and Revolution as the Ambarawa Theater. We unacceptable in Indonesia merely to assert case to the study of the Revolution and the other scholars of Indonesia have shown the met in the sitting room of her home, the walls 28 An untitled essay 29

of which were unadorned other than an aged, When the woman was absent from the room, participated in the Battle of Ambarawa, participation is disavowed. canvas work portrait of Sukarno, the first I was happy to ask the growing number of the woman did not offer any details of his President of Indonesia. The interview was relatives in the room questions and they involvement, let alone any claims to heroism. conducted through an interpreter, the woman’s seemed eager to respond with stories and Moreover, the information she related about EARLY STATE INSECURITY step-grandson and a close friend of mine. He information. However, they offered no more the period aside from the battle were absent translated my questions from Indonesian into information about the woman’s experiences of themes of participation, danger, or survival. Following the surrender of Japan to Allied Javanese for the woman and then translated of the Revolution other than the few brief Rather, she spoke of farming rice and cassava forces, Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta her answers back into Indonesian for me. answers she had given me. That is, there as though her daily life was no different proclaimed Indonesia’s independence on Before the interview began, she and her two had been some fighting in the area and that during the Revolution than it was working as August 17, 1945. The laconic text of the daughters in the room with us seemed amused the woman and her husband, like most of a farmer after the Revolution. What emerged Proclamation makes no philosophical, political, that I would want to interview her, “but why?” the villagers, had worked as farmers. The from her narrative and was confirmed by her or territorial claims about the Indonesian they asked. I said that out of my admiration relatives stated that there was nothing to be descendants was that she, her husband, nation, but rather it reads, in full, as follows: for Sukarno, I had become interested in the learned from her experiences and, moreover, and the rest of the village were supporters Revolution, to which the woman responded that there was nothing worth knowing about of the nation, but not full participants in the We, the Indonesian nation, hereby favorably. As to my current interest in the their village and its residents during the achievement of its independence. declare the independence of social history of the Revolution, she appeared Revolution. If I wanted to know more of the Indonesia. Matters concerning the skeptical, but agreed to the interview area, they said I should visit the Monumen Although the woman experienced an transfer of authority, etc. will be nonetheless. Palangan Ambarawa (Ambarawa Theater important battle of the Revolution, she and executed in a careful manner and in Monument). If I wanted to collect oral her descendants asserted that any local the shortest possible time.8 Not long after the interview began, a steady histories, they suggested I make contact with memory of the event was only a limited village stream of relatives stopped by the home, military officials in Semarang or Jakarta to perspective. This local perspective was The brevity of Sukarno and Hatta’s message joining in the conversation. I started by asking arrange an interview. When the interview in keeping with the official narrative of the reveals a fundamental insecurity among the the woman about her childhood. Although the with the woman was over, I left believing that event and, more importantly, contained no nationalist elite of Jakarta about their ability to woman was willing to answer, she soon stood the interview was a failure because I was information that contradicted the “authoritative” speak for the nation. On the one hand, Japan up and left the room for a short break. The unable to gain information from the woman narrative collected and memorialized by the had already begun to dismantle its occupation others in the room told me this was because and her family that could be used to advance Indonesian state and military. According to infrastructure, thus leaving the Sukarno-Hatta her arthritic condition made it difficult for her my research of the Revolution. Despite her Halbwachs, the individual memory is unable duumvirate few means through which to to sit too long in one place. As the interview experiences, the woman was unwilling to to contribute to the collective memory of spread their nationalist agenda or assert their progressed and my questions became speak.5 Her relatives were also silent on national history for the collective memory authority. Particularly problematic was the more specific to her experiences during the the issue of a local collective memory and, is the “memory of others.” Even with the complete absence of police or military security Revolution, her breaks became more frequent. instead, directed me towards the official national collective memory supported by forces.9 On the other hand, the nationalist When she returned, she frequently repeated memory of the Battle of the Ambarawa social institutions and being the domain of the elite of Jakarta were aware of profound her original question as to why I wanted to Theater, that is, the one propagated by the state, Halbwachs describes the foundational