1 Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: Meaningful Teaching about Colonialism Syaiful Amin, Sariyatun, Gunarhadi, Hieronymus Purwanta Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia Submitted: 2023-04-30. Revised: 2024-05-13. Accepted: 2024-06-12 Abstract This study aims to analyze the results of exploring stambul comedy as part of Indies art in early 20th-century Semarang as an effort to implement meaningful learning about colonialism for stu- dents. This research was conducted using a qualitative framework with a case study approach. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document studies. The data analysis for this research referred to Yin’s two patterns: pattern matching and explanation building. The results showed that the narrative of Stambul comedy in early 20th-century Semarang is relevant for developing students’ knowledge about colonialism in a more contextual manner. Findings indicate that students’ initial understanding of colonialism was still not contextual and tended to be theoretical, with colonialism merely understood as a process of occupation and domination by one nation over another. After exploring material on the development of Indies art through contextual teaching and learning, students were able to think critically and collaboratively. A constructivist process could trigger acceptance and rejection of colonialism: discovering, elabo- rating, and determining the meaning of learning. Moreover, students’ new knowledge could be factually constructed, influenced by factors such as reading preferences, collaborative abilities, and critical examination of texts provided by the teacher and further explored by the students. Keywords: aestheticism; Stambul comedy; Indies art; exploration; meaningful teaching; colonialism How to Cite: Syaiful, A., Sariyatun, S., Gunarhadi, G., & Purwanta, H. (2024). Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th- Century Semarang: Meaningful Teaching about Colonialism. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education, 24(1), 1-17 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024), 1-17 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v24i1.44083 results showed that a significant portion of young Indonesians aged 15 to 20 view colonialism merely as a process of occu- pation, without any understanding of the impact and how colonialism destroyed the cultural foundations of local communities (Amin, 2022; Colombijn, 2011; Day, 2022). De Zwart et al. (2022) explain that understanding the negative impacts of colonial rule needs to be maintained as society’s collective memory. Colonialism has had impacts such as environmental INTRODUCTION In the midst of the rapid flow of in- formation that is developing today, the collective knowledge of a society is very easily changed. This is due to information that develops through digital media being popular, very quickly accessible to readers, and having practical understanding that has an impact (Sarkawi, 2016; Straubhaar et al., 2015; Yoga, 2019). In a survey on the understanding of colonialism, concerning Corresponding author: E-mail: syaifulamin@student.uns.ac.id p-ISSN 2541-1683|e-ISSN 2541-2426 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-172 damage, human trafficking, slavery, and control over resources that have disrupted the cultural order of society (Bijl, 2012; Bosma, 2020; Winn, 2010). Therefore, colo- nialism needs to be systematically taught in schools through relevant subjects such as history, culture, and the arts. Regarding how colonialism should be taught, Chal- mers (2019) argues that through the arts and culture developed in colonial societies, colonialism can be taught as an interesting idea discussed interestingly through the learning process. Garba (2012) reinforces the abo- ve view that colonialism should not only be understood as a theory or concept but also its practices in the past, which have brought many negative impacts, need to be known by the present generation. The influence of colonialism in culture and so- cial systems is a topic that is rarely discus- sed, even though colonial culture itself, as a product of ideological practice, has forced colonial societies to practice and internali- ze new knowledge that is entirely different from old knowledge. Such culture can be found in colonial-era Indonesia and is wi- dely known as Indische or Indies culture, which gave rise to new traditions and arts in the colony (Soekiman, 2000). Indies culture is a culture formed through the fusion of Dutch and Indone- sian cultures, especially Javanese cultu- re. The formation of Indies culture was a result of Dutch colonization in Indone- sia (1800-1945). Indies culture influenced Indonesia’s historical, political, economic, and social aspects (Gultom, 2020). This culture not only included appearance or clothing but also influenced architecture and the traditions of colonial society, in- cluding food, party habits, orchestras, and the popularity of theater performances as a natural process of “Dutchification” (Bas- tian, 2018). Semarang, as one of the colonial ci- ties, also experienced the development of Indies arts, and this city became identified as a tourist destination for the colonial nation due to its Indies-style architecture and comfortable living atmosphere. From architecture, one can identify the cultural style that developed during a particular period (Budiman et al., 2020). Indies ar- chitecture is the result of a long process of acculturation. Acculturation