Ki Hadjar Dewantara, Berpolitik dengan Akal Budi dan Hati Nurani

Abstract

The grand narrative of Indonesian historiography and national collective memory on Ki Hadjar Dewantara has been limited to historical facts related to education and culture within Taman Siswa, as something separate from his national awareness and political activities. In fact, there are a lot of evidences that can be interpreted that Ki Hadjar Dewantara functioned Taman Siswa not only as teaching and educational institution, but also as a representation of independent identity of the Indonesian nationalism consciousness. As a whole way of thinking, behaving, and acting, all of Ki Hadjar Dewantara’s activities in the fields of education and culture are manifestation of political identity to distinguish himself from Dutch colonialism, which cannot be separated from the great context of changes in colonial society, the world, and humanity.