Just Call Me Kartini
A new Indonesian musical.
Who is Raden Ajeng Kartini?
Raden Adjeng Kartini (1879-1904) was a spirited, unwavering young lady born in Java’s early era of misogyny. The term ‘Raden Adjeng’ is not part of Kartini’s name, but rather an honorific given to women of noble descent. Her father was Regent of Jepara while her mother was a commoner. When society silenced her, she used a pen and paper to free herself. She wrote to Dutch pen pals and mentors, all in an effort to secure education for Javanese girls.
As Raden Ajeng, Kartini had to go through ‘pingitan.’ ‘Pingitan’ is a tradition for Javanese girls where they enter seclusion when they start menstruating. Menstruation was a symbol of entering womanhood, which meant that it was time to find a husband. The Javanese girl is released from pingitan once a man proposes to her. Raden Ajeng is a honorific for a female aristocrat, which changes into Raden Ayu once she is married.
In her seclusion, Kartini shared a profound bond with her sisters, Rukmini and Kardinah. Together, they sought knowledge and pursued higher education, publishing their work under the collective pseudonym Het Klaverblad—the "Three Leaf Clover.” We follow Kartini along the path of life strewn with roses and thorns. Kartini was introduced to European books by her brother Kartono who studied in Holland. She spent the rest of her time in isolation nurturing her mind, compiling her thoughts and opinions.
Bahasa Indonesia
“Saya dinamakan ‘kuda kore,’ kuda liar, karena saya jarang berjalan, tetapi selalu meloncat-loncat dan berlari-lari; dan bagaimana saya dimaki-maki, karena saya terlalu sering tertawa terbahak-bahak, yang dikatakan ‘tidak pantas,’ oleh sebab memperlihatkan gigi saya.” (Soeroto, 1979)
English
"I was nicknamed 'kuda kore,' a wild horse, because I rarely walked but was always jumping and running around; and how often I was scolded for laughing out loud, which was deemed 'inappropriate,' as it showed my teeth.”
Play Synopsis
Just Call Me Kartini is a drama history musical set in 1888 on the island of Java during the Dutch East Indies period. The story chronicles the life journey of Javanese aristocrat, Raden Ajeng Kartini. The musical is based on the compilation of letters that Kartini wrote to various people including Dutch pen pals and acquaintances. The letters were compiled by Henry Abendanon and published under the name Door duisternis tot licht.
She had a rebellious heart full of desires. Desires to be free from the shackles of tradition and the harsh reality— and her name was Kartini.