“Our founding father had put the first steps to know who is the Indonesian really were, and where they are going to be. But then we never continue what they have started,” a good friend of mine said. Her words struck me out because I know she is somewhat right. Even though there are people who struggle to fight for the sake of this country whether by winning scientific Olympiads, wrote wonderful literatures, conduct international awesome events, working wholeheartedly in public institutions, or just paying taxes sincerely and on time, still many of us are not even bother about this Nations’ future. Do not care about the election, do not watch the succeed government programs, and the failure ones in TV or newspapers or radio. Not even have a will to learn the proper national language. It is said that a language shows a nation. Is it our people whom are not capable in using the proper language or is it because our language that are not able to follow our people habits of speaking whom prefer to use slank words instead of the proper one, prefer to use English language rather than their own national language?
Identity of a nation of course can not be judge only by a single factor as language. There are many factors that should been count as well. Factors like historical background, sociological and geographical background, people’s habits, their work ethos, their though, how other countries been in touch and influences them, the economical and political stability, and many mores.
Putting all of those factors into one ideal idea about how the Indonesians are supposed to be is not an easy task. But we can always look back to what our founding father have started about the Indonesian identity. Maybe we can see our souls in the Indonesian flags, red and white which are symbols for bravery and holiness. But, hey, Monako also have the same colors flag. Is this means that our true identity is a copy-cat nation? Or are we a nation that most of the times ‘incidentally’ have the same ideas with other parties in creating flag, or music, movies, and other stuffs?

Well, let’s take a look on the historical background then. We were under Netherland’s attack and high sovereign, it’s very difficult times for our people to gather and discuss which-color-is-the-best and create a flag. So, some youths climbing a Hotel in Surabaya and rip the blue color from the Netherland flag to show to the world Indonesian Flag which is Red and White. Is this means that our nations is lack of Liberty for the price as losing Netherlands blue? Or are we too lazy to find our true color?
But the big question is not lying in the present time, but why Indonesian people back then not giving protests or objections over this quite sensitive issue? Why they kept quite over the “borrowed color flag”? Were they dumb? No, they weren’t. Our founding fathers and their friends as most of the revolutionary soldiers are very smarts and sharps. They had received great education in local schools and abroad. They gathered in secret meetings to share knowledge and information. They were in Indonesian worst period of time, still they create best outcome: independency for the whole nation.
With such a great output from their work, we can be certain that they are very bright. Thus, why they don’t protest? Are there any Indonesian values we didn’t see? Or are we too afraid to see the possibility of certain values to be part of our identity? For example, we reject the “positive thinking program” which launched by the local Government. We were too afraid to prove the world that we can see positivity in all circumstances. Or maybe we were afraid to admit that we have all the greatness in our blood. Our ancestors did not afraid to met and greet all the traders coming in our lands, they had persistent souls to stands for their homes, and they did not afraid to “modified” other people’s flag because they knew they have strong reason to choose those colors. Even after they found out that this red and white flag are the same as Monako’s, they know it’s not. Indonesian has their unique and original personality, and historical background. The color matters, but what matter most is the interpretation for it.
So, back to our main topic, what is our true identity? Is it supposed to be good ones so we can close our eyes over our bad inherited habits as corruption? Of course no, and yes. No, we cannot close our eyes to our own “bad inherited habit”, we have to overcome them, and we are able to eliminating the bad lifestyle, and preserve the good ones. And yes, we have to set our identity as the most ideal one that has the color of Indonesian faces and cultures yet our potentials both the recognizable ones and the marvelous potentials inside us that need to be unleash.
What is it to be exact? Well, as been said before, there are many factors that should been seen before we can figure out the “real” Indonesian identity. Until, the “exact” answer came by the mouth of the experts, and piles of evidences, let’s have positive thinking and be proud to be a member of Indonesian big families. Hence, it’s our time now to create a great future for Indonesia.
-FIN-