is defined as cultural change that occurs through conti- nuous and intensive encounters or mutual influences between two different cultural groups (Soekiman & Purwanto, 2018; Yu- liati, 2019). In cultural encounters, there is an exchange of cultural traits that blend the two cultures, or it could also be traits from another group, often implying the influen- ce of one culture over another (unilateral), for example, the influence of modern cul- ture on a culture that had fallen behind. In the research results of Wijayanto et al. (2024), cultural change in a society always has a motive. It does not happen without a cause. In the context of colonialism, this change was driven more by Dutch cultural hegemony over native Javanese culture. Remnants of Indies-style city can still be found today in Kota Lama or the old city area of Semarang. A significant amount of Indies’ cultural and artistic po- tential can be taught to students to better understand the meaning of colonization that once occurred in Indonesia; today, co- lonialism is understood to have had positi- ve impacts on past societies (Amin, 2022). Stambul comedy, spelled Komedie Stamboel during the Dutch colonial era, became an Indies culture that developed during the colonial era. Stambul comedy is a form of traveling theater performance known as Istanbul-style theater, which at that time emerged to fulfill the entertainment needs of the people in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Through the introduction and exploration of these Indies’ cultural rem- nants, it is possible for social interaction and academic meaning-making processes about colonialism and its impacts on so- ciety to occur. Chalmers (2019) argues that the mea- ning-making process of cultural remnants is effective for developing knowledge about colonialism. Rahman et al. (2018), in their research on colonial culture in India, show that widespread forgetfulness in so- Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 3 ciety is due to a lack of contextual teaching about colonial culture and its remnants, resulting in the current society acquiring popular knowledge that instead highlights the positive sides of colonization. Similar- ly, Rovito and Giles (2016) in their research clarify that colonization cannot be simply forgotten; it is actually the most effective medium to reflect on the process of iden- tity formation through socialization. These two studies show the importance of stu- dying the colonial history of a nation to maintain identity, patriotic attitudes, and progressive and anti-colonial cultural un- derstanding. This research aims to study stam- bul comedy in early 20th-century Sema- rang as a source of learning activities to strengthen meaningful learning about co- lonialism. The significant contribution of this research is that the subject of history is currently identified with political and power discourses, while cultural discour- se is still often neglected, so this research attempts to offer new ideas in the study of history education that can utilize cultural discourse and artistic results in its teaching practices. The integration process between cultural and artistic subjects into subjects like history to develop humanistic thought is very important to research, emphasizing the inclusive side of cultural and artistic subjects themselves. METHOD This research was conducted using a qualitative method with a case study ap- proach (Yin, 2018). A case study is a form of research that seeks to deeply analyze a case that occurs due to human engineering. The case study in this research aims to pre- sent an in-depth analysis of the meaning- ful teaching about colonialism through the exploration activity of stambul comedy in early 20th-century Semarang. This re- search requires the researcher to be fully involved in the processes in the field. How students construct knowledge about colo- nialism and how they understand the de- velopment of Indies arts and their impacts on indigenous societies becomes a premi- se that is critically discussed. Additional- ly, this research is conducted with a case study scenario arranged and shown in a lesson plan implemented by the teachers to carry out meaningful learning. This re- search involves 30 research participants from students with diverse backgrounds in Semarang. The research data comes from ver- bal information, documents, and students’ exploration activities. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document studies. Interviews were con- ducted before students received material about Indies culture and its artistic re- sults. Some students provided informati- on about their perceptions of colonialism, colonization, and its impact on the de- velopment of Indies arts. After that, stu- dents carried out learning according to the scenario discussed between the researcher and the teachers. Activities that occurred were observed, namely when students ob- served, discussed, and presented the re- sults of their discussions about Indies arts they learned directly. After that, portfolio- based evaluation documents were analy- zed and became a reference for deciding whether or not students had good expla- natory abilities about the development of culture and stambul comedy in early 20th- century Semarang. The validity of the research data was examined using confirmation techniques with the participants. Almost all partici- pants confirmed the information obtained objectively, acknowledging it as a process worthy of analysis