INDONESIA
Republik
Indonesia
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THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA IS THE SUCCESSOR OF THE COLONIAL EMPIRE built by
the Dutch from the beginning of the 17th century in the East Indian
Archipelago. An
empire of the same dimensions has not existed in the archipelago ever before. In the beginning the Dutch
presence was concentrated in Bantam, where the fortress Batavia was founded, and on the Moluccas. With the rulers, in particular with those
of Mataram and Bantam, treaties were made which ceded the monopoly of the
trade to the East India Company (V.O.C.), established in 1602. As a result
the local rulers were considerably hampered in their financial development
and in the end also were curtailed in their political power. In 1795 the V.O.C. was liquidated.
Its assets and sovereign rights in the archipelago were transferred to the
Batavian Republic. The Batavian Republic was
succeeded by the Kingdom of Holland and in 1811 by Great Britain which
surrendered the colonies in 1816IN the time of British rule some important
territories were incorporated by armed intervention. The remaining Indonesian
archipelago was subjected by the Dutch in the course of the 19th century. Many
bilateral treaties were made with the local rulers which in fact made them under Dutch protectorates. At the beginning
of the 20th century the expansion of Dutch colonial rule was finished by the
conquest of Bali. In the meantime Dutch rule was the
responsibility of the Ministry of Colonies of the Dutch Government. Initiatives
of Governor General Van Heutz (1904-’09), to establish a separate state
within the Kingdom came to nothing. In March
1942 the Netherlands Indies were occupied by Japan. After their capitulation
in 1945 the Indonesians proclaimed a sovereign republic on 17 August 1945. Restoration
of Dutch rule by means of the so-called politionele acties (Police
Raids) failed and on 28 Decemebr 1949 the sovereignty had to be transferred
to the Republic. On this
occasion a federation of Indonesian states was established with the name Republik Indonesia Serikat [1] The
R.I.S. was dissolved on 17 August 1950 and replaced by the Republik
Indonesia. Most federal states became provinces. For these provinces new
coats of arms were adopted. In 1963
Nederlands Nieuw Guinea was incorporated by the Republic and received the
name Irian Barat. From that moment, the territory of the Republic comprises
all territory of the former Netherlands Indies. The symbols of the historical
empires of Indonesia are an separate field of study. The symbolism of state
is mainly influenced by hinduism and buddhism. Also there are certain Chinese
influences which, maybe even before
the beginning of our era, contributed some symbols Chinese influences can be
explained by the intensive relations between China and Sumatera and also with
Java. The rulers of Mataram moreover often married Chinese princesses.
However the Chinese emperors never have been the suzereins of Indonesian
rulers. The most important symbol is the
serpent or naga, which certainly is a royal emblem. The naga
was a part of the Indonesian state symbolism until far into the twentieth
century. It is, for example the decoration of the state krisses of Solo. Also there is the phoenix, a common Chinese symbol, and the sun which
is an almost universal symbol of the empire.
When Islam was introduced a royal
cypher or tughra was preferred as a personal emblem and the two-bladed
sword of islam (dhu ‘l fakr) was introduced as a military symbol. [2] In the islamic principalities
of Aceh and Pontianak, the crescent was used. In the symbolism of state the royal treasury plays an important role. The royal treasury is composed of precious or special objects to which magical forces are attributed, the socalled pusaka. The posession of these pusaka also implied the legitimacy of rule. In that sense the royal treasures are comparable with some European regalia. Anyway the Indonesian crowns were no pusaka. [3] The
existence of the R.I.S. was too short for most of the federal states to adopt
an emblem of state of their own. Nevertheless some arms and flags were
adopted by decree. In some cases only a design was made. All these decrees
were abolished after the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia. |
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Colonial Rule |
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The basic assumption in this essay
about the arms of the Republic of Indonesia is the continuity of colonial and
republican rule. In the beginning the Portuguese were exploring the region. In present Jakarta they have left a padrćo or border pole on which is the Portugues armillary-sphere, the symbol of
the Portuguese Empire. [4] The arms of this empire
were parted per pale of red and white with a golden armillary sphere with a
