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| Ilustrasi perang jawa (credit : Wikipedia) |
The Kampak Patik rebellion did not happen suddenly, but was based on the dissatisfaction of the people of Ponorogo towards the regulations imposed by the Dutch colonial government which were considered to make the people miserable.
It began in 1830, when the Dutch introduced the forced cultivation system (cultuurstelsel) where people were forced to plant several crops for export commodities. Some types of commodities that were required to be planted included coffee, tea, indigo, and tobacco on most of their land. The results were then required to be submitted to the Dutch government and were valued very low. Not only that, the Dutch also imposed high taxes and various other levies on the sale of these commodities which further burdened the people.
The people who felt oppressed then resisted by looting the coffee warehouse belonging to the Dutch Controller. This incident was then reported by the Controller as "Kampak Patik" or the Robbery/Plundering of Patik to give a negative stigma to the action, as if the perpetrators were criminals who were against the law.
This Kampak Patik was led by local community leaders, but unfortunately there are no clear records of who the figures involved were. The names of the figures who played a role were only obtained from oral history that developed and was told down from generation to generation in the Ponorogo community. One of them is Ki Singowongso, a local leader who succeeded in organizing farmers and small communities to unite against oppressive colonial policies.
Another figure is Nyai Sarpin, a brave woman who took part in the resistance. She not only motivated women to support the struggle, but also played an active role in the battle.
Immediately after the Kampak Patik incident, an open confrontation occurred between the people and the Dutch colonial apparatus. The people who were armed with various agricultural tools such as axes, machetes, sickles fought against the colonial forces who were better trained and had firearms. Although the people's resistance was quite fierce, after several days of fighting, the resistance was successfully quelled by the Dutch with considerable casualties on the side of the Ponorogo people.
Although the Kampak Patik rebellion was successfully quelled, this resistance made the Dutch government afraid and worried that a larger rebellion would arise. As a result, the colonial government lowered taxes and raised coffee commodity prices to defuse public anger. This policy became a moral victory for the people of Ponorogo.
The Kampak Patik rebellion is proof of the courage of the people of Ponorogo in the face of oppression and injustice. This event is an important part of the history of the people's resistance against colonialism which deserves to be remembered and studied.