Yohana (60 years) looked different on Sunday. She was wearing kebaya, a traditional Indonesian blouse, with elaborate hairstyle. The nursing home resident was commemorating Kartini day, a female figure born in 1879, symbolizing women emancipation in Indonesia.
Together with two hundred senior citizens living at Tresna Werdha Budi Mulia nursing home, Yohana celebrate the moment with a fashion show competition. Some even went to salon and put some make up.
Indonesian people celebrate Kartini Day in many ways. A hundred women held a rally against discrimination, impoverishment, violence, and sexual harrasment against women.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with his twitter account sent his messages. "The best way to thanks Kartini is being Kartini in 21st century to develop the nation," he wrote.
In some offices, Kartini day celebrated by female staff wearing traditional dresses. Female drivers of Trans Jakarta, for example, were wearing traditional dresses and put some feminine touch to their appearance while driving the buses.
Kartini, a royal member family in Central Java, dedicated her life to improve the conditions of Javanese women -many of them came from lower social status. She taught some women to read, boraden their horizon, and life skills. Her tought was regarded quite advanced for a woman in her era. Until later, her letter correspondence with her friends abroad was published with the tittle, Out of Darkness Comes Light (Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang).
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