The Relationship Between the Native Indonesians and the Dutch
Colonizers as Described in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper
Agus Mulyana, Wawan Darmawan and Yeni Kurniawati
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Relationship, native Indonesians, Dutch colonizers, Sipatahoenan Newspaper.
Abstract: Indonesia experienced a colonial history under the Dutch. As commonly occurred in many colonies, there
established a certain relationship between the inlanders and their colonizers. This relationship can be seen in
the texts written during the colonization period, ones which were written narratives published by mass media
like newspapers. In historical studies, a newspaper can be a primary source that can provide information about
the situation at the time the newspaper was published. In this research, the writers attempted to study the
relationship between the native Indonesians and their Dutch colonizers. To this end, the writers analyzed
Sundanese narratives in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper published in 1929 by Paguyuban Pasundan, a national
movement organization in West Java, Indonesia. The text was analyzed using a critical discourse analysis. A
critical discourse analysis treats a text as being constructed upon a certain ideology. The ideology in question,
in the context of this study, refers to how the newspaper construed the relationship between the native
Indonesians and the Dutch colonizers. The researchers analyzed stories in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper to
study the aforementioned relationship.
1 INTRODUCTION
Historical events can be discovered through historical
sources, one of which is a newspaper published at the
time the events took place. Newspapers usually
publish news stories or reviews, which are essentially
a product of interpretation. What is written in a
newspaper is based on the newspaper editor’s
interpretation on what he saw (Hout & Jacobs, 2008).
And it is in his very authority to make such
interpretation.
During Dutch colonization of Indonesia, there
were many newspapers published by the native
Indonesians. These newspapers were commonly
published by national movement organizations to
spread out their patriotic ideas. The emergence of
these organizations is basically a resistance against
the Dutch, particularly by those of native Indonesians
who enjoyed education provided by the colonial
government (Min Shu, 2016). There must have been
an ideology behind this resistance movement. Hence,
the published newspaper story manifested such
ideology. The language used to convey a news story
must represents an ideology (Ghanam, 2011).
One of national movement organizations to
emerge in West Java, Indonesia, was Paguyuban
Pasundan. This organization strove for ethnic group-
centered missions, Sundaneseness and nationalism
(Ekadjati, 2003). Sipatahoenan was managed and
published by Paguyuban Pasundan Chapter
Tasikmalaya. The fact that Sipatahoenan was owned
by the native Indonesians would describe the
relationship between the native Indonesians and the
Dutch colonizers.
2 METHODOLOGY
The texts analyzed in this study were those of news
and reviews in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper that
manifested the social relationship between native
Indonesians and the Dutch colonizers. The contents
were analyzed using a critical discourse analysis. It is
an analytical study that construes a text as being
produced in a sociopolitical context that represents
social power and domination. This social power
refers to that of a group or an institution (Teun A. van
Dijk,
http://www.discourse.org/OldArticel/Critical1%20di
scourse%20analysis.pdf). In the Sipatahoenan
44
Mulyana, A., Darmawan, W. and Kurniawati, Y.
The Relationship Between the Native Indonesians and the Dutch Colonizers as Described in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 44-48
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

Newspaper, what is meant by the institution is the
prominent people in Paguyuban Pasundan.
Paguyuban Pasundan certainly voiced the native
Indonesians’ interests in regard to their relationship
with the colonizers. Their relationship was patriarchal
(Spencer, 2016). It means that the colonizers were
superior to the colonized society. There are
inequalities between them in gender, social,
economic, cultural and political aspects (Radcliffe,
2015) (Sullivan, 2017) (Reilly, 2016) (Hallenbeck,
2016). The texts in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper were
analyzed by looking into certain events that
represented the relationship between the native
Indonesians and the colonizers.
