Gerwani and the Perfumed Ghost (Historia, preview)
Historia article by Martin Sitompul (preview only): after destroying Gerwani the New Order used the 'kuntilanak' image to restrict progressive women's movements; quotes Wieringa at a Kuntilanak Wangi discussion. Partial text.
Gerwani of Lampung: first congress, resolution against pornography
De Locomotief, 16 Nov 1954: a one-line item that Gerwani of Lampung, at its first congress at Tanjungkarang, decided to submit to the government a resolution requesting a ban and confiscation of pornographic reading matter and improper newspaper and film advertisements. Other items (Stork-Werkspoor orders, Tokyo, Phili
Maisuri, symbol of resistance to forced marriage (Harian Rakjat, 26 January 1955)
Harian Rakjat, 26 Jan 1955, p. 3: women's-page feature 'Maisuri, symbol of resistance to forced marriage', signed Ny. Suwarti (DPP Gerwani). Maisuri refused a marriage imposed by her family to an older man (Kyai Ahmad) who already had wives; the piece uses the case to argue against forced marriage and for a marriage la
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10): feature on a Muslim feminist campaign against polygamy, starting with the Pakistani PM Mohamed Ali's second marriage and spreading to Java. Says Fatmawati Sukarno was recruited and that Hartini was pregnant during the Bandung Conference. A snippet names Mme Suharti, president of the 'very
Mme Suharti, president of the Indonesian Women's Movement; Sukarno and polygamy (extract)
La Presse (17 May 1955, p.10), snippet extract of the polygamy feature: unrest in Indonesia over Sukarno's marriage to Hartini, in which Mme Suharti, president of the 'very communist-leaning' Indonesian Women's Movement (Gerwani), took advantage; Hartini's pregnancy surfaced as the Bandung Conference drew attention.
Gerwani chair: a political background to Fatmawati's divorce request?
Java-Bode, 5 January 1956, p. 2: Gerwani general chair Umi Sardjono tells the press Gerwani regrets that certain groups have systematically pressed Fatmawati Sukarno to seek divorce, serving colonial aims of splitting national unity and besmirching the president. She calls the divorce a private matter and says Gerwani
Java-Bode 5 Jan 1956, page: Gerwani chair on Fatmawati's divorce request (whole page)
Whole-page OCR of Java-Bode, 5 January 1956, p. 2. Gerwani-relevant is Umi Sardjono's statement on Fatmawati's divorce request, urging a democratic marriage law, plus press reports on Fatmawati, Hartini and women leaders' reactions to a president with two wives. Other articles (Colonel Lubis on security, Ceramese ex-KN
A political background to Fatmawati's divorce request?
Indische Courant voor Nederland, 14 Jan 1956, p. 1: Gerwani chair Umi Sardjono tells the press that groups are pressing Fatmawati Sukarno to seek divorce for political ends, calls it a private matter, upholds marriage without compulsion and demands a democratic marriage law. Also repeats press reports on Fatmawati, Har
1957 'Letter to an Unknown Friend' by Sudjinah (Gerwani) on Indonesian children's conditions, framed by colonial history, Japanese occupation and the Round Table agreement. Gives statistics (15-20% infant mortality, one doctor per 59,000, illiteracy 65%, 5 of 12 million children in school) and notes Gerwani, with the I
Yu Siyem, Gerwani activist, by Sulami (Harian Rakjat, 16 January 1957)
Harian Rakjat, 16 Jan 1957, p. 3: women's page ('Wanita') with a short story by Sulami (Gerwani) about 'Yu Siyem', a village market woman and Gerwani branch activist who recruits neighbours, tours distant villages and wins her husband's support, showing membership expansion and the Anak-Cabang structure. Also Soviet sc
Surabaya Post, 21 January 1957, p. 2: Sujoso's lecture on a visit to Moscow
Surabaya Post p. 2, 21 January 1957: Malang report on Masyumi MP A.W. Sujoso's lecture on the parliamentary mission to Moscow, mocking Soviet life and saying Indonesian women, 'surely also Gerwani', would reject Soviet views on free unions. Gerwani appears only as a foil in anti-communist rhetoric.
The report must be fair: on education in the Soviet Union, by Mrs Mudigdio (Harian Rakjat, 30 January 1957)
Harian Rakjat, 30 Jan 1957, p. 3: the page carries only the headline 'Laporan harus wajar - Tentang pendidikan di Sovyet Uni' by Ny. Mudigdio; the article body is not recoverable from the OCR. Page 4 advertises Soviet booklets on women's right to education. Page 1 covers Hatta and the Konsepsi Presiden debate. Mudigdio
Umi Sardjono article and Mudigdio speech in parliament; Gerwani defends menstrual leave (Harian Rakjat, 7 March 1957)
Harian Rakjat, 7 Mar 1957, p. 3: includes an article by Ny. Umi Sardjono for International Women's Day on women's struggle and rights (alongside a science piece), a DPR report with Ny. Mudigdio (PKI) speaking on 6 March, and Gerwani branch items. Notes 46 organisations including Gerwani opposing abolition of menstrual
Harian Rakjat, 8 March 1957: Setiati Surasto on menstrual leave
Harian Rakjat issue of 8 March 1957 (International Women's Day), noisy OCR. Page 3 carries Setiati Surasto's women's-day article defending menstrual leave (cuti haid) for women workers under Labour Law 1951/1948. Elsewhere: a Gerwani branch (Blitar) reported gaining members, a Gerwani public lecture is announced, and t
Harian Rakjat, 9 March 1957: Umi Sardjono at the Women's Day exhibition
Harian Rakjat issue of 9 March 1957, very noisy OCR. Page 1 reports the International Women's Day exhibition (handicrafts, cooking, costumes, foreign stalls) in Jakarta, where Umi Sardjono (Gerwani leader) is among women leaders present alongside Fatmawati; the committee of ten women's organisations is chaired by Yahya
Gerwani Central Sumatra: statement against the PRRI rebels (Bintang Timur, 31 March 1958)
Bintang Timur, 31 March 1958, p. 1 (during the PRRI rebellion). Reports a statement by the Gerwani Sumatera Tengah leadership: women and people of Central Sumatra cannot be fooled again by the 'traitors' (PRRI, proclaimed 14 February 1958), stand firmly behind the central government, the army chief and President Sukarn
Gerwani DPP protests to the US and Taiwan governments (Bintang Timur, 6 May 1958)
Bintang Timur, 6 May 1958, p. 1 (after APRI's recapture of West Sumatran towns). Reports the Gerwani DPP's protest to the US and Taiwan governments over their intervention supporting Permesta/PRRI, demanding they stop interference, respect Indonesia's sovereignty and Asia-Africa, and appealing to American women to pres
Api Kartini No. 1, Year 1, June 1959
Inaugural issue of Api Kartini (June 1959), published by Jajasan Melati with Maasje Siwi as editor in chief. Built around Hari Kartini: Kartini's writings and socialist reading, profiles, and contributions from S.K. Trimurti, Rukiah Kertapati and Sulami.
