Welcome to the Museum of Dewantara Kirti Griya, a haven of knowledge and tribute dedicated to Indonesia’s visionary educator Ki Hajar Dewantara. Showcasing his life’s work in fighting for accessible education in Indonesia, this museum is embarking on a digitalization journey to ignite a new era of legacy preservation and educational empowerment. But first, let’s start this journey by introducing Ki Hajar Dewantara.
Ki Hajar Dewantara (KHD) was an Indonesian educator, independence activist, and a leading figure in the Indonesian independence movement. Considered the “Father of Indonesian Education” (Bapak Pendidikan National), he founded Taman Siswa school system – the first Indonesian school system to offer education to all levels of society, regardless of social class. He devised the educational philosophy (still used in Indonesian schools today) “Ing Ngarsa Sung Tuladha, Ing Madya Mangun Karsa, Tut Wuri Handayani ” – roughly translated as “to lead by example, to inspire and build values from within, to guide and support from behind”.
Armed with a typewriter and a pen, Ki Hajar Dewantara’s transformative impact on education and his profound teachings deserve to be accessible to all. However, constraints such as limited physical access and internet connectivity have posed challenges in accessibility and digitizing his work and teachings. Thus, presenting a unique problem statement for Kiwix: How can a museum preserve its legacy in empowering education for future generations, while respecting its traditional heritage?
Fusing tradition and innovation was not easy, but together with Wikipedia Indonesia and Kiwix, this vision became a reality. Using WikiData and Kiwix, visitors and students can immerse themselves in KHD’s teachings, and get access to the latest digitized collection (i.e., letters, manuscripts, and other forms of physical texts) anytime while being served offline. Kiwix bridges these barriers by empowering visitors, researchers, and students to engage with the museum’s remarkable collection offline, sharing his wisdom and his educational vision for future generations.
Education is the cornerstone of progress, and Ki Hajar Dewantara’s philosophy embodies the transformative power of learning. By digitalizing the museum’s collection and serving it offline through Kiwix, the desire to preserve and propagate Dewantara’s teachings can now be easily accessible. Visitors are invited to scan QR codes to embark on this journey, immersing themselves in the wisdom and foundational pillars that have shaped the education landscape in Indonesia.
Next time when you do visit Yogyakarta, do plan a trip down to Museum Dewantara (Google Maps Link) and embark on this educational adventure by immersing yourself in the boundless wisdom of Ki Hadjar Dewantara!
Check out this video link – our demonstration to fellow students and museum-goers.