3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 The Autonomy of the Native
Indonesians
In this part, Sipatahoenan as the Sundanese
newspaper described the native Indonesians who did
not receive any assistance from the Dutch colonial
government in their publications. In 1929, this
newspaper was already six years old. The description
is as follows:
Sipatahoenan parantos kagenep taoen, teu
goemelarna di alam doenja, ngawitan mah
bibilintik, itih koerih, hiroep leutik, nanging
kabeh-dieunakeun koe pangdeudeuhna sadaja
para mitra.......... tjoemarita, tjapetang bisa
tandang di pakalangan. Oentoeng anoe pohara
pisan, pikeun Sipatahoenan mah, estoening bibit
boetjit oerang priboemina, serat kabar wedalan
oge, henteu katjampoeran koe modal
soemawonten ari Goevernement.......
katjampoeran make modal tangtos sorana oge
kahalangan koe euweuh... doeit. ...... mawi
ditaatan kitoe, soepados.......... bok bilih aja
keneh..... .......... keun, mana serat kabar noe
pitoein wedalan somah, mana serat kabar noe
dimodalan koe pihak itoe(Sipatahoenan, Rebo 2
Januari 1929, No.1 Lambaran ka I)
In this part, the newspaper editor described a good
relationship among fellow native Indonesians who
had been loyal customers to the Sipatahoenan
Newspaper and had directly financed their
publications, making it possible for the newspaper to
survive until the age of six.
3.2 Publication Permit from the Colonial
Government
Although the Dutch colonial government was less
favored by movement activists due to their frequent
strict control, but in some cases they could provide
support for the native Indonesians such as giving
permission to publish newspapers. This indicated a
good relationship between them and the native
Indonesians. In this case, the Sipatahoenan
Newspaper gave praise to the colonial government as
follows:
Pamarentah oge, parantos maparin
kalonggaran, ka sadaja eusi ning nagara, pikeun
ngadadarkaeun angen-angenna, timbanganana
sareng pamendakna dina serat-serat kabar dapon
heunteu pabentar sareng angger-anggeran
hoekoem (Sipatahoenan, Rebo 2 Januari 1929,
No.1 Lambaran ka I).
Such good relations could possibly take place
provided that the movement activists did not violate
the laws. The publication permit was granted by the
colonial government as long as no law was violated.
3.3 Criticism against Prominent Native
Indonesians
There were mistrusts towards the prominent native
Indonesians, especially those with direct links to the
colonial government. It was evident in the sharp
criticism towards the members of Regional
Parliament (Raad Kabupaten) and City Parliament
(Haminten) as follows:
Tjoerat-tjaret Kaelidan djeung kapangkatan
Maksoed koering lain kaelidan jadi lid
Societit at klub maen bal, tapi kaelidan noe djadi
lid badan wawakil rahayat (vertegenwoordigende
liehamen), saparti lied haminten atawa Raad
Kaboepaten.
Roepa-roepana pikeun bangsa oerang mah,
oerang priboemi, kaelidan djueng kapangkatan
teh weleh teu daekeun loejoe bae beda deui
djueng di bangsa koelon. Geura bae dangoekeun
kongkorongokna si Djobag, djago ISDB atawa
djago noe ti Basoeki, anoe koe oea Nazy nepi ka
dihormat koe ka-anoman.Eta djago doeanana
ponggawa nagara, toer pangkat galede, tapi dina
prak prakanana njarita roepana geus te inget,
kana pangkatna, tapi dagala roepa
didjoedjoeroeng koe kaelidanana. Oepama tjeuk
kawadjiban elid, nadjan matak teu nguenah
The Relationship Between the Native Indonesians and the Dutch Colonizers as Described in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper
45

kadengena koe pamarentah, tara datang ka
dikemoe.
Tjindekna estoe buleud, gailig, toer.... noenda
kapangkatanana. Oge pamarentah, tjara-tjara
hoei kamajoeng, te kaop katjogek toeloej boeroek,
sabab tjitjing dina tempatna, hartina nganggapna
ka lid noe ngritik, henteu saperti ka poenggawa
nagara, tapi ka hiji elid. Tjetjekelan noe wadjib
ditoeroetan koe ponggawa-ponggawa Nagara
noe laloehoer.
