{{short description|First Indonesian flag}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}} [[File:Indonesia flag raising witnesses 17 August 1945.jpg|thumb|The ''Bendera Pusaka'' is raised for the first time]] The {{lang|id|'''Bendera Pusaka Sang Saka Merah Putih'''}} ({{lit|The Sacred Red and White Heirloom Flag}}) was the first [[Flag of Indonesia|Indonesian flag]]. Sewn by [[Sukarno]]'s wife [[Fatmawati]], it was raised for the first time when Sukarno [[Proclamation of Indonesian Independence|proclaimed Indonesia's independence]] on 17 August 1945. Although required by law to be housed in the [[Monas|National Monument]], the flag is still kept at the Presidential Palace.
==History== [[File:Hoisting of Bendera Pusaka at Merdeka Palace, Indonesian Affairs Vol 3 Issue 8, Aug 1953, p41.jpg|thumb|Hoisting of Bendera Pusaka at [[Merdeka Palace]], 1953]] The ''Bendera Pusaka'' was sewn by Sukarno's wife Fatmawati.<ref name=Torchia>{{harvnb|Torchia|2007|p=142}}</ref> It was based on a 13th-century [[Majapahit]] flag, which had nine stripes of red and white.<ref name=FOTW>{{cite web|url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/id.html|title=Indonesia|author=Ian Macdonald|date=18 June 2010|publisher=Flags of the World|access-date=12 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402071710/https://www.fotw.info/flags/id.html|archive-date=2 April 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
It was first raised at Sukarno's house at 56 Pegangsaan Timur Street, [[Jakarta]], after Sukarno read the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence.<ref name=law>{{cite web |url=http://pusatbahasa.kemdiknas.go.id/lamanv4/sites/default/files/UU_2009_24.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816163815/http://pusatbahasa.kemdiknas.go.id/lamanv4/sites/default/files/UU_2009_24.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 August 2010 |title=Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 24 Tahun 2009 tentang Bendera, Bahasa, dan Lambang Negara serta Lagu Kebangsaaan |trans-title=Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 24 of the Year 2009 regarding the National Flag, Language, and Emblem as well as the National Anthem |language=id |date=9 July 2002 |publisher=Indonesian National Government |access-date=11 July 2011 }}</ref> It was hoisted on a short [[bamboo]] staff by a group led by Captain Latief Hendaningrat; after its hoisting, the gathered crowd sang "[[Indonesia Raya]]".<ref name=FOTW/><ref name=paskibraka>{{cite web|url=http://www.paskibraka-jp.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3:sejarah-paskibraka-indonesia&catid=3:sejarah&Itemid=2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121218130245/http://www.paskibraka-jp.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3:sejarah-paskibraka-indonesia&catid=3:sejarah&Itemid=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 December 2012|title=Sejarah Pembentukan Paskibraka|trans-title=History of the Formation of Paskibraka|language=id|date=26 January 2011|publisher=Paskibraka|access-date=12 July 2011}}</ref>
During the first year of the [[Indonesian National Revolution]], the ''Bendera Pusaka'' flew day and night. After the Dutch took Jakarta in 1946, the ''Bendera Pusaka'' was brought to [[Yogyakarta]] in Sukarno's briefcase. During [[Operatie Kraai]], the ''Bendera Pusaka'' was cut in half and given to Indonesian composer [[Husein Mutahar]] for safekeeping; Mutahar was told to "protect the flag with [his] life". Despite being captured by and escaping from the Dutch, Mutahar managed to bring the flag to Jakarta, sew it back together, and turn it over to Soedjono. Soedjono later returned the flag to Sukarno, who was in exile in [[Bangka Island|Bangka]].<ref name=paskibraka/> After the end of the war, the ''Bendera Pusaka'' was raised once a year in front of the Presidential Palace during [[Independence Day (Indonesia)|Independence Day]] celebrations.<ref name=Torchia/>