differences on the question of independence know such things. Repeating the answers state. knowledge of an event’s memory residing among the people, for among those that I had given her before about my interest in in “newspapers and the testimony of those supported the move to an independent future, the Revolution did not satisfy her. In fact, my Unlike the personal narratives examined by involved.”7 The lack of local experiences of a bitter divide was developing between the answers elicited neither a verbal response Siegel, the elderly woman did not participate participation among the individuals I met with Jakartan elite, who tended to be older, as from her nor a physical response as she in the “easy sliding of identities”6 when in the Ambarawa area invites an exploration well as more cautious about the steps that maintained the same facial expression of I interviewed her about her experiences of why the testimonies of area residents are should be taken, and the pemuda.10 Initially, physical pain and bemusement in receiving my during the Revolution. Even though it was excluded from the national collective memory the term pemuda embraced both female answer as she had when asking the question. acknowledged briefly that her husband had and more importantly, the reasons why local and male Indonesians, although eventually 30 An untitled essay 31

it became more exclusively associated with and educational backgrounds.13 Understood paramilitary assistance of the pemuda for internees on Java with one-fifth of them, men, whereas a new word, pemudie, emerged domestically, the choice between diplomasi or the duration of the Revolutionary period, yet mostly Dutch women and children, held in as a female form.11 In the context of the perjuangan constituted a double bind facing the state—as run by the nationalist elite— the six internment camps in the small town of Revolution, however, pemuda also came the political elites—their search for legitimacy continually thwarted any attempts at political Ambarawa in the highlands of Central Java.16 to signify a militant and masculine youth internationally was disadvantageous to consolidation of the variegated pemuda, most To help facilitate their efforts, the Dutch had culture that supported a complete social their search for legitimacy domestically. In notably by imprisoning Tan Malaka, the most to rely on Lord Mountbatten’s South East transformation of Indonesia through violent response to this double bind, the proclamation vocal champion and potentially unifying figure Asia Command (SEAC). In the words of one struggle. of Sukarno and Hatta represents an attempt of the perjuangan movement, from March SEAC unit commander that were published to mitigate the consequences of their elite 1946 until September 1948. The ultimate blow at the time, the largely British SEAC forces The divide between the older, conservative situation in the originary moment of the to the political position of the pemuda came were expected “to maintain law and order nationalists and the pemuda was represented Indonesian state. Although it would be some in February 1949 with the assassination of until the time that the lawful government of as well in the political discourse of the time before Sukarno, Hatta, and the remainder Tan Malaka by the military.15 While these the Netherlands East Indies is once again period as a distinction between two options of the republican government consolidated events—the consolidation of the state’s functioning.”17 The SEAC forces largely for expelling Dutch forces: diplomasi, or their authority over the Indonesian people, authority, the rise of the military, and the understood their mission as having two diplomacy, and perjuangan, or struggle, their actions from the earliest days of the destruction of the pemuda’s leadership and, parts—disarming the Japanese and freeing particularly a violent one. The perspective of Revolution period are representative of a need by extension, its potential for organization— the European prisoners of war. According the internal dynamics of the Revolution as to control the national narrative nonetheless. occasioned the Revolution’s ultimate success to British historian Richard McMillan, their a divide between diplomasi and perjuangan By initiating their attempts at controlling the through diplomasi rather than perjuangan, the mission seemed straightforward as Japan has dominated scholarship on the period narrative, the republican elite established older, conservative nationalist elite remained had already pledged its cooperation and produced in the West. This divide was first the foundation for an Indonesian identity suspicious of the now amorphous pemuda intelligence reports received from the Dutch explored in George Kahin’s 1952 classic through which the elite could recognize (or and any impulse for the effects of a social assured SEAC that despite the proclamation Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia. misrecognize) the Indonesian people by their revolution promised by perjuangan. of independence by Sukarno and Hatta, an While later scholarship on the period made inclusion (or exclusion) from the nation. overwhelming majority of Indonesians desired important additions and corrections to Kahin’s the return of the colonial government.18 As thesis, the later scholarship has reaffirmed The original insecurity of the nationalist LEAD UP TO THE BATTLE OF AMBARAWA: the first SEAC units landed in Jakarta on the existence