Sep 14, 2022
Rasuna Said's 112th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the 112th birthday of Rasuna Said, remembered as the Lioness of the Indonesian Independence Movement. She was an influential voice on social issues, especially women’s rights, a teacher and a journalist. She was recognized as an Indonesian national hero, the ninth woman to receive the honor.
Rasuna was born near Lake Maninjau in West Sumatra on this day in 1910. From an early age, she was outspoken about the issues of the day. Her tenacity and intelligence as a student quickly paved her way to become an assistant teacher, who motivated young girls to dream big.
In 1926, Rasuna was invited to join the Sarikat Rakyat, or People’s Movement followed by Islamic Movement in 1930 which led her to organize the Persatuan Muslim Indonesia (PERMI) which was critical of Dutch colonialism and its unfair treatment of women.
In 1931, Rasuna moved to Padang to launch a women’s division in PERMI. It focused on opening literary schools for girls all throughout West Sumatra. In 1932, Rasuna was arrested for speaking out against Dutch rule. Thousands attended her trial in Payakumbuh in 1932. Her defense speech was inspiring and given without hesitation.
At 24, after her release from prison in 1934, Rasuna began her journalistic career and wrote for a college journal called Raya. Over the next few years, she opened up more schools for girls and spoke on behalf of countless Muslim women’s groups.
In 1945, after working tirelessly to instill nationalism and anti-colonialism through her writing, Indonesia gained its independence. In 1974, Rasuna was declared a National Hero of Indonesia for her services.
Happy birthday, Rasuna Said!
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