October 28, 2019 is celebrated as the 91st Youth Oath Day. There is a deep meaning to the history of this nation in the contents of the Youth Oath which was coined on October 28, 1928, namely the pledge of one-watered land, one nation, one language: Indonesia.
The Youth Pledge was born in the Second Youth Congress on October 28, 1928. But two years earlier, as revealed by Sudiyo through the book of the Indonesian Association until the Birth of the Youth Pledge (1989), the Youth Congress I had been held from 30 April to 2 May 1926 in Batavia (Jakarta ).
Youth Congress I or Youth Density was attended by representatives from youth / youth associations including Jong Java, Jong Sumatranen Bond, Jong Ambon, Sekar Rukun, Jong Islamieten Bond, Studerenden Minahasaers, Jong Bataks Bond, Youth Theosofi, and many more.
The purpose of the First Youth Congress, as quoted from the book Role of Gedung Kramat Raya 106 in Giving Birth of the Youth Oath (1996) by Mardanas Safwan, among others, is to find a way to foster a single youth association, namely by forming a central body with the intention of:
First, to advance the unity and nationality of Indonesia, and the second is to strengthen relations between fellow national youth associations in the country.
However, the First Youth Congress ended without satisfying results for all parties because there were still differences of opinion. After that, several more meetings were held to find unity of thought. Therefore, it was agreed that the Second Youth Congress would be held soon.
Also read: How Famous are the Youth Oath Committees?
The Birth of the Youth Oath
The Second Youth Congress was held for two days on 27 and 28 October 1928 in Batavia. The first day, the congress took place at the Katholikee Jongelingen Bond Building or the Catholic Youth Building, while the second day the congress was held at the Oost Java Building (now on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta).
The objectives of the Second Youth Congress include: (1) Giving birth to the aspirations of all Indonesian youth associations, (2) Discussing some of the problems of the Indonesian youth movement; and (3) Strengthening national awareness and strengthening the unity of Indonesia.
The congress was attended by more participants from the first congress, including the Indonesian Student Association (PPPI), Jong Java, Jong Sumatranen Bond, Jong Bataks Bond, Jong Islamieten Bond, Indonesian Youth, Jong Celebes, Jong Ambon, Katholikee Jongelingen Bond, Youth The Betawi, Sekar Rukun and others.
Also present were representatives of Chinese peranakan youth in Indonesia at the Second Youth Congress, such as Oey Kay Siang, John Lauw Tjoan Hok, and Tjio Djien Kwie, but the origin of their organization / association was unknown.
Also read: Youth Oaths and Gait of Chinese People
The building that would later become the place where the Youth Pledge was read was a boarding house or student dormitory owned by a Chinese descendant named Sie Kok Liong. The building, located at Jalan Kramat Raya 106, Central Jakarta, is now enshrined as the Youth Pledge Museum.
The composition of the committee of the Second Youth Congress, as written by Ahmad Syafii Maarif through the book Islam in the Indonesian-Indonesian Frame and Humanity (2009) is as follows:
Chairperson: Sugondo Djojopuspito (PPPI)
Deputy Chairperson: R.M. Joko Marsaid (Jong Java)
Secretary: Muhammad Yamin (Jong Sumatranen Bond)
Treasurer: Amir Sjarifudin (Jong Bataks Bond)
Assistant I: Johan Mohammad Cai (Jong Islamieten Bond)
Assistant II: R. Katjasoengkana (Indonesian Youth)
Assistant III: R.C.I. Sendoek (Jong Celebes)
Assistant IV: Johannes Leimena (Jong Ambon)
Assistant V: Mohammad Rochjani Su’ud (Betawi Youth)
Also present Wage Rudolf Supratman who played the song Indonesia Raya at the Youth Congress II with the strains of his violin. The Indonesia Raya song was also sung for the first time in this congress by Dolly Salim who is none other than the daughter of Haji Agus Salim.
Also read:
Dolly Salim, “Indonesia Raya”, and the Youth Pledge
WR Soepratman’s action at the Second Youth Congress
Fill & Meaning of Youth Oath
After going through a long procession for 2 days, then on October 28, 1928, the participants of the Second Youth Congress agreed to formulate three promises which came to be called the Youth Pledge.
The contents of the Youth Pledge are as follows:
First
We are sons and daughters of Indonesia, claiming to be blooded one, the homeland of Indonesia.
Second
We are sons and daughters of Indonesia, claiming to be one nation, the Indonesian nation.
Third
We are sons and daughters of Indonesia, upholding the language of unity, Indonesian.
According to Azyumardi Azra, as quoted by Asvi Warman Adam in the book Revealing Mysteries of History (2010), the Second Youth Congress which produced the Youth Pledge was one of the milestones of the Indonesian nation’s history in initiating national awareness.
While in the book Political Literacy (2019) written by Gun Gun Heryanto and friends, it was revealed that the pledge as one homeland, one nation and one language was a very monumental pledge for the history of the Indonesian people.
This pledge or Youth Oath was read out in the arena of the Second Youth Congress and attended by youth across ethnic, religious and regional lines, later, 17 years later, giving birth to the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, on August 17, 1945.
The meaning contained is that the historic event taught the values of national unity. The Youth Pledge proves that the differences possessed by the Indonesian people can be united as the embodiment of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika which means “different but still one”.
Also read: Johanna Masdani the Youth Pledge Reader
The Youth Pledge also contains many positive values that can be applied in everyday life. Sri Sudarmiyatun in a book entitled The Meaning of Youth Pledge (2012) mentions the values of Youth Pledge, among others:
The value of patriotism, mutual cooperation, deliberation to reach consensus, love the motherland, kinship, unity and unity, harmony, cooperation, peace, and responsibility.
So, the Youth Pledge should be used as an inspiration for Indonesia’s young generation now to bring this country towards better change, not to be divided in the vortex of conflict between fellow children of their own nation.
Puri A Wahid 