According to Yo, Soepratman had also given him the rights to sell record copies of "Indonesia Raya" through his store Toko Populair. Yo was unable to bring the original back but was able to bring home a copy. However, before Yo was able to do so, Dutch colonial authorities had imposed a ban on the song. With Soepratman's consent, Yo created a copy of the song on a gramophone record overseas to obtain the best sound quality with the intention of bringing the copy back to Indonesia. Ī businessman friend of his, Yo Kim Tjan, also expressed interest in recording "Indonesia Raya". All one thousand copies of the manuscript were sold within a short amount of time to his friends and family. Soepratman personally printed and distributed copies of the song with its new title through pamphlets. In 1929, Wage Rudolf Supratman changed the title of his song to "Indonesia Raya" and appended the phrase "national anthem of Indonesia" below it, but the text of the song did not change. This was followed by the Sin Po Chinese weekly on 10 November. On 7 November 1928, the Soeloeh Ra'jat Indonesia daily published the words to the song. The press also played a key role in the publication of the song. Distribution įollowing the Second Youth Congress, the text of Indonesia was distributed by many political and student organisations. He kept the script to himself because he felt that it was not the appropriate time to announce it. Soepratman first performed Indonesia on the violin on 28 October 1928 during the Second Indonesian Youth Congress. After receiving encouragement from the conference leader Sugondo Djojopuspito, Soepratman played the song on the violin, hoping that it would someday become their national anthem. Supratman was inspired by the meetings and intended to play the song for the conference.
Supratman promised them this, and the organizers allowed him free access to the event. The organizers wanted to avoid suspicion so that the Dutch would not ban the event. Upon hearing about the efforts, young reporter Wage Rudolf Soepratman contacted the organizers of Congress with the intention of reporting the story, but they requested that he not publish the story from fear of Dutch colonial authorities. In 1928, youths from across Indonesia held the first Indonesian Youth Congress, an official meeting to push for the independence of the nation. In 1924, the song was completed during his time in Bandung and entitled "Indonesia". Soepratman – who was also a musician – felt challenged, and started composing. The essay author challenged Indonesian music experts to compose Indonesian national anthem. When he lived in Jakarta, Soepratman read an essay from Timbul magazine. secondary school students) must render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces, and other persons in uniform (e.g. The ceremony is led by the President of Indonesia and is usually held in Merdeka Palace.ĭuring the rendition or singing of the national anthem, all present except those in uniform should stand, face toward the music, and pay respect. The main flag raising ceremony is held annually on 17 August to commemorate Independence day. The flag is raised in a solemn and timed motion so that it reaches the top of the flagpole as the anthem ends. "Indonesia Raya" is played in flag raising ceremonies in schools across Indonesia every Monday.
Jozef Cleber, a Dutch composer, created an arrangement of the tune for philharmonic orchestra in 1950. The first stanza of "Indonesia Raya" was chosen as the national anthem when Indonesia proclaimed its independence on 17 August 1945. The first newspaper to openly publish the musical notation and lyrics of "Indonesia Raya" - an act of defiance towards the Dutch authorities - was the Chinese Indonesian weekly Sin Po. The song marked the birth of the all-archipelago nationalist movement in Indonesia that supported the idea of one single "Indonesia" as successor to the Dutch East Indies, rather than split into several colonies.
The song was introduced by its composer, Wage Rudolf Supratman, on 28 October 1928 during the Second Indonesian Youth Congress in Batavia. It has been the national anthem since the proclamation of Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945. " Indonesia Raya" ("Great Indonesia") is the national anthem of Indonesia.