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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
A. Literature Review
1. Postcolonialism
Post-colonial theory at first appeared as a new distinction around the 1990s. The word post-colonialism itself is derived from the prefix “post”,
which means both possible and necessary to break with tradition and institute with absolutely new ways of living and thinking as for Lyotard in Gandhi’s
Postcolonial Theory 1998:7, and the word colonialism, which means an extension of a nations rule over territory beyond its borders as for Ashcroft et
al 1995:3 Indeed, for us, the hyphenated form of the word ‘post-colonial’ has come
to stand for both the material effects of colonisation and the huge diversity of everyday and sometimes hidden responses to it throughout
the world. We use the term ‘post-colonial’ to represent the continuing process of imperial suppressions and exchanges throughout this diverse
range of societies, in their institutions and their discursive practices. Because the imperial process works through as well as upon individuals
and societies, ‘post-colonial’ theory rejects the egregious classification of ‘First’ and ‘Third’ World and contests the lingering fallacy that the post-
colonial is somehow synonymous with the economically ‘underdeveloped’
.
The Dutch colonization in Indonesia is one of the examples. The Dutch colonizer has colonized not only Indonesia’s militaristic side but also
Indonesia’s civilational side. The militaristic side can be said as the colonization of the physical conquest and also the occupation of territories,
while the civilational side can be said as the colonization of the conquest and the occupation of minds, selves and cultures. One of the examples of the
civilational colonization can be seen through the dress wore by the Yogyakartas Sultan Palaces soldiers whose uniform combination can be
seen at the Ulen Sentanu Museum Yogyakarta and also Sultan Palace Museum, Yogyakarta. Having a look at the uniform, there is touch of
European brought by the Ducth settlers that can be seen through the using of feathers, the design of hats, socks and the loafers. This combination of
uniform is still used by the active Sultan Palaces soldier today. The most frightening fact about colonization is that colonialism does not
end with the end of the practice of colonial occupation itself Ashcroft et al, 1995:3-4. Further, Ashcroft says that culture, languages, customs and beliefs
are the most crucial and complex features that are usually contaminated in the process of colonization. Indeed there are many people sacrifice their life,
fought to free Indonesia from the colonization, thus many people in Indonesia had having a very interesting point of view about Dutch colonization in
Indonesia. Some of them do not regret that they have been colonized. As written by Hannigan in his Raffles and the British Invasion in Java 2012: 15-
19 responding to his Indonesian students reaction towards Dutch occupation over Indonesia in the past,