green globe in the center. [5] The Portuguese were chased away by
the Dutch organised in the Compagnie van Verre. On the seal of this company
was the cypher C.V.V.. [6] The
Compagnie van Verre was succeeded by the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, established on 20 March 1602. A cypher for the Company
was adopted by the Lords XVII on 28 February 1603. It consists of the
capitals V, O and C, the O and the C intertwined with the V. [7] The chambers of the Company
added their own capital to this cypher. |
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Not long after the adoption of the
cypher an achievement occurred. It represents a three-masted ship with the
flag of the Republic of the Netherlands at the stern and a flag with the
V.O.C.-cypher at the main. Neptune, the god of the seas and Providence, a
virgin with a mirror, are supporting the arms. A picture in full color can be
found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. [8] The three-masted ship was
also on the seal of the Company. [9] The achievement was used until the
liquidation of the Company. In the time of the Batavian
Republic the East Indian possessions were administered by the The Council of
the Asiatic Possessions and Settlements (Raad der Asiatische Bezittingen
en Etablissementen). The seal of this council is identical with the seal
of the Republic, the legend changed for the purpose. [10] In the time of the Kingdom of
Holland the arms of King Louis Napoleon were used and later, as demonstrated
by a seal, the arms of the French Empire. [11] Until the transfer of sovereignty
the achievement of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was used as adopted in 1815
and 1907. An initiative of Governor General Van Heutz to make the arms of
Batavia the arms of the colony came to nothing. In the 19th and 20th century the
King of the Netherlands was represented by a Governor General. His flag was
the national flag of the Kingdom, augmented with three white balls in the
first breadth, one and two.
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Not long after the proclamation of
the Republic in 1945 a commision was composed which should make a design of
the arms of the Republic. It appeared that it was not possible to find in
history a symbol feasible for the new republic. In the end it was proposed
that a bantčng, a crescent, a coconut-tree, and a sun with seven rays
should be in the arms. After the Indonesian War of Independence
(1945-1949), followed by the Dutch recognition of Indonesian sovereignty
through a round table conference in 1949, felt the need for Indonesia (then
still called the Republic of Indonesia States) to have a state symbol. On 10 January 1950 a Technical
Committee was installed with the name of Coordinating Committee for the
Emblem of State by the Minister without Portfolio Sultan Hamid II. He
commissioned its president to plan, design and formulate a symbol of state. The
technical committee consisted of Muhammad Yamin (chairman), and Ki Hajar
Dewantara, MA Pellaupessy, Moh Natsir and RM Ng Poerbatjaraka. |
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Designs for a seal and a coat of arms for the R.I.S. by Muhammad Yasmin On some designs whic Dirk Rühl
made for Sultan Hamid II however, there is a garuda supporting a quartered shield on which are
the head of a bantčng, a waringin, a kris and ears of padi
together with a black barrulet over all. [12] |
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Fig. 1. First
design of the state seal of the United Republic of Indonesia by Dirk Rühl Fig. 2.
Second design of Dirk Rühl. The name of the republic in latin and arab
script. Fig. 3. Third design of Dirk Rühl. The name of the republic in latin and arab
script the head of the bantčng on an escutcheon. In a final design described on 7
Februari 1950 accompanied by a drawing dated 12 February 1950 the achievement
is: |
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Fig. 4. Final design of the achievement of the
Republik Indonesia Serikat, approved by
decree of the Council of Ministers of 11 February 1950. Drawing Dirk Rühl dd. 12.02.1950 Arms: ¼: 1. Gules a white kapas with green
leave and stalk; 2. Argent a waringin proper; 3. Argent a kris per
bed, its blade of steel, its hilt vert proper. 4. Gules, an ear of padi
Or. Over all a barrulet Or, charged with an escutcheon Or, a bantčng’s
head Sable. Supporter: A garuda. Dirk Rühl noted that this was the
achievement adopted on 11 Februari 1950. [13] Of the designs presented to the committee the
designs of Sultan Hamid II , drawn by Dirk Rühl Jr. and of Muhammad Yamin
were selected. [14] Of these the design of
Muhammad Yamin was rejected by the government and by parliament argumenting
that it showed sun’s rays, reminding too much the sun of Japanese occupation.
The design of Sultan Hamid II, visualizing the principles of Pancasila as
proposed in a speech of President Soekarno, was approved.