of the diplomasi/perjuangan split elite concerning the legitimacy of both their JAPANESE SURRENDER AND THE September 29, 1945, they quickly realized also.12 Put briefly, the former represented the domestic and international positions was ARRIVAL OF SEAC FORCES that they had been misled by their intelligence advocacy of the achievement of independence tempered considerably by the establishment reports. via international recognition and diplomacy, of the Indonesian military on October 5, Following the end of World War II, the while the latter represented the belief that 1945, which would soon emerge as a force Netherlands began planning the resumption Interestingly enough, it was Sukarno, Hatta, Indonesian independence could be considered to countervail the nation’s reliance on the of its colonial authority over Indonesia. Five and the rest of the Indonesian republic’s legitimate only through the overthrow of actions of the pemuda.14 Predictably, as the years of German occupation, however, had left central leadership that cautiously welcomed existing power structures—colonial, imperial, military steadily grew in size and became the Dutch state too weak to begin immediate the British-led forces. In adhering to their as well as traditional social hierarchies. more capable of leading the revolutionary re-colonization efforts. A major complicating objective of achieving independence through While support for diplomasi was limited to fight against the Dutch military, the political factor to this was the large number of Dutch diplomatic negotiations for international a small group of political elites, perjuangan significance of thepemuda waned. This citizens who had comprised the colonial recognition, these elites believed that the had a much larger and more diverse base process, however, was not a zero-sum government and Dutch colonial society that newly elected Labour party government in of support for the pemuda not only extended game of political capital because even with had been taken as prisoners of war during the United Kingdom would be sympathetic well beyond the youth of Java to the youth of its rapid growth, the Indonesian military the Japanese occupation of the Indies. At to Indonesian sovereignty. Moreover, these other islands and ethnicities, but also included could not match the strength of the Dutch. the time of Japan’s surrender, there were elite believed that the temporary presence of youth of various social, economic, religious, Consequently, the military relied on the more than 68,000 Dutch and other European SEAC forces could potentially benefit them 32 An untitled essay 33

as the nascent republican government still superiority and the assistance of Japanese highway to the west, while other British units, had begun arming some of the European lacked a military or police force and therefore forces. By mid-November 1945, SEAC was fresh from their victory over the pemuda citizens in the internment camps. The strange had yet to establish its authority over much in control of most of West Java aside from in Semarang, approached from the north. military alliance of internees and their former of the population, especially the pemuda. Jakarta and had defeated the pemuda in the The deployments marked the beginning of captors was born out of the difficulty of In fact, in the wake of Japan’s surrender, major port cities on the north coast including SEAC’s efforts directed at bringing the small defending the military and internment camps in various pemuda groups assumed control Pekalongan and Semarang in Central Java town under its full control. Aside from its the face of a guerilla movement that was now over much of Java, including large sections of and Surabaya in East Java. Although these large population of European internees as attracting pemuda from the numerous smaller Jakarta. Although the majority of these groups SEAC successes left two Central Java cities, mentioned above, Ambarawa had a strategic villages located in the greater Ambarawa supported the republican elite, especially Yogyakarta and Surakarta, as the only major importance for the SEAC mission as it is area. Equally important to the increase in Sukarno who had been firmly established as cities on Java free of SEAC forces, the located at the junction point of the major the number of pemuda and their attacks was the symbol of Indonesian nationalism during republican government tacitly supported the highways and railways connecting West Java the dwindling number of Japanese soldiers, the Japanese occupation, they were militantly expansion of SEAC’s territorial control not and the three largest cities in Central Java: in part due to casualties, but mostly due to opposed to the presence of any foreigners.19 only by refusing to oppose the SEAC forces Semarang to the north, Surakarta to the east, fleeing from the area of conflict to areas with Consequently, the pemuda revolution began with their own, newly formed army, but also by and Yogyakarta to the south (see Figure a SEAC presence during the first week of prior to the arrival of SEAC forces with attacks imploring the pemuda groups to refrain from 1). The arrival of the forces only intensified October.21 With SEAC forces being held up in against Japanese forces. In many cases, attacking the SEAC forces for the pemuda’s a struggle that had been taking place for the cities they entered by pemuda resistance, the Japanese forces were able to reach an violent resistance was seen by the republican