Kartini day meaning

The Meaning of Kartini Day: Kartini's Struggle to Free Indonesian Women

Meaning of Kartini Day – In April the Indonesian people celebrate Kartini Day which falls on the 21st every year. There are many ways to celebrate this day, usually Indonesian people wear kebaya or traditional clothes as a form of appreciation.

Kartini is an Indonesian national hero who fights for women's freedom in work and expression. She became an important figure in the emancipation of women in Indonesia because of her critical thinking which has inspired many parties to participate in fighting for women's rights.

Kartini has a clear and visionary goal. She wants Indonesian women to gain freedom and authority over themselves, apart from cultural confinement so that they can receive education and express themselves freely.

Understanding Kartini's day means giving appreciation, celebrating, and ensuring that Indonesian women can work freely and get full rights. Free from gender injustice so that they are able to be independent,

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The History of the Struggle and the Meaning of Kartini Day

Kartini day meaning

Raden Adjeng Kartini was born on April 21, 1879 in Jepara. He is the son of the Regent of Jepara, Raden Mas Adipati Ario Sosroningrat. Kartini came from the aristocratic group in Java and that gave her the opportunity to attend the Europeesche Lagere School (ELS). The school only accepts students of European descent, Eastern countries, and Indonesian aristocrats.

During school, Kartini met many students from Europe. After hanging out and seeing how Dutch women think, Kartini realized that Indonesian women did not have the same freedom of expression and thought. From then on, he had the determination to change that.

Kartini finished school when she was 12 years old. Even so, he still often writes letters to his friend, Rosa Abendanon from the Netherlands. In her letter, Kartini expressed her thoughts about the social situation in Indonesia in general and about the rights of Indonesian women which cannot be fulfilled because of cultural and system barriers.

Even though she has finished school, Kartini is still diligent in reading and writing. He likes to read Semarang newspapers De Locomotief, Dutch women's magazine De Hollandsche Lelie. Kartini also occasionally sends her writings to magazines De Hollandsche Lelie.  

Not long after that, Kartini married KRM Adipati Ario Singgih Djojo Adiningrat. Her husband supports Kartini's career and social movements in fighting for women's rights. After that, Kartini built a girls' school to the east of the gate of the Rembang Regency complex.

Unfortunately, Kartini died at a young age. He died at the age of 25 and was buried in Rembang. The critical thinking in his letters and the school he founded became a valuable legacy that was guarded and preserved. After that, Kartini Foundation established women's schools in Semarang, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Malang, Madiun, Cirebon, and other areas. These schools are called "Kartini Schools"

The letters that Kartini sent to Rosa Abendon were collected and made into a book by Jacques Abendanon. The book is entitled Door Duisternis tot Licht which means "From Darkness to Light." The book was later translated by Armijn Pane with the title After rain comes sunshine and was printed in 1922 and 1938.

Kartini's intelligence, critical thinking, and struggle at that time have resulted in the emancipation of Indonesian women to this day.

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Kartini's struggle to free women from cultural confinement has inspired us all so that women can work and express freely. We can meet the female figure that Kartini dreams of today in various aspects, from women with professional careers to housewives.

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