The Wife Of A VOC Official, Doyan Pamer Harta

The luxurious lifestyle and fond of parties of Dutch officials and their wives from the VOC era to the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The behavior of Dutch trading airline officials, the VOC, is often problematic. They perpetuate all means including corruption - to live a world of wealth. Everything is to avenge the past of Company officials who live in poverty in their hometowns.

The change in life made Kompeni officials fond of showing off. Mainly, the wife of an official. All kinds of her husband's wealth are exhibited in public. From parties, church services, to funeral ceremonies. They want to live a luxurious life like the King of Java.

The presence of Kompeni in the archipelago is full of dynamics. The lives of its officials, especially. Their presence in the archipelago often perpetuates negative things. Because, not all Kompeni officials come from rich and educated families.

Most Company officials attended from the lower classes. Poor and educationless. As long as they are not Catholics, everyone has the right to enter the VOC. What is planted, that's what happens. The moral affairs of the Company's officials fell to the lowest level. Instead of remembering God, they often behave forget themselves.

They perpetuate life away from the values of virtue. This fact can be seen from the lives of Kompeni officials who are luxurious and luxurious. The desire for spree arises because they see a series of Javanese kings.

They also want their entire life to be served. They have many slaves. In fact, more than 10 slaves have. All the luxurious lifestyles are supported by corruption. The money that should go to the Company's cash, actually goes into the private treasury.

Therefore, people who used to don't want to be placed in the archipelago are considered far away and dangerous to be interested. For them, the archipelago, which is often called a country, is able to bring profits in the fields.

VOC personnel generally don't get the opportunity like Speelman has enjoyed (in terms of power), but as far as they can look for opportunities to match his lifestyle. This often ends with inefficiencies, moral scrutiny, corruption, as well as acts of roughness and cruelty against the natives, thereby increasing their feelings of hatred for the VOC.

"For example, the VOC students commander in Kartasura in 1682 reported that VOC soldiers raped Javanese women in their homes, and that soldiers, both Christian and European bumiputras, smoked opium, and drank unhealthy leaks of glutinous rice," said MC Ricklefs in the book Modern Indonesia History 12002008(2008).

The life of VOC officials who love spree is contagious to their wives. The luxurious lifestyle of her husband's wealth is a mainstay to maintain prestige. They don't want to be underestimated by other Company employees. They always want to excel.

The official's wives also indirectly asked her husband to justify everything in order to achieve and obtain tools or items that become a symbol of wealth. From horse carriages, jewelry, clothes, to slaves. A series of symbols of wealth then they showed off in public.

They show off they don't know the place. Anywhere and anytime. The special thing is that the wealth exhibition is often held when carrying out regular worship at church. At that time, the church was like an arenafashion show for the wives of Dutch officials.

The same scene was also seen when the wife of the Company official perpetuated showing off her wealth at the death ceremony or party. They came by horse train. Even when they arrived at the location, the wife of the official wearing valuable jewelry was accompanied faithfully by the slaves who brought all kinds of needs to the wife of the official. From umbrellas to betel boxes.

The church council was disturbed by living showing off wealth. However, what is the power, the matter of showing off wealth is often carried out in the same class as the Governor General. Even if there are rules that require Company officials to appear simple, of course the rules only apply to low-ranking officials. Meanwhile, high-ranking officials continue to perpetuate a luxurious lifestyle like the King of Java.

Pamer kekayaan di depan publik juga memperkenalkan pemerintah Batavia. Hal ini muncul bukan karena kebisukaan satu sama lain, bukan juga masalah dengan para pempor, tetapi masalah kesama hak antara ksama anggota pemerintahan. Dengan model hierarchi Jawa dan Jepang sebagai model mereka. Para pejabat Batavia menyampaikan kerajat dan keterangan prestasi mereka untuk naik tangga masyarakat VOC atau masyarakat umum yang bebas.

Governor General Rijklof van Goens (1678-1681) is one of the first to make rules regarding the right of central government members to wear diamonds, pearls, gold, silver, and other jewelry as a complement to their appearance. He also prohibits low-ranking employees and ordinary people from owning horse trains," said historian Jean Gelman Taylor in the book Social Life in Batavia (2009).