Kartini’s writings, addressed to her Dutch friends, revealed a sharp, analytical mind that questioned the cultural traditions that confined women to silence, obedience, and domesticity. In one of her letters, Kartini wrote:
“A Javanese girl is a gem, silent, unmoving like a wooden puppet; she only speaks when absolutely necessary and even then in whispers; she walks slowly like a snail; she laughs quietly without sound, without opening her lips. It is disgraceful if her teeth are seen like a civet’s.”
This quote highlights the oppressive gender roles imposed on Javanese women—viewed as objects of control and silence. Kartini recognized this and sought to challenge tradition, knowing that true freedom for women would require dismantling not only outdated customs but also the mentalities that upheld them. Her collection of letters, Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang (“Out of Darkness Comes Light”), became a powerful literary weapon against patriarchy and feudalism. Kartini’s “light” referred to a utopian vision—a society where women were free from the shackles of tradition. But she also realized this dream could not be achieved alone. As she wrote in despair:
“I am desperate. In sorrow, I wring my hands together. As a human, I feel I cannot alone fight this giant evil…”
—(Letter to N. Van Kol, August 19, 1901)
Kartini understood that emancipation was not an individual act, but a collective struggle. In that, she shared a vision with other global women’s rights advocates who came after her.
Today, we see that Kartini’s legacy lives on—not just in Indonesia, but echoed across continents. Malala Yousafzai, Angela Merkel, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are all women who, in their own contexts, have fought for justice, education, and representation—continuing what Kartini began.
- Malala fought for girls’ education in Pakistan, surviving a Taliban assassination attempt and becoming the youngest Nobel laureate.
- Merkel, Germany’s first female chancellor, led with pragmatism and broke the glass ceiling in European politics.
- Ginsburg, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, reshaped the legal landscape to promote gender equality.
- Sirleaf, the first female president of Liberia, led her country through post-war recovery and championed women’s rights.
Yet, despite all these achievements, the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report reminds us that inequality persists. Women remain underrepresented in politics, vulnerable to violence, and face barriers in economic participation and leadership.
Kartini’s relevance lies in her timeless insistence on the power of thought—on cultivating “alam pikir” (intellectual and emotional awareness). She believed education was the root of liberation, and that every woman must believe in her own potential. She also taught us to be critical, even of symbols—like the kebaya. The kebaya, often associated with Kartini Day, must not be worn unthinkingly. We must understand that Kartini was not about fashion or domestic ideals—but about challenging systems.
As feminist author Ester Lianawati put it in her book Ada Serigala Betina dalam Diri Setiap Perempuan (“There’s a She-Wolf in Every Woman”), Kartini, even in confinement, did not remain passive. She had a clear purpose, proving that even without demonstrations or political power, ideas can revolt.
Kartini’s life, then, is not merely a story of a woman in kebaya. It is a story of resistance, of awakening, of collective memory. She called not just for education, but for dignity—for women to stand, unite, and rise above cultural domination.
As Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi once said:
“Unity is power; without unity, women cannot fight for their rights anywhere.”
Let us honor Kartini not with ceremonies or cooking competitions, but by weaving her revolutionary thoughts into every corner of our nation—and the world. Because emancipation is not yet complete. And Kartini’s fight, our fight, is far from over.