Kitoe kaajaan lid bangsa koelon.
Koemaha ari oerang?
Sakanjaho koering, lid bangsa oerang noe
djadi poenggawa, ngaloearkeun timbanganana
tara laloeasa, lain teu bisa tapi teu daek, sanadjan
teu aja hidji atoeran atawa palanggeran anoe
tjarek. Malah........broek brak, mana nepi ka
dipaparin onachenbaarheid hartina tina sagala
hal roepa noe ditjaritakeun dina pasamoan badan
wakil rahayat teu elid bisa didakwa. Parander e
kitoe roepana keur lolobana lid ponggawa
nagara – sabab aja ari noe mahiwal bener mah –
ieu atoeran tjan tjoekoep keneh bae.
Soepaja oelah dianggap ngobos teu poegoeh,
ajeuna koering
(Sipatahoenan, Rebo 2 Januari 1929, No.1
Lambaran ka I).
The above description means that the prominent
native Indonesians, especially the members of
Regional and City Parliament should have taken a
firm and brave stance to defend the native peoples.
They should have been critical and courageous like
the European origin members of Regional Parliament
who would always act in the interest of their fellow
group members. While the natives were afraid of
losing their ranks and positions.
3.4 Suspicion on Europeans
As the oppressed, the native Indonesians would
always cast suspicion on the Europeans due to an
unharmonious relationship between them. The
Sipatahoenan Newspaper published a review of the
Europeans' desire to unite the organization of national
movements with European organizations. This
caused the native Indonesians to throws suspicion on
them as follows:
Ngagaraleuh “Asocatie” naon!!
“Euj, noe dagang! Ka deu ngilikan!
Dagangan saha ieu teh?”
“Kaloeran Fabrek Nederlandsch-Indidsche
Libersie Partj”
“Saha noe kagoenganana?”
“Ari noe kagoengan mah djrg. Eugelenberg ti
Batawi”
“Geuning brt N.I.L.P. ajeuna mah? Kapan
bareto mah P.E.B ?”
“Hih atuh ajeuna mah parantos salin roepa
….. oge teu acan lami, nembe 3 sash manawi”
“Emh saroea keneh djeung P.E.B eta teh?”
“Hih, benten ieu mah, sanes deui”
“Koemaha bedana teh? “
“Doepi ieu mah maksoedna rek associesren
(ngahidjkeun) antawis Sanah sareung Sinih,
koelon sareng Wetan, Priboemi sareng Walanda.
Sina galo jadi hidji, sina repeh sina rapih; oelah
sili harengan silih arah.”
“His atoeh, nja tjara noe bareto bae ari kitoe
mah. Kapan bareto oge nja kitoe toedjoenana teh
teu mitjeun sasieur.
Tapi ari boekti na mah. Kapan karasa koe
oerang oge, te koedoe deadjah deui nja kitoe bae,
ngan semet biwir da ari d djero hatena mah siapa
tahoe. Oerang mah koedoe goeroe boekoer, teu
koedoe nginget-nginget kana omonganana.
Sanadjan omongan kareueut oge ari woedjoed na
matak te ngenah, teu koedoe digoegoe.
Poegoeh bae, ari dina statute mah matak
oeroej, tapi ….. kapan sarerea oge terang
sadjarah di Djawa-Wetan tea waktoe hajang
ngoeroedan B.B, babakoena noe djadi
pamanggoelna. Dalem-dalem, soepaja djadi
tangan-tangan P.E.B. keur pilihan ajeuna
provnciale-raad. Hadena bae kaboeroe
kabetahkeun . _ Sanadjan kitoe tapi ari tapakna
mah te boeroeng naroenggoel, ngadjentoel.