The basic design was intensively debated by
Sultan Hamid, President Soekarno and Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta. This
resulted in the replacing of the originally red ribbon by a white one and the
adding of the motto BHINNEKA TUNGGAL IKA. This design was drafted by Sultan Hamid II
and submitted to the RIS Cabinet by President Soekarno through Mohammed
Hatta. It was approved by Soekarno on 10 February 1950 and adopted by the RIS
Cabinet the next day. [15] Soekarno however continued to improve the
shape of the Garuda. On 20 March 1950 he ordered court painter Dulla to
redesign it and to change the shape of the head of the bird and of its legs,
thus abandoning the traditional shape of a garuda which was judged to be too
much of a Javanese symbol. It was replaced by an eagle, combed, it is said, to avoid a resemblance with the bald eagle of
the American achievement. A last design was made by Sultan Hamid II and this
was approved by Soekarno on 20 March 1950. A copy of this ultimate design,
annotated by Soekarno is still in the Kraton Kadriyah in Pontianak
Photo Max Alkadrie Copy of he ultimate design in the Kraton Kadriyah |
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In accordance with the proposals
of Soekarno the achievement was changed by Government Order No.
66 of 1951, dated October 17, 1951. The achievement of state of the Republic of Indonesia thus became as
follows: [16] Arms: A barrulet Sable; ¼: 1. Gules, a bantčng’s
head Sable; 2. Argent, a waringin proper; 3. Argent an ear of padi
and five cotton-leaves embowed Or; 4. Gules, a chain of 10 square and 10
round shackles, Or. And an escutcheon Sable, a five-pointed star Or. Supporter:
The mythical bird Sang Radja Walik, having 17 feathers in each wing and a
tail of eight feathers Or. Motto: bhinneka tunggal ika.. š See illustration in the head of
this essay. The decree follows the the
proposal quite accurately but departs, quite arbitrarily, mainly from the
heraldic rules which were painstakingly maintained in the earlier designs. ·
The bantčng’s head Sable on a red field symbolizes the struggle for
sovereignty of the people ·
The waringin symbolizes the vitality of nationalism ·
The ear of padi and the cotton symbolize the prosperity of the people
(food and clothing) and the golden chain symbolizes the belief in the
equality of all mankind and the union of territories and peoples into one
great Union. ·
The barrulet symbolizes the equator, reaching over all the territory
of Indonesia · The four quarters and the escutcheon, together with the five-pointed star, refers to the Pantja Sila, the five philiosophical principles of State namely: 1. The belief in God; 2. Sovereignty of the People; 3. Nationalism; 4. Social Justice; 5. Humanity. ·
The 17 feathers of the wings and the eight feathers of the tail remind
17 August (17-8) 1945, the day of the proclamation of the Republic. The gold
or yellow of the bird symbolizes the loftiness of the State. ·
The motto is an ancient Javanese proverb meaning “Unity in Variety”
and refers to the union of the territories and peoples of all Indonesia into
one great union. The bird Sang Raja Walik is
mentioned in the Ramayana (XXV, 19) and in the Bharatayudaha. The correct
translation is Royal Bird Walik and for that reason the bird is comparable
with the simurg and the feng huang (phoenix), the Persian and Chinese versions of the
same symbol, closely connected with administrative authority. A phoenix
occurs in relation with Majapahit and its succeeding empires. In European
literature it can be found in Conrad Grünebergs armorial. In that manuscript
it has a European shape and thus may be based on oral tradition. |
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The presidential emblem consists
of a five-pointed star surrounded by a garland. It is derived from the golden
star of the Japanese Army which ruled Java and Sumatra during WWII. Such a star, surrounded by a garland
was the emblem of the Republican Indonesian Army founded in the first weeks
after the proclamation of the Republic on 17 August 1945. The presidential seal and flag
were designed after the dissolution of the United States of Indonesia and the
incorporation of all former territories of the Netherlands Indies on 17
August 1950. The presidential seal shows the
national achievement surrounded by the legend REPUBLIC
OF INDONESIA and THE PRESIDENT
separated by two five-pointed stars.
Presidential Seal, 1950. The presidential flag, the
successor of the flag of the Governor General of the Netherlands Indies,
shows the presidential emblem. The flag is of dark-yellow silk and charged
with a lemon-yellow presidential emblem. Its fringes are also yellow and the
flag-pole is golden with a golden ball. [17]
Presidential flag, 1950 Nowadays the flag is often shown
on a 2Ķ3 cloth, the colors reversed, the fringes
omitted.
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The
Parliament |
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Intelligence
Service |
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© Hubert de Vries 2006-06-28 Updated
2009-12-10 / 2011-03-17 / 2011-10-25 / 2015-09-10
Heraldry of the World