In 2003, plans were released to relocate the ''Bendera Pusaka'' from the Presidential Palace to the [[Monas|National Monument]]. In 2004, the relocation was expected to cost Rp. 3.5 billion (US$388,889), with the flag being stored in a 24-[[Carat (purity)|karat]] [[gold-plated]] case within the Independence Room of the Monument.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/07/23/monas-house-historic-flag.html |title=Monas to house historic flag |author=Damar Harsanto |date=23 August 2004 |work=The Jakarta Post |access-date=12 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012004610/https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2004/07/23/monas-house-historic-flag.html |archive-date=12 October 2012 }}</ref> However, the relocation has been consistently delayed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.antaranews.com/view/?i=1179305111&c=NAS&s=|title=Pemindahan Bendera Pusaka Ditunda hingga Agustus 2007|trans-title=Relocation of ''Bendera Pusaka'' Delayed until August 2007|language=id|author=Ruslan Burhani|date=16 May 2007 |publisher=ANTARA|access-date=12 July 2011}}</ref> As of 2009, its storage at the National Monument has been mandated by law.<ref name=law/>
==Description and symbolism== {{see also|Flag of Indonesia}} The ''Bendera Pusaka'' consists of two bands, red at the top and white at the bottom, at a scale of 2:3. The red stands for bravery ({{langx|id|keberanian}}), while the white stands for purity ({{langx|id|kesucian}}).<ref name=law/> However, alternative meanings have been proposed, including that the red represents [[palm sugar]] and the white represents rice, both staples of [[Indonesian cuisine]].<ref name=FOTW/>
==Social impact== [[File:Paskibrakaaceh.jpg|thumb|A Paskibraka troop in [[Aceh]], during a flag ceremony]] The ''Bendera Pusaka'' has been used in the name of the Indonesian [[student organization]] [[Paskibraka|Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka]] (often abbreviated Paskibraka; {{langx|en|Pusaka Flag Hoisting Troop}}). The organization, which was founded by Husein Mutahar in 1968, provides flag bearers for flag ceremonies in the local and national levels as well as in international functions for overseas Indonesians.<ref name=paskibraka/>
==Relocation== In 2003, the [[governor of Jakarta]], [[Sutiyoso]] announced his plan to relocate the original ''Bendera Pusaka'' from the [[Merdeka Palace]] to the [[Monumen Nasional|National Monument]]. For security and financial reasons, the Rp 3.5 billion (US$388,889) project was delayed for a year. Of the Rp3.5 billion, only Rp 500 million was allocated for the actual relocation ceremony, while most of the remaining Rp 3 billion was spent on procuring around 15 kilograms of gold for the [[Art conservation|conservation]] room and on security measures such as alarms and security cameras. The spending was proposed in the 2003 revised city budget. The plan was to install the flag in a 24-carat gold plated case in the Independence Room inside the National Monument. Inside the Independence Room, there are three most important relics from Indonesia's history: the [[Garuda Pancasila]] statue, the [[Nusantara (archipelago)|Nusantara]] (Archipelago) map and the original text of the [[Indonesian Declaration of Independence|Proclamation of Independence]], which all are kept in the gold plated cases.<ref name='indoflag1'>{{cite web |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/id.html |title=Indonesia |access-date=26 December 2007 |date=6 September 2006 |publisher=[[Flags of the World (website)|Flags of the World]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402071710/https://www.fotw.info/flags/id.html |archive-date=2 April 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite book |last1=Torchia|first1=Christopher|title=Indonesian Idioms and Expressions: Colloquial Indonesian at Work|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YGTBFGOsOnQC&dq=%22gugur+bunga%22&pg=PA7|year=2007|publisher=[[Tuttle Publishing|Tuttle]]|location=Singapore|isbn=978-0-8048-3873-3 }}
{{Indonesia topics}}
[[Category:Flags of Indonesia]] [[Category:Special events flags]] [[Category:National symbols of Indonesia]]