The above text describes an effort from the
Europeans to unite their organizations with the
national movement organizations. It caused the
movement activists to cast suspicion on them. They
believed it was impossible for the prominent
Europeans to go hand in hand with the natives. They
had a suspicion that this was only to weaken the
resistance by gaining the control of the native
peoples’ movements. It was just to maintain the
public order.
3.5 The European superiority
The Sipatahoenan Newspaper also described the
superiority of European people to the native
Indonesians. This was evident in several moments.
Europeans felt that they were better than others. It
was described by the Sipatahoenan Newspaper in a
story about a football match as follows:
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
46

Marhaen atawa Sato?
Sawatara poe katoekang di aloen-aloen Bekasi
aja maen bal antara veldpolitie Tjililitan djeung
Bekasi.
Dina ngawitan maen noe djadi toekang fulitna,
oeraang Indonesia kalawan dipaksa koe hidji
Walanda, atoeh da noerot te meunang emboeng.
Ngawitan kira poekoel 5 sore, sanggeus fluit
disada, toeloej spelers spelers paboroboro
mareboetkeun koelit boeled, waktoe harita mah
katjida reuseupna, eta pamenan teh, nepi noe
sakabeh noe laladjo bener bener
ngabaandoenganana.
Tapi koemaha djadina?
Sanggeus 10 menit lilana maen, eta koelit
buleud maksa menta liwat ka lawang goelna
Tjililitan, nepi ka noe djaga lawang teu bisa nolak
kana pamenta koelit buleud.
NAH! tidinja mah pamaenan djadi robah
lantaran 2 spelers Walanda Tjililitan ngawitan
bendoe, malah sapedah noe laladjo soerak, eta
doea Walnda ngaloearkeun omongan noe teu
soeroep aja di oetjapan (omongan) Walanda, noe
ngakoe jen bangsa Walanda leuwih sopan tibatan
Inlander.
Atoeh nu laladjo teh pada kaget pokna; ....
lantaran toekang fluitna ganti koe Walanda
bawana ti Tjililitan, bet aneh saoemoer doemeh
njoenjoehoen hoeloe kakara manggih maen bal
make toekang fluit doeaan, atoeh eta tjenah teu
pertjaja ka inlander, naha teu ti mimitina bae atoeh
koe Walanda?
Ieu mah gara-gara
Ana prak teh, euleuh-euleuh, teu salah tina
sangkaan, ana belesat teh eta sapatoe diajoen mani
ting boerinjaj, kawas kilat njamber mangsana;
atoeh da poegoeh spelers Bekasi mah kabeh oge
talandjang kaki boeboehan Inlander ieu sok
bororaah make sapatoe dina maen bal, sakalieun
dina dienst patrouile masih aya noe ingkoed-
ingkoedan dan tatjan pati...
Be ! Ti dinja mah djadi morongkod kawas
budak nendjo banguarongan, njepak oge ngan
tamba hente bae, atoeh gampangen naker, nepi ka
eta koelit boeled teh, 2 kala ngagandeuang
ngaliwat bari reunja renju ka hareupeun toekang
djaga lawang goel Bekasi.
Noe laladjo sorak bakating keuhel ka spelers
Bekasi: “Na bet maen teh djadi leles?”
Amboe-amboe ari sengor teh eta Walanda noe
2 mani matak oeringkak boeloe poendoek, bari
njanggerengan nembongkeun siehoengna pokna:”
Si! Babi! lee aloe Bekasi!? Baik nanti kaloe habis
main akoe poekoel, akoe boekan toekang roempoet,
ASOE!”.
Koemaha kadjadian sanggeusna maen?
Poegoeh bae doeka saha ngaranna ti tengah-
tengah aloon-aloon loempat ka sisi, serepet
gampleng! gampleng! peureupna kana beungeut
inlander, sihoreng noe djadi korban peureup teh,
sahidji veldpolitie Bekasi ngaran Samoed asal
Madoera, manehna hookeun sabab teu roemasa
boga dosa.
