Pertiwi Mental Revolution

Pertiwi Mental Revolution

Didimus Estanto T

Universitas Sanata Dharma

(Dimuat di Majalah Aquinas Edidi III)

Indonesia is a historian country. There are some many stories about the great kingdom in the area of nusantara (Indonesia/nation with some many islands) such as Majapahit, Sriwijaya, Demak, Kutai and so on. The stories prove that Indonesia has a DNA to become a great nation. When the time passed by, everything changes. Everything changes so fast; the time goes in the speed of light and leave the greatness behind. Indonesia seems like an old car which try to chase the time. Indonesia is leaved so far behind from the growth of the entire world. Therefore, Indonesia now really needs a mental revolution, to chase after the world. This nation needs the revolution to get its greatness of its ancient back.

Collapse of Mentality

The story of Indonesia starts on the era of Kutai. It is the first great kingdom in Indonesia according to the historian records. After that, there are also some great kingdoms which existed in the area of nusantara until the era of Nederland Indie, Japan and the independent of Indonesia. This nation is built by the spirit of great nation like their ancient do, but a long pain of colonialism slowly erase that story of greatness. The mentality of being great is almost disappear. Indonesia was being tortured in extremely bad way in the 353 years era of colonialism and it definitely swallowed the core of their spirit, hope. Losing the mentality of the greatness looks like the end of this nation in that time. We can easily see the collapse of Indonesia. Nation is form by the spirit and body. Indonesia has a body which being used by Nederland Indie’s colonialist but has no spirit of being great anymore. Lacking the army and technology make Indonesia cannot defeat Nederland Indie’s colonialist. They were lost again and again. This nation lost the very important part of the nation in that time, mentality for being great.

The Changing Period

The rising of Indonesian mentality came after the existence of Bumiperta (Indonesian first nationalism concept by the intellectual). The concept come to the action and some politic events happened around the world and Indonesia as a freedom nation finally exist. There was an Indonesia as a body of nation, but the pain of being colonialize still in their blood. Soekarno-Hatta, the first captain of Indonesia derived the idea that Indonesia deserves for freedom and it is the right of every human being. That was a great start as a nation. They brought back the mentality of becoming a great nation, hope for greatness. That was how people see in the beginning of this nation. The second captain Soeharto, with his 33 years of authoritarian regime brought the huge impact in Indonesian development. He delivered the labor mental for this country, huge and strong economic. The nation mental problem of KKN Korupsi Kolusi dan Nepotisme (corruption, collusion and nepotism) is a dominant legacy which this era left. The heirs of the throne, Habibie had to fix some many problems in that time. The problem of Chinese race, East Timor, currency and rebellion become a national problem which drag the mentality of Indonesia, again. From that moment on, the feeling of great nation also become a doubtful belief. It feels like, it was just a story that Indonesia could become a great country. The problem of the unemployed, poverty, gas price, corruption, nation security keep coming along the time until now. What should Indonesia do to lift the spirit up? It is a mentality that always becoming a core of spirit to lift this nation up. History recorded the scene of changing mood of Indonesian mentality.

Do Indonesia need a mental revolution?

 Revolution is an instance of revolving of a government or social order or simply present a new paradigm/system in society. Mental revolution in Indonesia is not present a new paradigm, but just reapply the mentality of a great nation. Indonesia was great, why do not make it happen again? Mental revolution is a vision of a better Indonesia, is the hope that this nation is a great nation like the ancient’s legacy. Belief is not enough of course, but it starts everything. This concept try to encourage people that everything which happen coming from heart, everything that hands do coming from what we believe. Indonesian people have to believe that they are a great nation since beginning so they can do great also to the future. Indonesia needs to chase this fact of having fallen behind fast. There is no more time, there is no more hesitation, and Indonesia has to change its mentality now.

Ibu Pertiwi is a slogan unitized the whole nusantara. She is the represent mother of the whole Indonesia since the Kutai to the Jokowi now, from the history to the present. There so much pain, happiness, losing, victory in the way to becoming Indonesia until this stage. Indonesia needs a mental revolution to revive people that Indonesia is a great nation. Indonesia was good, Indonesia is good and Indonesia will good, that is what Indonesian people have to put in their heart. Indonesia may lose, but the spirit of greatness is about how you start it again until the victory. What has become a legacy let it stay in that way. This is the new generation’s chance to make a legacy to the future generation. Bringing the new mentality, the spirit of becoming a great nation, let revolve the mentality.