Indonesian Mother’s Day - 22nd December

This article is an amateur observation to Indonesian Mother’s Day, by observing key values and historical background of the main-stream Mother’s Day and Indonesian Mother’s Day. This article is dedicated to commemorate ideas and principles of Indonesian Women Heroes, who has inspired many women movements and have been catalyze to Indonesia’s independence.

Sometime, we make more phone calls to our friends rather than just saying hello to our Mommy. Sometime, as adult, we often say “I love you” to our love one, while we seldom say any loving words to our Mommy. And sometime, we enjoy much social interactions with other people than having light meals together with our Mommy. Bottom line is, we spend less time with our Mommy these days, and Mother’s Day is the answer for us.

What is Mother’s Day?

Mother’s Day is a special day for everyone! During Mother’s Day, we honor and gratify our Mommy, where they are being pampered, being released from her daily chores and often receive gifts from her family members. Others see the day has more complex concepts and purposes for women.

Different countries celebrate Mother’s Day on various days of the year, because the day has a number of different origins. In several countries in Europe and Asia Minor, people celebrate Mother’s Day in March annually. The day celebration in these countries are believed to have originated from ancient Greece or Roman custom (a festival to a great mother of Greek Goddess, Rhea or Roman Goddess, Cybele), as well as from old Christian practice of honoring Mary the mother of Jesus (some say for honoring Mary Magdalene) as the traditional concept of ‘Mother Church‘. In the United States (and many other countries like Australia, Canada, German, Italy, Dutch, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia) people celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May annually to honor social activist Julia Ward Howe who united women against civil war and called for peace and disarmament. In many African countries, the Mother’s Day concept has its origins from British colonials, although there are many festivals and events celebrating mothers within the many diverse cultures on the African continent that have been there centuries before the colonials arrived.

Interestingly, in Indonesia we have our own original Mother’s Day celebration, which has independent concept from main-stream Europe or US Mother’s Day customs. We mention the day as “Hari Ibu” in Bahasa Indonesia, celebrated annually on every 22^nd December as Indonesian National Day.

The history of “Hari Ibu” was originated from The First All-Indonesia Women’s Congress (Kongres Perempuan Indonesia I) on 22-25 December 1928 in Jogjakarta, which was inspired and influenced by works of 19th century Indonesian Women Heroes like Martha Christina Tiahahu, Cut Nyak Dien, Cut Nyak Meutia, Raden Ayu Kartini, Maria Walanda Maramis, Dewi Sartika, Nyai Ahmad Dahlan, HR Rasuna Said and many others. The meeting was considered as one of important historical moment in Indonesian fight for independence from Dutch colonials, where representatives leader from 30 women’s movements across the nation were gathered to discuss about women active participation in politics and national independence movement, women’s rights and justice, welfares, educations, health programs, women’s protections and many other social issues.

The meeting intention was to raise women’s social position and to free women from oppression during colonial era in Indonesia. Localized women’s organizations (like Organisasi Wanita Utomo, Wanita Taman Siswa, Poetri Indonesia, Aisyiyah, Jong Islamieten Bond bagian Wanita, Wanita Katholik, dan Jong Java bagian Perempuan and others) came to an agreement to unify spirits, aspirations and efforts into a nation-wide democratic women’s movement, while taking out religion, ethnic group and social differences. This movement was not simply about gender inequality movement, but it was about women’s role and active involvement in nation building, national independence movement and national development. Then, Kowani or Kongres Wanita Indonesia (National Women’s Congress) was established as democratic organization umbrella for women movement in Indonesia.

By The Third All-Indonesia Women’s Congress (Kongres Perempuan Indonesia III) on 1938, the 22nd December was declared as “Hari Ibu”. By President Decree number 316 year 1959, President Soekarno stated 22^nd December or “Hari Ibu” as Indonesian National Day to commemorate the raise of first nation-wide women’s movement in Indonesia.

Why Indonesian “Hari Ibu” is unique, and is not dependent to the main-stream concepts of Europe or US Mother’s Day customs?

Mother’s Days in Europe, US and many other countries are celebrated by releasing Mommies from their daily chores like (cooking, taking care of children etc), sending cards, or giving flowers and presents with “motherly theme”. These activities emphasis the importance of “mommy’s domain” in daily life. It shows “mommy’s domain” as different existence from “daddy’s domain”, where the “mommy’s domain” is respected as special domain during Mother’s Day (and so as “daddy’s domain during Father’s Day).

In Indonesia, the main substance of “Hari Ibu” is not about reflection of women’s role in “mommy’s domain”. It is about freedom and democracy! It is about women’s active role in “family domain” in smaller scale, and in building the nation in larger measure. Indonesian celebrate the “Hari Ibu” not only by freeing Mommies from daily tasks or sending gifts, but also by recognizing their function as valuable family / community member and conveying thanks for their works and efforts to our life. During “Hari Ibu”, Indonesian also celebrate the day by assembling seminars and meetings on women’s empowerment and many other issues on women’s development.

That makes Indonesian “Hari Ibu” unique and in the leading position of the main-stream Mother’s Day.

Hail, to all Mommies in Indonesia and all around the world! Thank you for creating wonders to our life.

(Inspired by an essay in Kompas: “Hari Ibu Tidak Sama dengan “Mother’s Day”: Mengembalikan Akar Sejarah Hari Ibu“, by Yeni Rosa Damayanti dan Hary Prabowo)