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Rasuna Said

  • Writer: chanfebe04
    chanfebe04
  • Jul 10
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 14

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Rasuna Said stood at the front lines of Indonesia’s anti-colonial struggle, wielding words as her weapon. As one of the only female members of the Minangkabau nationalist movement, her oratory electrified mass audiences and directly challenged Dutch rule and gendered expectations. She was later memorialized on Indonesia’s currency — one of the few women to receive such recognition — but her resistance legacy remains largely underexplored in global history.

🕊️ LIFE BEFORE THE WAR

  • Birth and Background: Rasuna Said was born in Maninjau, West Sumatra, in 1910, into a respected Minangkabau Muslim family known for religious scholarship and business. [1] [2] [3]

  • Teaching and Early Activism: After completing her studies, Rasuna became a teacher at Diniyah Putri School, where she emphasized women’s advancement and introduced political ideas to her students, which led to her resignation. [3] [4] [5]

  • Political Engagement: She joined Sarekat Rakyat (People’s Union) in 1926 and later became active in PSII (Indonesian Islamic Union Party) and PERMI (Union of Indonesian Muslims), choosing PERMI for its progressive and anti-colonial stance. [3] [5]

  • Leadership and Imprisonment: In 1932, Rasuna was the first Indonesian woman arrested and tried by the Dutch colonial government for “sowing hatred” through her speeches, which criticized colonialism and advocated for independence; her oratory inspired many and earned her the nickname “Lioness”. [1] [2] [4]

🕊️ CONTRIBUTIONS TO WWII RESISTANCE IN ASIA

  • Early Activism and Imprisonment: Rasuna Said founded the Indonesian Muslim Association (PERMI) in her early twenties. Her speeches against Dutch colonial rule led to her imprisonment for 14 months in 1932, earning her the nickname "Lioness" for her courage and fiery rhetoric. [5] [6] [7]

  • Writing and Advocacy: After her release, she continued to inspire Indonesians through her writing and public speaking, encouraging both men and women to resist colonialism and support the independence movement. [5] [7]

  • During Japanese Occupation: When Japan occupied Indonesia in 1942, Rasuna joined a Japanese-sponsored organization. She used this position not to support the occupiers, but to secretly continue her independence activism and keep nationalist hopes alive. [5] [6] [7]

  • Mobilizing Women: Rasuna focused on organizing and empowering women, promoting education, and encouraging their participation in the independence struggle, even under Japanese rule and during the difficult war years. [5] [7]

  • After Japan’s Defeat: When the Dutch tried to return after Japan’s surrender, Rasuna helped lead resistance groups and joined the provisional Indonesian parliament, playing a key role in the final push for Indonesian independence. [5] [6] [7]

  • Legacy as a Leader: Rasuna Said remains a symbol of Indonesian resistance and women’s leadership. She was recognized as a National Hero of Indonesia, and major streets in Jakarta and Padang are named in her honor. [5] [7]

🕊️ LIFE AFTER THE WAR

  • Role in Independent Indonesia: After independence, Rasuna held positions in the Provisional People’s Representative Council and the Supreme Advisory Council under President Sukarno, contributing to national policymaking. [1] [2] 

  • Women’s Rights Advocacy: She was a leading advocate for women’s education and political participation, founding and supporting organizations that empowered Indonesian women. [1] [4] [5]

  • Recognition and Legacy: Rasuna Said was posthumously recognized as a National Hero of Indonesia and is remembered for her courage, leadership, and contributions to both the nationalist movement and the advancement of women in Indonesia.  [1] [2] 

References

[1] JSTOR/Sally White. "Rasuna Said: Lioness of the Indonesian Independence Movement." https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1qv1g3.9?seq=1

[3] UIN Fatmawati Sukarno Bengkulu. "Rasuna Said: Tokoh Pahlawan Nasional Perempuan." http://repository.uinfasbengkulu.ac.id/2072/1/DEPAN.pdf

[4] Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan/Finna Wijayanti, Wildhan Ichzha Maulana, Miftahuddin. "Good Citizen Values in Rasuna Said’s Struggle as a Character-Based History Learning Source." https://journal.staihubbulwathan.id/index.php/alishlah/article/download/4702/2385

[5] VOI. "The Loud Voice Of The Minangkabau Lioness Rasuna Said From The Podium." https://voi.id/en/memori/37865

[6] BBC News. "Spy princess and Lady Death: Eight women of WW2." https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52574750

[7] Infinite Women. "Rasuna Said." https://www.infinite-women.com/women/rasuna-said/

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