MOTHER’S DAY

         Mother’s Day, we all know what Mother’s Day is, essentially it is a day where we give our appreciation to our mothers. Although its date may vary depending on the country, it is still a day that is celebrated around the world every year. But how about the origins of Mother’s Day itself? What was the reason behind the establishment of this day that we celebrate annually? Why is the date of Mother’s Day in our country, Indonesia, different from that of the majority of countries? To answer these questions let us look a bit about the history of Mother’s Day in the west and Indonesia.

         For the majority of the world, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May. The backstory to this date stems from a period of time in the United States. This establishment started with Ann Reeves Jarvis who campaigned for Mother’s Day for Peace. The purpose behind this day was to promote a day where husbands and sons no longer have to go to war. The struggle was continued by her daughter Anna Maria Jarvis in which it was first celebrated in 1907 and officially recognized by the US government in 1914. It was a day celebrated to honor all mothers. In contrast, the date for Mother’s Day in Indonesia is the 22nd of December. This day originated from the first Women’s Congress Indonesia in December 1928. The Congress was inspired by the unity that was displayed during the Sumpah Pemuda event in the same year. During the third Women’s Congress Indonesia in 1938, an idea came up for a day to commemorate Indonesia’s strive for independence as well as the empowerment of Indonesian mothers.

         All in all, even though the celebration of Mother’s Day around the world has the same fundamentals, the history behind it varies from country to country as we can see from the differences in origins between Mother’s Day in western countries and Mother’s Day in Indonesia. What needs to be remembered is that we have to appreciate all the things that our mother has done for us and that even a simple thank you would brighten her day.

References

CNN Indonesia Team. (2020, December 22). Sejarah Perayaan Hari Ibu di Indonesia. Retrieved November 21, 2021, from CNN Indonesia: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/gaya-hidup/20201222135816-284-585189/sejarah-perayaan-hari-ibu-di-indonesia

History.com Editors. (2021, October 28). Mother’s Day 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from History: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day

Meydhalifah, T. (2020, December 22). Hari Ibu di Indonesia dan Kisah Hari Ibu Berbagai Negara. Retrieved November 21, 2021, from Kompas: https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2020/12/22/090200865/hari-ibu-di-indonesia-dan-kisah-hari-ibu-berbagai-negara?page=all

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2021, March 9). Mother’s Day. Retrieved November 19, 2021, from Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mothers-Day