PIT STOP ! KNOWING INDONESIAN HISTORY AT A GLANCE.

Hello my lovely friends any where you are, in this opportunity I’d like to introduce you a short history of my lovely country, Indonesia. Just relax and read slowly.

Indonesia is an archipelago country consists of five big islands and 30 medium islands, and totally including many small ones is 17,508 islands. Since the 1st century, Indonesia was part of Mid East – China trading route that passing through Persia, India (Gujarat), Indonesia (Sumatra), Malaysia (Malaka), and China (Canton). Traders from Persia and India who transited in Indonesia also spread their beliefs, Hindu and Buddha. Many regional kingdoms were founded in that period with the background of those beliefs. In the 7^th century, Islam religion was then also introduced to Indonesia by the incoming traders from still same countries, Persia and India, which have been Moslems. Besides, Dynasty Umayyad as caliphate of Islam at that time also built a trading port at Sumatra. In the year 1297 the first Islam kingdom finally existed in Indonesia, i.e. Samudera Pasai in Aceh, Sumatra. After that many regional Islam kingdoms were then spread in many islands of Indonesia and Indonesian people massively entering Islam.

In the 16^th century traders from Europe i.e. Spanish and Portuguese entered Indonesia. Afterward, in year 1602 a Dutch Trading Company for East India (called VOC) also entered Indonesia. This European people were who then endeavored Christian religion in Indonesia. Unfortunately, VOC then change their mission from trading to colonizing by founding a Colonial Government in Indonesia. Their political treatment had risen up resistances from Indonesian people in many regions. Fighting of Indonesian people to get back their freedom from Dutch’s occupation happened in many regions, in many islands. Finally the ultimate Indonesian fighting against the Dutch’s colonization was happened in November 10^th, 1945 in Surabaya, East Java. The Day of this moment is then noted as the National Heroic Day. Indonesia proclaimed their freedom in August 17^th, 1945 after ending of Pacific War (war between Japan and Allies). Yeah…Indonesia was just really get their freedom after about three and half centuries (350 years) fighting.

Now, I hope you know better Indonesia than before. Story of some our heroic fighters may be I can write for you in the next time. Mr. Soekarno, our first President said “Great Nations are the Nations who recognize their own histories”.