Momentous: A recent Sukarno exhibition in Gorontalo was intended to encourage citizens to learn from the nation's history.

Sukarno's speech reverberated throughout the room, his voice passionately condemning imperialists.

On a small monochrome screen, footage of the nation's first president was on a continuous loop, while the room's walls were adorned with rows of pictures of Sukarno.

Such momentous occasions were evoked in an exhibition of historical objects and relics initiated by Kelapa Batu, a youth group focusing on introducing local and national history to the general public.

It was the community's second display, this time held at the Museum of the Struggle of January 23, 1942 in Suwawa in Bone Bolango, Gorantalo. The site was once the residence of the province's late national hero Nani Wartabone.

Plenty: An exhibition about Sukarno in Gorontalo had more than 150 works on show.

Themed 'Learning with Sukarno', the program presented 150 items of Sukarno memorabilia, including historic photos, documents, magazines, postcards and recordings of the speeches of the man once called the Mouthpiece of the People.

Kelapa Batu held its first display at the Museum of Sukarno's Arrival in Iluta village in Gorontalo regency on Oct. 28, 2012.

Awaluddin, the initiator and organizer of the program, said that the community would like to acquaint the public with the national concepts formulated by Indonesia's founding fathers through the messages of Sukarno.

The exhibition was intended to encourage citizens to learn from the nation's history and to reflect on the present circumstances that the Indonesian people are now in.

The theme, chosen to avoid establishing a personality cult for Sukarno, was intended to bring the people closer to the charismatic leader, Awaluddin said. 'We therefore call on the public, especially the younger generation, to learn together with the national leader.'

Some of the objects on display came from the Museum of Struggle, while the rest were borrowed from the Gorontalo Regional Library and Archives, the National Archives and a private collector from Bali named Alit Widusaka.

One of the photos on show depicted the former president's visit to Gorontalo on Nov. 20, 1951. In it can be seen the crowds that welcomed Sukarno upon his arrival at the local beach. Another picture portrayed Sukarno making a speech at a movie theater in Gorontalo.

Informational: An exhibition of Sukarno-related historical objects and relics in Gorontalo was initiated by Kelapa Batu, a youth group focusing on introducing local and national history to the general public.

The Dutch occupation and the flying of the Red-and-White were among the moments shown in the pictures, as was the visit of Tjokorda Gde Raka Soekawati, the president of East Indonesia, a Dutch puppet state established after Independence, in 1948.

Depictions of tempo doeloe, or the old days, in Gorontalo were also an interesting feature of the display, including images of the traditional boats of the kaoem boemipoetra (indigenous people) and the floods that hit the region in 1926.

Among the important documents shown was a contract written in Malay-styled Arabic characters between Gorontalo King Mujihuddin Muhammad Jair Iskandar Monoarjo and the Dutch government on gold mining and coffee production, dated Dec. 31, 1819.

'Although Sukarno was adopted as the major theme, we've included historical photos and documents from Gorontalo as material for public reflection,' Awaluddin said.

He also told of the close ties between Nani Wartabone and Sukarno. Teme Jonu, as Wartabone was called, was one of the architects of the expulsion of the Dutch from Gorontalo and in the first raising of the national flag in early 1942.

On show: Photos lined the walls of the Museum of the Struggle of January 23, 1942 in Suwawa in Bone Bolango, Gorantalo.

The expulsion, involving people from all levels of society, was carried out without bloodshed. Some Dutch were arrested and ordered to clean the streets of Gorontalo City while watched by local residents as a form of punishment.

The incident has been described as the local version of Sukarno and Hatta's proclamation of independence.

Nani and the people of Gorontalo launched their action following a statement of Sukarno that said that the start of World War II was an opportune time for Indonesia to be free, as proven by the national proclamation of independence on Aug. 17, 1945.

Apart from the exhibition, the community also screened patriotic films in the same location during the program. The mobile show will again appear in North Gorontalo regency in June.

Ria Resthi Pakaya, 15, and Yunansi Thalib, 15, two junior high school students visiting the display, claimed that they had learned a lot. 'We've found out many new things about the history of Indonesia and Gorontalo in this program,' said the students.

Meanwhile, Tito Wartabone, 32, one of the grandchildren of Nani Wartabone, expressed his appreciation for the community's ingenuity to arrange such events.

'This museum is only crowded with visitors during important holidays, such as the commemoration of the January 23 occupation and the Heroes' Day,' said the man who lives within the museum complex.

Tito also complained about the lack of attention paid by the regional administration to the existence of the museum, some parts of which were now in bad repair.

'Leaks have begun to spread on the roof. We've notified the regional administration several times but there has been no response at all,' he said.

' Photos By JP/Syamsul Huda M. Suhari