RA Kartini



Every April 21, people in Indonesia commemorate the Kartini day. It is
a beautiful day for the woman because we celebrate the birth of great
lady, RA. Kartini. Everyone knows who kartini is. She is our national
heroine and a great lady with the bright idea.


Kartini was born in 1879, April 21 in Mayong Jepara. Her father was
RMAA. Sosroningrat, Wedana (assistant of head of regency) in Mayong.
Her mother, MA Ngasirah was a girl from Teluk Awur village in Jepara.
As the daughter of a noble family, she felt luck because she got more
than the ordinary people got. She got better education than other
children. She did anything she wants although it was forbidden. She
passed her childhood with her brother and sister. Because she was very
energetic,her father called her "trinil".



Then her father was chosen as Bupati (the head of regency) in Jepara.
She and her family then moved from Mayong to Jepara. In the same year,
Kartini's second sister RA Kardinah was born. The environment in Jepara
gave her big chance to develop her idea. She could study at the Dutch
owned school where only children from noble family could study here.


Few years after finishing her study, RA. Kartini was willing to
continue her study in higher level. But the custom of that day forbid a
woman to go to school. A tradition of that time, a teenage girl should
be secluded and limited her activity. So was Kartini. She was secluded
inside the house and forbidden to go out until a man propose her. The
rule could restrict her body but not her mind. During her "pingitan"
time, she spent her time by reading book which she got from her
relatives.

Although she was not able to continue her study to higher level, she
was smart had a bright idea. She got the knowledge from the books she
read. To express her idea, she established a school for local people on
the backyard of Jepara city hall.



In November 12,1903, she married Adipati Djoyodiningrat, the head of
Rembang regency. According to Javanese tradition Kartini had to follow
her husband.Then she moved to Rembang.



In September 13, 1904 she gave a birth to her son. His name was
Singgih. But after giving birth to a son, her condition was getting
worse and she finally passed away on September 17, 1904 on her 25 years
old.

Now Kartini has gone. But her spirit and dream will always be in our
heart. Nowadays Indonesian women progress is influenced by Kartini's
spirit stated on collection of letter "Habis gelap terbitlah terang"
from the dusk to the dawn.