in a report. This state- ment is important, considering the mutu- al understanding between the researcher and research participants is fundamental to producing a credible report. This confir- mation process runs alongside post-lear- ning interviews. The analysis of this research data refers to Yin (2018), where two stages of case study data analysis are used in this research, namely pattern matching and ex- planation. Pattern matching is comparing the existing patterns in empirical data; if Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-174 both patterns match, then the results can strengthen internal validity and be con- firmed for presentation in the report. Ex- planation is the process of explaining the research findings as they are, as found in the field; the researcher only provides in- formation according to what he observed. In the explanation process, the researcher then presents research facts, makes theore- tical statements, analyzes, and concludes the research results. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Indies Art, Stambul Comedy, and Con- tent Domination Culture To broadly recognize the artworks of a nation, it is somewhat easier if one first knows, understands, and comprehends the meaning of the word “stijl” or style. The term stijl comes from the Latin word stilus, which means a scratcher or stylus; it can also mean the way of scratching or writing. In Dutch, it is schirijftrant stijl, and in Javanese, it is cengkok or way. Another opinion suggests that stijl comes from the Greek word stili silo, which means pillar, and in English, it is known as “style” (Co- hen, 2016; Coté, 2017; Yapp, 2018). Henk Baren states that the word stijl has four meanings: first, “objectieve stijl,” which is the style of the object or thing it- self; second, “subjectieve stijl” or “persoon- lijke stijl,” which is the style possessed by the artist, writer, sculptor, painter, or ar- chitect that characterizes their work; third, “stijl massa” or “nationale stijl,” which is a style that becomes a characteristic or mark (trait) of a nation, such as the Western European, Eastern, Japanese, Indonesian styles, and others; and fourth, “technische stijl,” which is a special style related to the materials or techniques used, for example, wood or iron to build a structure (Corrigan et al., 2015; Sutriyanto, 2010). By recognizing and understanding these four types of styles, it will be easier to comprehend the research on artworks in architecture or various other branches of art, such as visual arts, literature, per- forming arts, music, and others. The ability and skill in the arts among the Javanese people were already very high before the Europeans arrived in Nu- santara or the archipelago, both in perfor- ming arts and visual arts. Unfortunately, written works related to Javanese art are very scarce. Hence, when Europeans took an interest in studying them, they faced difficulties, as written explanations did not accompany Javanese artworks from vario- us fields. It was not until 1921 that books on indigenous music and musical instru- ments were published, including works by J.S. Brandt Buys and Mr. J. Kunst. In 1925, the Java Institute, in its congress in Sema- rang, discussed writings for music and dance and music education (Buys, 2019; Kunst, 2013). In early 18th-century Semarang, Ja- vanese handicrafts were already very de- veloped when Europeans arrived. Indige- nous nobility had highly skilled artisans who lived in certain villages and worked for generations. Examples of these vil- lages’ names can still be traced from the toponyms in the former port city, such as Sayangan, Gisikdrono, Candisari, Pande- an, Papandayan, and others. These artists and artisans had regular incomes and were paid by their masters, so their work had to be refined, beautiful, and meticulous, or ngrawit as the locals call it. As a Muslim city, the crafts that were popular trade commodities and highly favored by the colonial Semarang society included prayer rugs and kopiah or caps produced in Bawean. Artisans made body jewelry, such as bracelets, necklaces, and earrings, from Gresik, East Java. Semarang batik was also quite famous, with high- quality silk batik featuring beautiful bird images as ornaments for colonial officials (Natalia & Riyandari, 2016; Patria, 2016; Yuliati & Susilowati, 2022). Augustijn Henrik, a Kapitein der Papangers, was a wealthy landowner in 19th-century Semarang history. He was of European-Javanese descent. His life rep- resents the Indies lifestyle, as shown in his daily life in his household. His slaves (both male and female) had specific du- Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 5 ties, such as being musicians. From among them, what F. de Haan referred to as slaven concerten or a slave orchestra was formed. Having a slave orchestra indicated a luxu- rious lifestyle with a certain status among the landowners of that era (Susanto, 2007). In Henrik’s secret will, as the owner of Semarang’s landhuis, recorded in 1831, it was noted that among his 130 slaves, the- re were 30 described by van de Wall as skilled and versatile musicians (de onder- scheidene bekwane muzijkanten). Additional- ly, there were four ronggeng dancers, two gambang players, and two mask dancers. Even the Chinese trained their slaves to be performers in Chinese theater troupes that were flourishing at that time. Usually, slaves who were adept at acting, dancing, and singing were highly valued. Among all the entertainment provi- ded, the most