After darkness comes light: Kartini Day Celebration

Words once spoken by Raden Ajeng Kartini that still continue to echo through generations of Indonesian women.

Born in Jepara, Central Java, on April 21, 1879, R.A. Kartini is known as a pioneer of equality between women and men in Indonesia. Kartini felt there was a lot of discrimination between men and women during her time, with some women being denied education at all. She believed that women deserved the same rights as men, without the restrictions of the past societal expectations.

On the 20th of April, our school, Sampoerna Academy L’Avenue held various activities involving the active participation of students in celebrating her day! These activities not only aimed to honor the services of Raden Ajeng Kartini, but also served as a form of implementing Kartini’s values and struggles within the school environment, such as the spirit of learning, courage, and equality in achieving success.

The commemoration was enlivened by various activities, one of which was wearing Indonesian traditional clothes through every grade, in particular Kebaya for girls. “I liked wearing the Kebaya at school…” said Daniza of class 2A. Through this, students of all ages were motivated to identify and safeguard the cultural heritage of the nation.

Performances from grade one to seven were conducted in the MPH at assembly time, as well as the illustration competition of traditional batik for primary pupils. The students who managed to sketch the most realistic batiks based on real designs, such as Mega Mendung, were able to be rewarded. ELC and primary students were also told to draw Kartini herself, improving creativity and excellence among young students. Moreover, they helped promote morals as well to sustain ethics based on eastern culture.

For secondary students, a live band was featured composed of 9C Students - Zaydan, Khanan, Sultan, and Adil bringing near musical fireworks to an otherwise fun day! Alongside this, there was a magician's show where students amused the audience, lightening up the event. Furthermore, a number of class competitions were held to remember historic moments in Indonesia and to honor the struggle for women’s emancipation.

Overall, the celebration brought students together in a fun and memorable way while still carrying an important message behind it. From the performances to the competitions, Kartini Day at school became a reminder that the spirit of perseverance, confidence, and cultural appreciation should still continue to live on among younger generations.