INDONESIA: Kartini Day
Kartini day is a day in Indonesia when people commemorate the woman emancipation. On Kartini Day, the Indonesian women celebrate the day by holding some special events for women such as cooking contests, seminars, discussions, etc. On this day, women go to their office or school in their traditional costumes.
The name Kartini is taken from the first name of an Indonesian heroine who struggled for the equality between men and women in Indonesia. Kartini day is celebrated on 21 April. It is the day when Kartini was born as a daughter of a noble family in Jepara, Central Java.
When Kartini was a teenager, on behalf of the tradition, she was not permitted to leave her house. Consequently, she was forced to leave her school and learned to do some domestic chores. Kartini had to prepare herself to be a good wife and mother until a man came to marry her. She totally lost her freedom as a young woman.
During this period, Kartini tried to express her feeling to her friends through the letters that she wrote in her room. All her letters expressed her ideas about the equality between men and women in Indonesia.
Nowadays, Indonesian women have their equal rights in education, law, job opportunity, etc. Kartini has succeeded to create the equality between men and women in Indonesia. Kartini’s letters are compiled as book which is known as “Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang” which means “After being dark, the light will shine”
by Gary Evano – Student of Madania School
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