popular was Komedie Stam- boel. Stambul comedy was a form of tra- veling theater performance, styled after Istanbul, created to entertain the people of the Dutch East Indies. This traveling theater resembled European circus perfor- mances. Stambul comedy era 1891–1903, was born in Surabaya in 1891, touring the Dutch East Indies, Singapore, and Malaya by train and ship. It began to flourish in Semarang in 1895 and became a popular form of entertainment among colonial so- ciety. The term “stambul or stamboel” is believed to be derived from the word “Istanbul,” and indeed, in its early days, stories from the Middle East, such as One Thousand and One Nights, were their leading performances. Nearly 90 percent of the stories performed in their first ten months were dramatic adaptations of the European-translated versions of One Thousand and One Nights. The atmosphe- re and props—lighting, emotional acting, curtained stage, accompanying orchestra, division of the stage into scenes and acts, costumes, makeup, and plot—resembled late 19th-century European theater drama- turgy and technology. Another significant influence was the Parsi theater or wayang Parsi from Bombay, which toured Indone- sia extensively since 1883 (or even earlier). By the first decade of the 20th century, stambul comedy had a diverse repertoi- re, including Indian, Persian, and Middle Eastern romances, One Thousand and One Nights stories, popular European literatu- re and folklore (Dr. Faust, Snow White), as well as stories like Nyai Dasima, the 1899- 1900 Lombok War, which was banned from being performed, and Shakespearean adaptations. The typical stambul comedy troupe had around fifty members or more. Stam- bul became a popular term in the colonial regions with Malay culture. Cities like Se- marang, Deli, Malacca, Singapore, Batavia, Makassar, and Surabaya were the met- ropolises of that era that featured perfor- mances similar to those in Cairo, Istanbul, Paris, or London. This is where the term “stambul” originated. The sizable troupe usually comprised more than half indige- nous people, with the Chinese as finan- ciers and the remainder being Arab des- cendants. During performances, the roles were divided among indigenous people, such as the comic jongos or servants, and Arabs, such as the serious masters, illustra- ting a skewed social role division by eth- nicity. This disparity contributed to the comedy’s appeal. The traveling stambul comedy per- formances attracted profit-seekers, sin- gers, artists, dancers, and ordinary peop- le who formed troupes known locally as “tobong.” Although experiencing ups and downs, the legacy of tobong arts, despi- te recent significant declines, still charac- terizes Indonesian popular arts. Traveling performance arts or tobong are not uni- que to Indonesia. Traveling performances were common in many parts of the world, especially in Europe. However, Indonesi- an traveling performance arts’ diverse cul- tural elements—language, accompanying music, storytelling, movement arts, body language, and dramaturgy—are distinct and unparalleled elsewhere. Milone noted that the Indies style in Semarang had already incorporated ele- ments of local art along with Chinese art Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-176 elements, which can also be observed in several forms of Semarang folk music to this day. The harmonious blend of these external elements is well represented in the music of gambang Semarang (Andita, 2018). The combination of musical rhythms with dance movements in the theater gave birth to the Indies characteristic known as stambul comedy (Cohen, 2006a, 2006c). Meanwhile, in the form of keroncong or- chestra music, stambul songs emerged. Stambul songs originated from songs spe- cifically created to accompany the senti- mental parts of stambul comedy scenes (Figure 1). The songs had to be sung in a more delicate, soft, and emotional manner (Destiana, 2012). Later on, Stambul songs were performed outside stambul comedy music stage events. Figure 1. The Stamboel women’s orchestra from “Komedie Vereeniging De Eendracht Indo” (Source: KITLV) Marie Oord was a renowned female orchestra conductor in early 20th-century Java, and the photo was taken while she was performing in Semarang at the Societeit de Harmonie (Figure 2). She was quite popu- lar among colonial nobles. Marie’s name was always mentioned at every important event or gathering of colonial officials; it was considered incomplete if stambul did not feature Marie. The people next to Ma- rie were indigenous workers who worked for her; they were a group that toured Java to present the best performances for colo- nial masters (Cohen, 2006b; Lechner, 2021). Stambul comedy was quite popular in Se- marang in the early 20th century, regular- ly performed at the Societeit de Harmoni. The Societeit building was used as a pla- ce for Europeans in the Dutch East Indies to enjoy themselves (Rietbergen, 2017). The building was equipped with reading rooms, a performance stage, music stages, and a spacious dance floor. Additionally, the place also provided alcoholic bevera- ges, among other things. The architecture of the building featured a spacious marble room with beautiful pillars, crystal chan- deliers, wall mirrors, and bronze statues. Figure 2. Sociëteit de Harmonie, Bodjongweg Semarang 1935, now Paragon Mall Building on Pemuda Street, Semarang (Source: KITLV) Stambul comedy was initially thought to be an imported product from Turkey, as commonly mentioned. Ho- wever, this