several weeks in the area. By September, it was quickly apparent that it would take much understanding with the pemuda groups if they government as counterproductive to their pemuda had been attacking Japanese longer for them than originally anticipated surrendered some of their arms to the pemuda efforts at soliciting British support. forces and European citizens in Ambarawa before they would reach the internment camps and agreed to confine themselves to their and Magelang, another small town with one around Ambarawa in the interior of Java. barracks until they were transported out of internment camp that was located twenty Indonesia. The situation was direr, however, BATTLE OF AMBARAWA miles from Ambarawa on the highway running for Indonesians of Chinese descent and the toward West Java. Initially, the attacks were DIPLOMASI VS PERJUANGAN: PEMUDA members of the pangreh pradja, Indonesian made against Japanese forces in order to “EXTREMIST” IN THE PRESS members of the colonial bureaucracy. Both seize their weaponry which, in some, but the Chinese Indonesians and the pangreh not all cases, the Japanese were willing to The elite reaction to the pemuda violence pradja had been given a legal recognition surrender. With these arms, the pemuda around Ambarawa was similar to instances of other than “Native” during the colonial rule of increased their attacks on the recalcitrant pemuda violence elsewhere on Java. As early the Dutch. Consequently, they were frequently Japanese units and, in Ambarawa, reports as October 19, 1945, the Ambarawa pemuda attacked by the pemuda for having a foreign emerged of individual pemuda infiltrating the had gained the elite’s attention when the daily status.20 Amid the volatility and chaos of internment camps and killing the European Soera Rakjat (“The Voice of the People”) the early Revolution, the arrival of the SEAC prisoners. But access to Japanese weaponry printed a critical report on “kaoem extremist” forces was an affront to many of the pemuda was short-lived and, much like they had (extremist groups) operating in the area. The groups who had every intention of defending [Figure 1: Bureaucratic Elite: The Colonial reacted against the pemuda groups in other newspaper cited the London-based Reuters their independence to the death. Transformation of the Indonesian Priyayi parts of Indonesia following the arrival of the news service as the source of the story. The (Singapore: Heinemann Educational Books, SEAC forces, by late September the Japanese foreign origin of the report explains the English Because the SEAC forces had been misled 1979).] forces stopped surrendering their arms language spelling of “extremist,” which had by Dutch intelligence reports as to the extent voluntarily and had begun to retaliate in order appeared in a handful of Malay language of military action their mission required, it On November 14, 1945, British and Japanese to re-seize their munitions. newspapers beginning from the outset of the took several weeks before they were able to units entered the small town of Ambarawa in war prior to Japan’s invasion of the Dutch East gain a foothold on Java despite their military the highlands of Central Java from the major By early October, Japanese forces reportedly Indies. Although used less often, “terrorist” 34 An untitled essay 35

also was used synonymously with “extremist” these warnings at the end of the occupation had all but assured Japan’s defeat, the elite Sukarno, Hatta, and the bulk of the elite by the Malay language newspapers at the period did not occur in response to a rising who participated in the BPUPKI did so with nationalists in Jakarta for their collaboration time. In some cases, the early uses of tide of anti-Japanese action on the part of seriousness out of the belief that Japan would with the Japanese. More than mere “extremist” and “terrorist” occurred in reports the pemuda. In fact, the actions of the leftist grant Indonesia its independence before it castigations, Sjahrir indicates a better future originating from Reuters. In every instance underground pemuda of the late occupation would surrender to the Allied forces.26 The without the collaborationist elite by declaring that I have found, the terms were used in period, many of whom emerged later as the underground pemuda, however, were not only the need of the young republic to “[purge] itself reports about conflicts outside of the Indies vanguard of the perjuangan movement during suspicious of any Japanese pronouncements of the stains of Japanese fascism.”27 While most often concerning the actions of the Axis the Revolution, were not directly mobilized on the issue of independence, but also Sjahrir and his followers represented the powers. Both terms predictably fell into disuse against the Japanese authorities. Moreover, questioned the legitimacy of a government greatest unified threat to the elites in power, following the arrival of the Japanese as Japan the possibility of future actions against the run by the collaborationist elite. Amid the their attacks against the government took forbade the existence of any newspapers Japanese was slim during the occupation as intensification of an already contentious place largely through the now unregulated other than those operated by its propaganda the underground pemuda groups were under relationship between the elite and the world of print media.28 In other words, their department, the Sendenbu.22 However, the constant surveillance