Maria Walanda Maramis
Encyclopedia
Maria Josephine Catherine Maramis (Kema, 1872 - Manado, April 22, 1924) is more commonly known as Maria Walanda Maramis and is recognized as a national hero in Indonesia
for her efforts to advance the circumstances of women in Indonesia at the beginning of the 20th century.
in the province of North Sulawesi
. Her parents were Maramis and Sarah Rotinsulu. She was the youngest of three children with a sister by the name of Antje and brother by the name of Andries. Andries Maramis later became involved in the independence of Indonesia and held ministerial and ambassadorship positions in the Indonesian government.
Maramis became an orphan at the age of six when her parents were both stricken with sickness and died one after the other in a short period of time. Maramis’ uncle, Rotinsulu, took the children to Maumbi where he was the District Chief and raised them after the death of their parents. Maria and her sister attended Malay school . The name comes from the fact that the language used in the school was Malay or an early term for the Indonesian language. The school taught basic knowledge, such as how to read and write, and some science and history. This would be the only formal education Maramis and her sister received as girls were expected to get married and become homemakers.
Realizing the need to equip young women for their roles as caretakers of their families, Maramis with the help of a few others established an organization called “The Love of a Mother toward her Children” on July 8, 1917. The purpose of this organization was to teach women with elementary school level education family matters, such as cooking, sewing, infant care, and hand-crafting.
Through the leadership of Maramis, PIKAT grew with the addition of branches around Minahasa, such as in Maumbi, Tondano, and Motoling. Branches in Java were also organized by local women in Batavia
, Bogor
, Bandung
, Cimahi
, Magelang
, and Surabaya
. On June 2, 1918, PIKAT opened a school in Manado
. Maramis continued to be active in PIKAT until her death on April 22, 1924.
To honor her contributions to the advancement of women in Indonesia, Maria Walanda Maramis was named a national hero by the government of Indonesia on May 20, 1969.
). Anna Matuli Walanda went on to become a teacher and also participated in PIKAT.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
for her efforts to advance the circumstances of women in Indonesia at the beginning of the 20th century.
Early life
Maria was born in Kema, a small town in the regency of MinahasaMinahasa
The Minahasa are an ethnic group located in the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, formerly known as North Celebes...
in the province of North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi is a province of Indonesia. It is on the island of Sulawesi, and borders the province of Gorontalo to the west . The islands of Sangihe and Talaud form the northern part of the province, which border Davao del Sur in the Philippines.The capital and largest city in North Sulawesi is...
. Her parents were Maramis and Sarah Rotinsulu. She was the youngest of three children with a sister by the name of Antje and brother by the name of Andries. Andries Maramis later became involved in the independence of Indonesia and held ministerial and ambassadorship positions in the Indonesian government.
Maramis became an orphan at the age of six when her parents were both stricken with sickness and died one after the other in a short period of time. Maramis’ uncle, Rotinsulu, took the children to Maumbi where he was the District Chief and raised them after the death of their parents. Maria and her sister attended Malay school . The name comes from the fact that the language used in the school was Malay or an early term for the Indonesian language. The school taught basic knowledge, such as how to read and write, and some science and history. This would be the only formal education Maramis and her sister received as girls were expected to get married and become homemakers.
PIKAT
After moving to Manado, Maramis started writing op-eds in a local newspaper called Tjahaja Siang. In these articles, she argued the importance of the role of mothers in the family unit. She stressed that the care and health of the family were the responsibility of the mother. A child’s early education also came from the mother.Realizing the need to equip young women for their roles as caretakers of their families, Maramis with the help of a few others established an organization called “The Love of a Mother toward her Children” on July 8, 1917. The purpose of this organization was to teach women with elementary school level education family matters, such as cooking, sewing, infant care, and hand-crafting.
Through the leadership of Maramis, PIKAT grew with the addition of branches around Minahasa, such as in Maumbi, Tondano, and Motoling. Branches in Java were also organized by local women in Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
, Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Cimahi
Cimahi
Cimahi is a city located west of Bandung, West Java, Indonesia in the Bandung Metropolitan Area. The city is a major textile producer exporter, and is host to several military education facilities....
, Magelang
Magelang
Magelang is one of the largest cities of the 1,130 km² Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. It is also the largest town in the Kedu Plain between Mount Merbabu and Mount Sumbing in Central Java, Indonesia...
, and Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
. On June 2, 1918, PIKAT opened a school in Manado
Manado
Manado is the capital of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. Manado is located at the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area. The city has about 405,715 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in Sulawesi after Makassar...
. Maramis continued to be active in PIKAT until her death on April 22, 1924.
To honor her contributions to the advancement of women in Indonesia, Maria Walanda Maramis was named a national hero by the government of Indonesia on May 20, 1969.
Voting rights of women in Minahasa
In 1919, a regional representative body for Minahasa was established. Its members were originally selected, but elections were planned to pick subsequent members through popular vote. Only men were given the opportunity to become representatives, but Maramis championed the rights of women to cast votes to choose these representatives. Her efforts reached Batavia and in 1921 the Dutch allowed the participation of women in the elections of representatives for the Minahasa Raad.Family life
Maramis married Joseph Frederick Caselung Walanda, a language teacher in 1890. After her marriage with Walanda, she became better known as Maria Walanda Maramis. They had three children. Two of the children were sent to teacher’s school in Betawi (JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
). Anna Matuli Walanda went on to become a teacher and also participated in PIKAT.