Islamic Politics And Nationalism In North Sulawesi (1920-1945): The Case
Of Sarekat Islam
Abstract
This paper focuses on the political and nationalist activities of
Sarekat Islam in North Sulawesi in the period 1920-1950. During this
time the Sarekat Islam movement adopted three models of action:
exploiting political opportunities, setting appropriate goals, and
mobilizing resources. This freed the Indonesian community from the Dutch
political system, gave rise to a newly educated elite, and fostered a
discourse of progress and the spirit of popular nationalism. In certain
regions, especially in Bolaang Mongondow, North Sulawesi, the Sarekat
Islam movement encountered great success and there was largely an
absence of internal conflict both among the member organizations /
parties and between the broader community and Sarekat Islam. The paper
argues that Sarekat Islam both laid the groundwork for increased
political awareness and liberation and created political opportunities
for the newly educated elite and the people of Bolaang Mongondow, North
Sulawesi. Research methods are based primarily on library research,
drawing on books, journal articles, archives, newspapers and magazines,
supplemented by non-written sources in the form of several interviews.