Diantarana aja hidji indonesier mere inget ka
eta Walanda poka: “Toean! itu orang djangan
dipoekoel sebab belon tentoe salahnja dan kaloe
salah boleh ditoentoet di pengadilan sebab ta’ ada
wet poekoel”.
Djawabna:” Biar! Segala matjam toekang
roempoet ini, loe taoe goea orang apa? Toch
dienda f.100,- atawa f.200 djuga goe mampoe
bajar. Good Verdboom!!!”.
Tah eta, omongan Walanda teh ana dipikir
dibolak balik di rarasakeun koe hate noe waras,
manehna teh ngabedakeun yen aing mah Walanda,
koenaon sia inlander koemawani soerak di
hareupeun aing? Tah geuning njata yen manehna
teh kamagoengan sapedah Walanda, sapedah
pangkat, padahal ari ceuk pikiran sim koering mah,
dina lebah dinja teu aja pangkat, te aja toekang
roempoet ; aja soteh spelers voetbal minangka
tongtonan djeung noe laladjona.
The above text is quite interesting. It was a harsh
sarcasm entitled “Marhaen atawa Sato?” which
literally translates “Marhaen or Animal?” Marhaen is
a term used by Sukarno to attribute the poor farmers
who did not own lands. They tilled lands of the
masters on which their lives were heavily dependent.
However, being poor does not mean they did not have
any dignity. Sukarno even deemed that they were
revolutionary agents. Marhaenism is a variant of
Marxism. In Sukarno’s perspective, the poor
Indonesian farmers at that time were analogous to the
proletarians in a capitalist society. “Sato” is a
derogatory term attributive to the human misbehavior
analogous to that of animals.
“Marhaen or Animal” was to question the Dutch
misbehaviors in a football match. The story was about
a football match at the alun-alun of Bekasi between
the Bekasi police patrol football team and the Cililitan
police patrol football team. The Bekasi team
symbolized the native Indonesians, and the Cililitan
team the Europeans. The Bekasi team did not wear
football shoes as they could not afford them, and the
Cililitan team did because they were Dutch.
The Relationship Between the Native Indonesians and the Dutch Colonizers as Described in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper
47

However, the Bekasi team managed to score a
goal just after five minutes of the game. This led to
the anger the Dutch Cililitan team. They felt ashamed
of being defeated by the native Indonesians. They
then substituted the referee who was a native
Indonesian with a Dutch referee. As the result, the
Dutch Cililitan dominated the rest of the game, and
they used their football shoes to intimidate the Bekasi
team.
Seeing what happened on the pitch, the spectators
who were mostly the native Indonesians started
booing loudly. The reaction from the Dutch was that
they harshly shouted back at them, and that one of
them hit a spectator who happened to be an
Indonesian police patrol in the face. He was told by
other spectators that he had just done a fatal
wrongdoing by punching an innocent man. However,
the Dutchman refused to apologize and arrogantly
said that he would be free of legal punishment by
paying the penalty.
The Sipatahoenan Newspaper described this
misbehavior as analogous to that of an animal
because it was in contradiction with their own claim
that they were better and more civilized than the
inlanders. The marhaens were much more honorable
than the Dutch.
4 CONCLUSION
As described in the Sipatahoenan Newspaper, the
relationship between the native Indonesians and the
Dutch colonizers was patriarchal in a sense that the
Dutch were superior to the native Indonesians. The
description is a manifestation of the ideology
embraced by the newspaper editor. The fact that the
Sipatahoenan Newspaper was owned by the national
movement organization Paguyuban Pasundan makes
this ideology crystal clear. They detested the Dutch
colonizers. Their superiority complex led the
antipathy of the inlanders. The Dutch fell under
constant suspicion even when they did the inlanders
good. The same suspicion was cast on the prominent
people of the inlanders like the parliament members
who had direct links with the colonial government.
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