by the Japanese secret underground pemuda, the critical reportage on actions in the first months after independence terms began to appear again in the Sendenbu- police, the Kenpeitai. “extremists” and “terrorists” by the Sendenbu- fell short of the “extremist” brand of rebellion operated press near the end of the Japanese run press should be read as a preemptive that had been originally feared. occupation after the Allied victory in Europe in Although the leftist pemuda groups of the public attack on the politics of the underground May 1945. late occupation period are frequently said pemuda for Japan’s recent defeats elsewhere Aside from the underground pemuda of the to exist “underground” by scholars, the in Asia had obviated the need during occupation, the post-independence actions During the late occupation period, the rare groups in question, which were concentrated transitional periods away from Japanese of different pemuda groups defied certain appearances of these terms were limited to mainly in Jakarta and to a lesser extent authority for an alliance with a popular and assumptions that had been made of them as civil conflicts in Europe in which Japan did Bandung, did not exhibit the characteristics stable local leadership. well. These pemuda widely embraced the not have a direct interest. These conflicts usually associated with “underground” popular nationalism embodied by Sukarno involved communist revolts against state political organizations.24 Rather than During the transitional period, the Japanese as expected, however, the widespread and authority in territories recently liberated from issuing wholesale vilifications of Japanese military authorities in Indonesia found violent nature of their attacks against Chinese German control.23 It is my contention that imperialism, the surveillance by the Kenpeitai themselves in a situation they had not business owners and money lenders, the although these reports fell short of declaring meant that the underground pemuda narrowed anticipated. The Sukarno-Hatta government pangreh pradja, the Japanese forces, and their support for the fight of the western their criticism of the Japanese to specific maintained its friendly relationship with the the Dutch and other European internees also European states against the communists in points of policy. In contrast to the limitations Japanese forces and the duumvirate was illustrated their desire for the social revolution these conflicts, the common description of of their opposition to the Japanese, the widely popular, but the government as a whole that Sukarno and Hatta would not promise. the communist groups using these pejorative underground pemuda were openly critical of was far from stable. This instability was largely For the many pemuda who supported the terms reveals a rare agreement of the “collaborators,” especially Sukarno, Hatta, as the result of the dismantling of security national leadership, but nonetheless pursued a Sendenbu with their enemies insofar as the and the rest of the nationalist elite. Led forces by the Japanese in accordance with social revolution locally via methods that would greatest threat to the Japanese occupation unofficially by Sutan Sjahrir, the underground the terms of Japan’s surrender to the Allied come to define theperjuangan movement, were the leftist underground pemuda groups. pemuda became more vocal and strident in forces. Immediately after the surrender, there was no contradiction. Rather, as The invective language that defined leftist their denunciations of the collaborationist elite the underground pemuda began contesting Anderson first noted, Javanese cultural citizens within these European civil conflicts following the initial meeting of the Japanese- the authority of the new government. The norms meant that groups of pemuda, living in terms of illegality was a clear indication of established Investigative Committee for the definitive text of thesepemuda in the initial autonomously and relatively isolated from the limits of the Japanese military authority’s Preparation of Indonesian Independence months of independence is Sutan Sjahrir’s other social groups, “were always there, built tolerance concerning the potential for political (Badan Penyelidik Usaha-Usaha Persiapan most famous essay “Perjoeangan Kita” (“Our into traditional society, and ready to provide action by the underground pemuda. The Kemerdekaan Indonesia or BPUPKI) on May Struggle”), which was published on November that society with a transcendent conception evidence suggests that the appearance of 28, 1945.25 While recent events in the war 10, 1945. In it, Sjahrir strongly condemns of itself when the times demanded it.”29 To 36 An untitled essay 37

