The flag-hoisting ceremony is the highlight of Independence Day commemoration where school students, office security guards and a tightly selected flag carrier team at the Presidential Palace take part in it every Aug. 17.

On that historic day 64 years ago, founding President Sukarno declared the independence of the Republic of Indonesia. While the country’s anthem “Indonesia Raya” was sung, my grandfather Abdul Latief Hendraningrat hoisted the first Red and White flag on a bamboo flagpole at Jl. Pegangsaan Timur 56 in Jakarta.

Ever since that day, the ceremony has become a family thing, when all relatives and descendants of Abdul Latief Hendraningrat got together to sing the national anthem, read poetry, discuss history and give charity to impoverished people, as a remembrance of my grandfather’s part in the struggle to Independence.

Latief was born in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, on Feb. 15, 1911. He was the eldest of four. The position of his father, Raden Mas Said Hendraningrat – a mayor in Batavia (now Jakarta), gave him the privilege to enter Dutch’s Europese Lagere School.        

The family later moved to Surabaya where Latief finished his study at MULO, a Dutch school similar with junior high school today and continued his studies at high school AMS-B in Malang, East Java. It was in this small town Latief turned into activist of independence movement by joining Jong Java and Indonesia Muda organizations.

Graduated in 1933, Latief moved to Jakarta to study at Batavia Rechtshogeschool (Law Faculty). But he just studied there for a year because the family could not afford the high education costs.

Although he dropped out of law school, he continued teaching English at the national schools of Muhammadiyah, Sekolah Perguruan Rakyat and Taman Siswa institution. Many of the independence movement activists taught in the latter institution, including Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta.

In 1939, he was chosen to lead a dancing troupe to New York World’s Fair as representative from East Indies to perform traditional cultures.

When he took the assignment to hoist the flag on the day Indonesia proclaimed itself as an independent country, Latief realized that he could be a target of abduction from the reigning Japanese colony to foil the planned ceremony.

“And for this we are ready to give all our heart and soul … to gain independent Indonesia!” wrote Latief in his notes.

When Pembela Tanah Air (PETA) was established – the embryo of the Indonesian Military – Latief was assigned as the company commandant for Jakarta. He later joined the Civilian Security Army (TKR) and developed Military Academy in Yogyakarta.

He died on March 14, 1983, survived by his wife Sophia and four children: Tuning Sukobagyo, Tjitrawati Abdul Muis, Citroseno Hendraningrat and Siti Nurhayati. The big family now consists of 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

As a tribute to him, my father Nidjo Sandjojo who married Latief’s youngest daughter Siti Nurhayati, wrote a biography of Latief Hendraningrat. The book is based on my grandfather’s notes, his interviews with Susanto Pudjomartono (former chief editor of The Jakarta Post and Indonesian ambassador to Russia), as well as Citroseno Hendraningrat’s memoirs of his father.

My family holds the proud legacy of Latief Hendraningrat who shared with us his life motto; Sepi ing pamrih, rame ing gawe, he took from a Javanese saying which means willing to work hard, but not for oneself benefit.

Prita Nur Aini
Student of University
of Indonesia

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