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Govt to revise nation’s history, Culture Minister Fadli says
Indonesia will draft an updated version or add revisions to the country's history books in preparation for the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence
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Service personnel take part in the flag-raising ceremony marking the 79th Independence Day at the presidential palace in Nusantara, North Penajam Paser regency, East Kalimantan, on Aug. 17, 2024. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
T
he government will revise Indonesia’s history based on the latest findings, including those from prehistoric and colonial eras, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said following a meeting with the Indonesian Historian Association (MSI) on Saturday.
“Indonesia’s historical records will be updated based on research by historians. We will soon draft an updated version or add revisions to our history books in preparation for the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence,” Fadli said, as quoted by tempo.co.
According to Fadli, recent studies indicate that the history of civilization in the Indonesian archipelago is older than previous findings. For example, new research suggests that the Leang-leang caves in Maros, South Sulawesi, date back 40,000 to 52,000 years, significantly older than the previous estimate of 5,000 years.
“Findings like this must be included [in the history records]. If there’s nothing new, we’ll continue with what we already have,” Fadli added.
MSI chairman Agus Mulyana, from the Indonesia University of Education in Bandung, West Java, said that recent studies boost people's confidence in the nation’s historical legacy, showing it to be as ancient as other great civilizations.
“Sometimes, we lack confidence in our historical legacy. However, research shows that our prehistoric era predates many civilizations we know, such as those in Egypt or Europe,” Agus said.
He went on to say that colonial history will also be revised, particularly the claim of 350 years of Dutch colonization. He noted that Dutch colonization occurred in stages, with regions like Aceh only under Dutch control in the early 1900s.
The Dutch takeover of Aceh was marked by the dissolution of the Aceh Sultanate, about 30 years after Dutch forces launched an attack in 1873. However, resistance by the Aceh people continued until 1914.
“Such findings, I believe, require reinterpretation that we were not a defeated nation,” Agus said.
Agus added that the revisions will update the periodization in the existing historiography that ended in the Reform Era, to beyond.
“The periodization of history will continue to the present, including the Prabowo Subianto era. God willing, we are ready to contribute because, for the MSI, this is a crucial moment in historical writing,” he said.
Currently, there are two major historical works on Indonesia.
The first is the six-volume Sejarah Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian National History), edited by University of Indonesia professor Nugroho Notosusanto and published by Balai Pustaka in 1975. This work covers Indonesian history from the prehistoric period to Independence.
The second is the nine-volume Indonesia dalam Arus Sejarah (Indonesia in the Historical Current), which traces Indonesia's history up to the Reform Era, and was published in 2011. (jan)