these pemuda, poverty, famine, and the lack extremist report on Oct 19, both “extremist” 11 – 15). Soedirman states that the only and memory in the remembering of of political security following the proclamation and “terrorist” reports re-appear and become way to save the Republic is through the the Battle of Ambarawa by former of independence were all clear indications frequent, not just in Ambarawa, but in other combined forces of the military and the badan revolutionary fighters? that the present moment was “a time out of areas of SEAC concern, especially Bandung, perjuangan (the pemuda forces). Couched in • How does the fear of misrecognition act as joint” that demanded their involvement.30 Semarang and Surabaya. A number of factors the language of the Revolution, his speech motivation for their disavowal? The difference between the beginning of contributed to the dramatic reappearance clearly recognizes the role of the pemuda in the Revolution period and other moments in of the terms in reportage of the events. the battle against SEAC forces. Sjahrir also *Micaela Campbell reconstructed the the past that necessitated the intervention Generally, the presence of mobilized SEAC addresses the hypocrisy of British and Dutch highlighted text from Chris’ detailed notes of the pemuda was that instead of reflecting forces (as opposed to just defeated Japanese accusations of pemuda extremism in a speech outlining the originary moment of exclusion the teachings of a kyai (Islamic teacher) or forces) meant that previously small conflicts he gives on December 9th. These official of Ambarawa pemuda from the official state other type of spiritual guru around whom have grown to full-scale battles and local acknowledgements, are the beginning of a sea narrative of the Revolution, his preliminary pemuda communities traditionally formed, the organizations of pemuda engaging in battle change in the way the government frames the conclusion, as well as further lines of inquiry. pemuda groups that were compelled to action begin to have an effect at the national level, role of pemuda in the Revolution. By February in the early Revolution reflected the blended making attempts at diplomasi between the of 1946, the “extremist” pemuda of Semarang teachings of militarism and nationalism that government and the British more difficult.34 and Surabaya are officially recognized as NOTES they had received from the Japanese through Early government efforts to curb the pemuda pahlawan (heroes) and pelopor (vanguards) their membership in the numerous official activities, mainly through personal appeals of the struggle. The same occurs for the 1. Quote displayed within the museum at organizations of the occupation. by the elites35, are ineffective but as they gain pemuda of Bandung by late March. But such Monumen Palagan Ambarawa (Ambarawa more power through the growth of military official recognition is never extended to the Theater Monument) in Ambarawa, Central The arrival of SEAC forces on September and police forces, the government can be Ambarawa pemuda. Java. My translation. 29 was followed by an increase in pemuda more forceful with its censures because it is violence. The collaborationist elites’ beginning to have the means to enforce its 2. See chapters 8 and 9 of James T. Siegel, accommodation of the SEAC forces and the authority over the pemuda.. PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS Fetish, Recognition, Revolution (Princeton: refusal to condone violence by Sjahrir and Princeton University Press, 1997). the other popular figures emerging from the With SEAC presence in every major Javanese • The continual exclusion of Ambarawa so-called underground of the occupation city by mid-November (other than Solo and pemuda does not result from a failure 3. 185. period further distanced the pemuda from Yogyakarta), the military has orders to repel to remember the battle, the battle is the influence of national figures, both Brits from areas currently free of them. The constantly remembered and the military is 4. Maurice Halbwachs, The Collective Memory, governmental and non-governmental.31 government increases its military presence valorized while the extremist pemuda are Francis J. Ditter, Jr. and Vida Yazdi Ditter, *From mid-October onwards, there is a boom in Ambarawa and, while in the lead up to continually disavowed. trans. (New York: Harper & Row, 1980) 51. in political organizations and trade unions, the Battle of Ambarawa, their main concern • Why were the Ambarawa pemuda not many led by former underground members is to ward off the British and not to subdue initially recognized for their contribution to 5. Ann Laura Stoler and Karen Strassler have of the Partai Komunis Indonesia (PKI) which the pemuda, the government criticizes the the Revolution in the same way as other noted the difficulty of obtaining oral histories officially reconstituted itself on October 21st.32 activities of the Ambarawa pemuda in the pemuda groups? from witnesses whose memories conflict with As a result, many of the pemuda groups that press. • How do the oral interviews with former the official narrative of the state. See Ann had been acting autonomously from one revolutionary fighters in Ambarawa make Laura Stoler and Karen Strassler, “Castings another join forces at the local and regional Yet, the government’s negative views of the divide between diplomasi/perjuangan for the Colonial: Memory Work in ‘New Order’ level, thus making them more difficult to pemuda activities in the press run contrary more complex than previous examinations Java” Comparative Studies in Society and control from the perspective of diplomasi.33 to the language used by Soedirman in his of the Revolution by Kahin, Anderson, and History (2000) 42:1. 4-48. speech on December 10, the day before the Siegel? Beginning with the Ambarawa kaoem Battle of Ambarawa gets underway (December • What is the relationship between history 6. Siegel 185. 38 An untitled essay 39

