The month of August marked a very important month for many countries in Asia, it was the month when the Japanese admits defeat and pulls its troops away from the countries it has infiltered. August 15th is Korea's Independance day and Indonesia's is on August 17th. For Singapore, even though their indepence day was on August 8th 1965, they have also experienced the cruelties of the Japanese soldiers and it will be a history that they will never forget. There are also many other countries that got their independence day on the month of August but I relate more to the independance day of these countries as not only I'm Indonesia, I also lived in Singapore before and currently South Korea is still in dispute with Japan about them not giving any apologies on the issue of comfort woman.
When I was a child, stories about World War II seemed something that happenned so far away. As I grew older, I begin to understand the importances of the events that occured, the bravery of our heroes, ancestors and how this war still affected us in this modern day. It is not just a horror story for me, but something to be remembered and respected.
Indonesia itself was under the Dutch colonization for over 300 years and even though it wasn't a time of Joy, the cruelty of the dutch are no match for that of teh Japanese. I have never met my grandfathers as they died before I was born and one of them did not live over 50. He was taken by the Japanese to work for them and his knees has never been the same ever since. While my grandmother told me that the girls in her village will cover themselves with soot and place red dyes on their skirts s they won't be taken. Still, some girls managed to get taken and was never heard again. Meanwhile on my father's side of the family, they managed to pay their way to be safer.
Other than the Japanese, Indonesia still need to fight for the recognition of its Independence from the Dutch, and that led to further wars till the 1948.
Aside from that history, lets move on to a more positive note. What are they? They are movies!! Every country has their Independance movie. Here are a few I would like to recommend, based on real life stories and heroes :
- Merah Putih ( Red White ) 2009
Even though Indonesia declared its Independance on 17th August 1945, it was still not recognized by the Netherlands thus this is a story that tells of a group of young cadets who bond together despite their differences in religion, ethnicity, class and culture, to become guerrilla fighters for Indonesia's independence. The film was inspired by the real-life experiences of the brave cadets massacred in Lengkong, and all the men and women who fought for a free and united Indonesia between 1945 and 1948.
(credit)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merah_Putih_(2009_film)]
- SOEGIJA 20125
This film tells the story of the apostolic Vicar Albertus Soegijapranata during the period of 1940-1949, the movie is told in a diary like flow where we get to see how he and the people around him lives during those time and how he tries his best to help relieve the sufferings of the people in the midst of chaos. He was awarded as a National Hero by our first president, Soekarno. The movie also tells the story of the Indonesian nurse Mariyem, Dutch soldier Robert, Dutch war photographer Hendrick and Japanese colonel Nobuzuki, in their own struggle during one of the heaviest periods of Indonesian history.
- Kartini ( 2017 )
The body can be caged, The soul and mind must fly as free as possible- R.A Kartini
Kartini is the first Indonesian woman to fight for woman's right. Born from a noble family, she has the access to education and many other thigs. She knows that as a woman, she was not allowed to choose who to marry and she was expected to stay home and sew. When she saw how the commoners does not have access to education and how there are certain places that only the nobilities and dutches are allowed to go to she was saddenned. She wanted a world where everyone are allowed education and where woman gets to choose their profession and not be tied.
- Habibie Ainun (2012 )
This is a story about finding one's soul mate. A story about finding one's first love and last love. A story about Indonesia's third president and his wife. A story about Habibie and Ainun. Rudy Habibie is a genius in air planes and he had big dreams. He devoted his life to Indonesia by building an airplane in uniting Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Ainun is a young and clever doctor who had a wonderful career ahead of her. In the year 1962, two friends from the same high school before, met again in Bandung. Habibie fell in love immediately with Ainun whom according to him was as sweet as sugar. But Ainun not only fell in love, she had faith and confidence in his vision and dream. They married and moved to Germany. Having a dream with the intention of it becoming a reality is never easy. They both knew that. Their love grew stronger in the journey of realizing their dreams. The cold climate of Germany, the sacrifices, the pain, the loneliness and the temptation of wealth and power when they returned to Indonesia entwined their lives as one. To Habibie, Ainun is everything. She is the apple of his eye. To Ainun, Habibie means everything. He is the love of her life. However, all stories have endings, every dream has its limitations. And at one point, the soul mates realize; will their love continue to be eternal?
(credit)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habibie_%26_Ainun]
Habibie is our third president, he had to step up as president when Soeharto was forced to step down after the 1998 riot. Not only is he a wise man, he was also the kind of man that every woman would like to have as a husband. When his wife died in 2010 due to cancer, he fell into depression. He decided to write a book about them to cure his depression and a monument was made for both of them in Pare Pare City. Not only does he contribute a lot to Indonesia, he also contributed many things for German and thus awarded with "Das Grosse Verdenstkreuz Mit Stern und Schulterband" and "Das Grosse Verdienstkreuz" He also has a special Germany citizenship.
I hope this post is entertaining for you albeit it being long. How about the story of yur country?