Waking Up At Four In The Morning Is How HOS Tjokroaminoto's Wife Teaches Discipline To Soekarno

Tjokroaminoto's house that later became the boarding house for the nation's leaders on Peneleh Street, Surabaya. (surabaya.go.id)

JAKARTA - Haji Omar Said (H.O.S.) Tjokroaminoto is a big name in the history of the Indonesian nation. He is reliable in all fields. Sometimes as a master orator. Sometimes also as a reliable mentor. Many candidates for national figures are attracted. From Soekarno to Kartosoewirjo.

They chose a boarding house at Tjokro's house. This was successful. Instead of only getting knowledge from Tjokro, in fact, they got knowledge from Tjokro's wife, Soeharsikin. The landlady teaches them about discipline by getting up at four in the morning every day.

Tjokroaminoto's guts to defend the natives is second to none. He was not afraid of being caught by the Dutch. He dared to come up with the idea of ​​independence for native people. Even though the word independence was still taboo at that time. Tjokro's courage paid off. His number of followers was huge, his influence was growing.

His influence is evidenced by his leadership in Sarekat Islam (SI). He became a central figure who was able to bring SI as the largest mass organization in the history of the national movement. All because of Tjokro's ability to unite the diversity of ideologies.

The flames of Tjokro's resistance inspired many people. Many parents wanted their children to grow up and live with Tjokro. Soekarno, Musso, Kartosoewirjo are some of them.

Soekarno and his friends' room when they were staying at a boarding house at HOS Tjokroaminoto's house. (surabaya.go.id)

They were then allowed by Tjokro to Logeer (lodge) at his house in Peneleh Street, Surabaya. The closeness between Tjokro and his boarding house's children was second to none. Like a friend, Tjokro often invites his boarding house children to discuss many things. From evening to early morning.

As a result, the knowledge possessed by Tjokroaminoto was able to be well absorbed by every candidate for a national figure. His experience also made Tjokro remembered as a teacher of the nation.

"With its ability to absorb the diversity and breadth of followers, SI immediately became the first native-born association that had national coverage (across islands), calling for a national ideology with a religious color. In his speech before the SI National Congress in Bandung (17 June 1916), Tjokroaminoto stated: we love our nation, and with the strength of our religion (Islam), we must fight to be able to unite all or at least the majority of our people.

“With the greatness of his influence as the King of Java Without a Crown, who is considered the incarnation of Ratu Adil, Tjokroaminoto is known as the Teacher of the Founding Fathers of the Nation. He became a political mentor for movement figures from all streams. Even his house became the residence (boarding house) of a number of the nation's founding figures. Prominent figures who developed various ideologies later lived or at least ate at Tjokroaminoto's house. They were, among others, Soekarno, Musso, Tan Malaka, Kartosoewirjo, and Abikusno Tjokrosoejoso," said Yudi Latif in the book Mata Air Keteladanan (2014).

The influence of Tjokroaminoto's wife

It is possible that Tjokroaminoto's influence was great for national figures. However, it was not only Tjokro's footsteps that inspired the struggle of national figures. if you take a closer look, his wife, Soeharsikin, took part in galvanizing the struggle of national figures.

The landlady often instills the values ​​of discipline in the children who live in her house. She even made a variety of rules that must be obeyed. Mainly, regarding boarding school children who are required to sleep no later than 10 pm. They can't wake up later than four in the morning.

This rule was made by Soeharsikin so that the children of her boarding house could have ample time to study and recite the Koran. Moreover, she considered morning as the right time for knowledge to reside in mind.

HOS Tjokroaminoto (seated on the far right in a black suit) with Sarekat Islam figures. (Wikimedia Commons)

Young Bung Karno agreed with this experience, who at that time attended Hoogere Burgerschool (HBS) in Surabaya. According to him, Mrs. Tjokro has an important role in maintaining the discipline of her boarding house children. Especially about waking up at four in the morning. This habit made Bung Karno able to live in discipline throughout his life's journey.

“Mrs. Tjokro is a sweet woman with a small and nice stature. She alone collects our food money every week. She's the one who makes the rules like, firstly, Dinner at nine o'clock, and whoever comes late can't eat."

“Second, school children must be in their rooms at 10 pm. Third, school children have to get up at four in the morning to study. Fourth, it is forbidden to play with girls," explained Soekarno as written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Penyambung Lidah Rakyat Indonesia (2016).