7. Halbwachs 51. 11. See Anton Lucas and Robert Cribb, “Women’s and Audrey Kahin, ed. Regional Dynamics of Smail, Bandung in the Early Revolution. Roles in the Indonesian Revolution,” in Taufik the Indonesian Revolution: Unity from Diversity Heather Sutherland has also written on the 8. My translation. Abdullah, ed., The Heartbeat of Indonesian (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1985). pemuda’s opposition to the pangreh pradja Revolution, p. 75, note 12. During the during the Revolution period, see Heather 9. During the occupation period, Japan Revolution, the growing gender specificity 14. See Anderson chapter 7. Sutherland, The Making of a Bureaucratic Elite: promulgated a blend of Indonesian nationalism of the word pemuda was also suggested by The Colonial Transformation of the Indonesian and militarism in order to cast the occupation organization names that paired the term with 15. For a fuller account of Tan Malaka’s demise Priyayi (Singapore: Heinemann Educational as a cooperative effort in pursuit of the the female signifierputri , such as Pemuda and the subsequent impacts for the pemuda’s Books, 1979). concept of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Putri Indonesia, Pemuda Putri Republik perjuangan movement, see Anderson, Java in Sphere. In Java and Sumatra, this meant Indonesia, or Barisan Pemuda Putri. See Irna a Time of Revolution chapters 11 and 12. 21. Anderson, 145-7. the recruitment of several thousand young H. N. Hadi Soewito, ed., Seribu Wajah: Wanita men into the paramilitary organizations Heiho Pejuang Dalam Kancah Revolusi ‘ 45 (Jakarta: 16. Richard McMillan, The British Occupation of 22. For a fuller discussion of the Sendenbu’s and PETA (Pembela Tanah Air or Defenders Gramedia Widiasarana Indonesia, 1995), 367- Indonesia 1945-1946: Britain, the Netherlands, control of media outlets during the occupation of the Homeland). Several thousand more 371. For an account of the masculinization and the Indonesian Revolution (New York: period, see Benedict R. O’G. Anderson, young men were recruited into official youth of the word pemuda and its contemporary Routledge, 2005) 12-3. Some Aspects of Indonesian Politics under organizations that also utilized military training political importance, see Pam Nilan, the Japanese Occupation: 1944-1945 (Ithaca: and discipline such as the Islamic organization “Contemporary Masculinities and Young Men 17. George McTurnan Kahin, Nationalism and Modern Indonesia Project, Southeast Asia Hizbollah, although these organizations were in Indonesia,” Indonesia and the Malay World Revolution in Indonesia (Ithaca: Southeast Program, Cornell University, 1961); and Aiko rarely armed. According to the terms of 37.109 (November 2009): 327-344; and Loren Asia Program Publications, Cornell Univeristy, Kurasawa, “Propaganda Media on Java under Japan’s surrender, all of these groups were Ryter, “Pemuda Pancasila: The Last Loyalist 2003) 142. the Japanese 1942-1945,” Indonesia 44 disbanded and the equipped units of Heiho Free Men of Suharto’s Order,” Indonesia 66 (October 1987): 59-116. and PETA were disarmed. The disbandment (October 1998): 45-73. 18. George Kahin, Benedict Anderson and and disarmament of Indonesians trained in other scholars of the Indonesian Revolution 23. For examples, see Asia Raya, 5 July 1945; military, police, and general security tactics 12. See George McTurnan Kahin, Nationalism generally characterize the British involvement Soeara Asia, 5 July 1945; Tjahaja, 6 July 1945; severely limited the ability of the republican and Revolution in Indonesia (Ithaca, NY: in the early months of the period as firmly and Penjoeloeh, 9 August 1945. government to assert its authority in the early Cornell University Press, 1952).; Benedict R. committed to the re-establishment of Dutch Revolution period, especially as many of the O’G. Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution: colonialism in Indonesia. The more recent 24. Of the leftist underground pemuda, former members joined irregular pemuda Occupation and Resistance, 1944-1946 research of British historian Richard McMillan Anderson writes, “They were not maquis, or (youth) groups and movements that acted (1972; Jakarta: Equinox Publishing, 2006).; offers a necessary correction to this body undergrounds in the sense of groups engaged autonomously of the government. The Audrey Kahin, ed. Regional Dynamics of the of scholarship as well as the histories of the in sabotage, spying, or subversion. In most best account of the effects of the Japanese Indonesian Revolution: Unity from Diversity period promoted in Britain and the Netherlands cases their activities amounted to little more proliferation of Indonesian nationalism with (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1985).; to show that the British involvement through than exchanging political gossip, discussing militarism, as well as the effects of the Anthony Reid, The Indonesian National SEAC was far more chaotic and never had Indonesia’s future, speculating on Allied disbandment and disarmament of the youth Revolution, 1945-1950 (Melbourne: Longman, a clear objective. See McMillan, The British intentions, and criticizing Japanese policy organizations remains Benedict R. O’G. 1974).; and John RW Smail, Bandung in Occupation of Indonesia. within the privacy of closed groups of friends.” Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution: the Early Revolution: A Study in the Social Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution, 39. Occupation and Resistance, 1944-1946 History of the Indonesian Revolution (Ithaca: 19. See Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution. (Jakarta: Equinox, 2006). Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University, 25. J.D. Legge, Intellectuals and Nationalism in 1964). 20. For a case study of the attacks on Chinese Indonesia: A Study of the Following Recruited 10. Pemuda is a term that means “youth”. populations and the pangreh pradja by by Sutan Sjahrir in Occupation Jakarta (Ithaca: 13. See Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution Javanese pemuda groups, see John R. W. Cornell Modern Indonesia Project, 1988). 40 An untitled essay 41