Api Kartini No. 2, Year 1, 1959
Second issue of Api Kartini (Jajasan Melati, 1959). Covers the Vienna World Youth Festival delegation, West Irian, World Children's Day, Pramoedya's call to publish Kartini's works, an interview with athlete Karnah, and health and household columns.
Api Kartini No. 4, Year 1, 1959
Fourth issue of Api Kartini (1959). Editorial praises Sukarno's Political Manifesto; features a report on peasant women's economic conditions (land tenure, usury, wage discrimination), ethnography, recipes and household advice; contributors include S.K. Trimurti and Sudjinah.
Fifty Years of International Women's Day Celebrated Lavishly in Jakarta (March 1960)
Api Kartini report on the lavish Jakarta commemoration of 50 years of International Women's Day (6-8 March 1960): exhibition at Gedung Pertemuan Umum, a two-day seminar, and an 8 March reception attended by 1,500. Umi Sardjono spoke on the history of the women's movement; Setiati Surasto presented on food and clothing;
Suara Tani, January 1959 (10th anniversary issue): Gerwani greeting and cooperation with BTI
Suara Tani (BTI organ), special 10th-anniversary issue, January 1959, OCR noisy. Contains greetings from ministers, army chief Nasution and Gerwani; BTI New Year message; agrarian seminar results; BTI membership table (3.39 million); exposés of landlord exploitation in Java. On p. 5 Gerwani's national leadership (claim
Hula hoops 'improper' (Evening Post, 3 April 1959)
Evening Post (Wellington), 3 April 1959, UPI report 'Hula Hoops Improper': the Indonesian Women's Movement (probably Gerwani, though not named) urged the government to ban hula hoops as inconsistent with Eastern ethics and harmful to mental health, as Surabaya military authorities warned hooping children about decency.
Hula hoops 'improper' (Evening Post, 3 April 1959), headline clipping
Headline-only clipping ('Hula Hoops Improper') of the Evening Post article of 3 April 1959 on the Indonesian Women's Movement's call for a hula hoop ban; no further text.
Hula hoops 'improper' (Evening Post, 3 April 1959), article clipping
Article-body clipping from the Evening Post, 3 April 1959: the Indonesian Women's Movement urged Indonesia's government to ban hula hoops as contrary to Eastern ethics and harmful to mental health, as reported by UPI from Jakarta, alongside a Surabaya military warning on decency.
Moroccan PM on foreign bases; Indonesian opinion attacks US over sailors' dance party (Renmin Ribao, 9 November 1959)
Renmin Ribao, 9 Nov 1959, p. 6: multi-item foreign-news column. The Indonesia item says the Gerwani Central Committee condemned an invitation from Jakarta's American Women's Association to Indonesian women students for a dance with US Seventh Fleet sailors as leading to moral corruption and sullying national dignity; t
Moroccan PM on foreign bases; Indonesian opinion attacks US over sailors' dance party (Renmin Ribao, 9 November 1959)
Renmin Ribao, 9 Nov 1959, p. 6: multi-item foreign-news column. The Indonesia item says the Gerwani Central Committee condemned an invitation from Jakarta's American Women's Association to Indonesian women students for a dance with US Seventh Fleet sailors as leading to moral corruption and sullying national dignity; t
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1959-60): Api Kartini magazine (Maasje Siwi), Umi Sardjono in the DPR-GR
US Monthly Indonesian Press Survey (1959-60) extracts. A review of the new monthly Api Kartini, published by Yayasan Melati and headed by Maasje Siwi, lists its editors (S. Asijah, Darmini, Parjani Pradono, S.K. Trimurti, Rukiah Kertapati and others). Parliamentary notes list Umi Sardjono (functional group for women) a
Api Kartini No. 1, Year 2, January 1960
First issue of Api Kartini's second year (Jan 1960). Editorial on price rises after the currency sanering and ministers refusing housewives' delegations; a profile of WIDF leaders (Carmen Zanti, Eugenie Cotton) ahead of the WIDF Bureau meeting in Indonesia.
Api Kartini No. 3, Year 2, March 1960
March 1960 issue devoted to the 50th anniversary of International Women's Day and the Copenhagen International Women's Congress (21–24 April 1960); interviews with delegation figures Arudji Kartawinata, Ratu Aminah Hidajat and Hurustiati Subandrio.