Figure 1.--This image shows a Cub in the Duthch east Indies before the Japanese invasion. Note the British-styled Cub cap, but the short sleved shirt rather than the sweater commonly worn in the Netherlands and Britain. Click on the image to learn about this boy.

Scouting was founded in Indonesia while the country was the Dutch colony of the Dutch East Indies. We note a memoir from a boy who was an eager Cub and Scout in the years before the Japanese World War II invasion. We believe that relatively few boys were involved, but have little information. Scouting effectively ended with the Japanese occupation of the colony. Some efforts were made to revive Scouting after the War. Conditions were unsettled as Indonesians resisted the restablishment of the Dutch colonial administration and waged a struggle for independence. The Government formed the highly nationalistic Gerakan Pramuka in 19?? and banned Scouting. The Indonesian Pramuka has since begun to rethink their initial rejection of Scouting. Pramuka authorities have been striving to re-establish relations with Scouting for a long time, claiming that their organization from the beginning was just Scouting the Indonesian way, rightfully taking the place of pre-revolutionary Scouting.

Dutch East Indies (1912-42)

Scouting was founded in Indonesia while the country was the Dutch colony of the Dutch East Indies (1912). It was organized as a branch of the Nederlandse Padvinders Organisatie (NPO). This was the Dutch Boys Scouts. After 1916 it was organized as the Nederland Indische Padvinders Vereeniging (Netherlands Indies Scout Movement). Other Scouting associations were founded. We note a memoir from a boy who was an eager Cub and Scout in the years before the Japanese World War II invasion. We believe that relatively few boys were involved, but have little information. One reports suggests that Scouting was very popular and quite a number of boys joined. We havev no actual numbers. We suspect that many of the DEI Scouts were from the more Dutch-related Christian minority, but again have little actual data. We do not know if Scouting was an integrated movement or if there were separate units for Dutch and Indonesian boys.

Japanese World War II Occupation (1942-45)

TheJapanese invaded and occipied the Dutch East Indies shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor (1942). The oil of the DEI had been a primary reason the Japanese decided on war. Scouting was adversely affected by the Japanese occupation of the colony. The Japanese tended to view Scouting as a European-oriented organization and were suspiious of any uniformed group, even a boys' group. We have few details on actual Jaopanese policies during the occupztion. TheDutch wre interned in concentration camps. One source suggests that many new Scout associations were organized on the different islands, significantly splintering the movement. In addition, the Japanese encouraged nationalist groups which had been supressed by the Dutch, but never actually moved toward independence. These political groups organized youth auxileries.

Dutch Return (1945-48)

Some efforts were made to revive Scouting after the War. Conditiins were unsettled as Indonesians resisted the reestablishment of the Dutch colonial administration and waged a struggle for independence. The Scoutig movement splitered even further during this period. Not only were there separate associations on the different islands, but political parties founded youth movements which they called Scouts.

Independence (1948- )

After Independence there were efforts to unite the country's Scouting movement. Thirteen of the larger Scouting associations decided to found a national federation to satisfy both national neds and international requirements--Ikatan Pandu Indonesia (Ipindo) (1951). The first chief commissioner was Tuan Soemardjo. Doctor Bahder Djohan, a Scouter before the War and Minister of Education, became honorary President. The Government recognized Ipindo (1952), President Sukarno agreed to be Patron of the unifying and correlating National Scout Council. Indonesia joined WOSM since (1953). We do not fully understand what followed next. The Government intervened to estabkidsh aingle national Indonesian youth movement--Gerakan Pramuka (1961). What is not clear is if this is a Scouting movenment or a nationalist group. President Sukarno signed a regulation making Gerakan Pramuka the official youth movement in Indonesia. It was a highly nationalistic group. And other youth organizations were banned. The Indonesian Pramuka has since begun to rethink their initial rejection of Scouting. Pramuka authorities have been striving to re-establish relations with Scouting for a long time, claiming that their organization from the beginning was just Scouting the Indonesian way, rightfully taking the place of pre-revolutionary Scouting.