26. For the minutes of these meetings, see COMMENTS FROM PROFESSOR LAURIE becomes prime Minister, he too abandons Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia, SEARS the immediacy of the need for the social Risalah Sidang Badan Penyelidik Usaha- revolution. As you go further with your studies Usaha Kemerdekaan Indonesia (BPUPKI), This is an excellent and original reconstruction of the Battle of Ambarawa, I hope you might Panitia Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia of the events leading up to the Battle of be able to delineate these lines of division (PPKI), 28 Mei 1945 – 22 Augustus 1945, 4th Ambarawa Chris. I have learned so much I even more sharply. In this process, not only ed. (Jakarta: Sekretariat Negara Republik did not know about the Revolution from you. will you be complicating the long-lived Kahin/ Indonesia, 1998). Your use of Siegel’s idea of “misrecognition” Anderson/Smail paradigm but you will also be takes you further than existing scholarship on complicating Siegel’s idea of “misrecognition” 27. Sutan Sjahrir, Our Struggle, Benedict R. O’G. this period of the Revolution, and I think you by showing how the need for “recognition” was Anderson, trans. (Ithaca: Modern Indonesia could extend the argument. As I see it, it is also important to unravel this period of the Project, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell not only the fear of misrecognition of being a Revolution. University, 1968) 28. Revolutionary fighter or even just a farmer, as we now know from the work of Ann Stoler and 28. Legge, Intellectuals and Nationalism in Mary Steedly. Rather, this is the beginning of Indonesia. a long period when the Revolution is split, as you so elegantly explain, among three different 29. Anderson, Java in a Time of Revolution, 10. groups, thus complicating the Kahin/Anderson/ Smail explanation of only two sides to the 30. 10-15. divide. To me, the big question of this period of the Revolution that your paper clarifies is 31. McMillan 59. to show that the people had three choices for their loyalties, whether they articulated 32. These re-emerging and newly formed them or not. They could sympathize with the organizations will eventually belong to the tainted Sukarno-Hatta collaborationists, with Perjuangan movement the underground Sjahrir followers critical of Sukarno-Hatta, or, and this is the biggest 33. See John Smail for example. issue, with the pemuda who wanted to and did continue to carry out the social revolution. The 34. See Bung Tomo. What presence did Sukarno-Hatta group was ready to abandon Communists and Socialists have in the social revolution at this early moment for Ambarawa? Was this the impetus for recognition by the European powers. Sjahrir Persatuan Perjuangan in Januari? was not yet willing to do this, although once he becomes Prime Minister and the major 35. Sukarno’s visit to Ambarawa on November 1st representative of the Republic in Europe seems to have had little effect in this regard. bargaining with the Dutch, he too is willing to abandon the social revolution. It is only the pemuda and eventually the communists like Musso and Amir Sjarafuddin who even agree, despite their different timelines, on the need for a social revolution. And after Amir Christen J. Grorud Endowed Memorial Fund for Student Support

The University of Washington and the Southeast Asia Center in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies wish to thank Chris’s family, Mark and Caryl Grorud and Marit Sullivan, in addition to numerous other family and friends, for establishing the Christen J. Grorud Graduate Student Support Fund in Chris’s memory.

Many friends and family have come together to ensure Chris’s legacy continues. His commitment to his work, to higher education, and to helping others will live on through the Christen Grorud scholars who will benefit from his named endowed fund. This is the initiation of a perpetual fund designed to promote and sustain a deeper understanding of Indonesia and Southeast Asia, an expression of Chris’s passion.

The Christen J. Grorud Endowed Fund for Graduate Stu- dent Support will provide financial support for graduate students in Southeast Asia Studies. This endowed fund will ensure stable funding because the generated re- turns from the fund will support graduate students with research interests in Southeast Asia, honoring Chris’s own academic pursuits. This means that the principal gift is never touched, but continues to grow over time and generate a steady, reliable source of income in perpetuity. The Southeast Asia Center is grateful for the generous supporters whose thoughtful contributions will create a strong legacy of honoring Chris. Their gifts will provide the funding for other graduate students to also pursue meaningful and transformative research and projects in Southeast Asia.

If you wish to participate and make a gift to Chris’s fund, please contact:

Cristina Bailet Director for Planned Giving [email protected] 206-616-7702