performance was actually the work of the indigenous people themselves. The costumes, songs, and all the accessories were managed by the natives (Boonstra, 2017). The attire also included the red fez, which was often worn by stambul actors. The songs and their accompaniment were Malay songs. Many songs from Semarang had a Malay literary tone and were very popular and widely known among the people of Semarang. The development of this tradition took place in the area that now has become the old town, which was the colonial center in Central Java. What is interesting and can be a sig- nificant lesson regarding the development of stambul comedy in Semarang is the stark division of roles between Europeans and Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 7 Javanese, with the indigenous people con- sistently in lower positions, serving and dedicating themselves to Europeans. As noted by Henrik, Javanese people in Indies tradition were like slaves providing menial services for Europeans, entertaining them, and serving them as if they were kings. Moreover, the places used for artistic per- formances, artistic attributes, and beautiful decorations used by Europeans were actu- ally made by the indigenous people. This implies that Javanese art had already de- veloped significantly before the Europeans came, but colonialism marginalized this thriving tradition through discriminatory politics and social function division based on ethnicity and religion. This condition is evident in every form of Indies art and cul- tural product in Semarang. The slavery and marginalization of the already developed art became a focus that cannot be ignored, also becoming a contradictory discourse with the current understanding of colonialism. The value of the story of the development of stambul comedy in Semarang lies in several points: first, the previously developed Javanese art was eroded, leading to the detrimental impact of cultural expansion, domination, and colonial political hegemony on local traditions and culture; second, humanism did not grow within the colonial society due to cultural hegemony, with the indige- nous people only being positioned as ser- vants, entertainers, and slaves; third, the social identity of the community was dis- solved, forcing the Javanese to embrace a new identity as part of Indies, although at the lowest level; and fourth, the influence of colonialism in the field of culture cannot be seen as positive, as it caused inhumane impacts. Therefore, for readers and resear- chers of colonial art development, it is im- portant to convey the above conditions to students so that the new generation does not misunderstand the concept and practi- ce of colonialism in Indonesia. Art Content Learning Patterns in Teach- ing History According to Goldberg (2021), there are three ways to integrate art into lear- ning: first, learning about art; second, lear- ning with art; and third, learning through art. Learning with art occurs when art is introduced to students as a way to study certain subject matter. The development of Indies art and stambul comedy in Se- marang in the early 20th century becomes content that can be used for teaching about the development of art as a reflection of the spirit of the times. Understanding the sig- nificant influence of colonialism on art is the main focus, that colonialism negative- ly impacted the existence of local arts and culture in the archipelago that had already developed earlier. Art in history learning is integrated as a phenomenon reflecting human deve- lopment in a certain era. As a material, art becomes a source of information, ideas, discourse, and broader clues to introduce students to the core issues (Saraniero et al., 2014). By training students’ imagination through artworks related to core issues, students can make new connections and overcome previous limitations. Being crea- tive is not only applicable to artists. Creati- vity is important for all fields of knowled- ge (Winner, 2022). More importantly, the development of art in a society is not only related to creative work but also provides knowledge that there are changes and dy- namics in that society influenced by the political hegemony of a strong group over a weaker group (Cunneen, 2017). In this context, learning about Indies art cannot stop at theoretical processes alone; practical ideas are needed to guide students to gradually understand how art can symbolize the condition of an oppres- sed society. For example, Rohidi (2000), in his research “Art Expression of the Poor: Symbolic Adaptation to Poverty,” de- constructed the understanding of art in society, which was synonymous with aest- hetics and focused on beauty at that time. It turns out that within Indonesian society, art aesthetics have diverse meanings. In poor communities, the suffering and life challenges they face are sources of art cre- ation that are not always tied to aesthetics. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-178 This condition shows that art is a dynamic source of knowledge, which can be studied and discussed critically to understand the characteristics of a society. The development of Indies art as con- tent in history learning can be done with scenarios developed based on Contextu- al Teaching and Learning (CTL) (Sears, 2002), a form of learning that emphasizes the involvement of students as a whole. Not only the material studied but also con- necting it with real-life situations for their lives, both in family and community envi- ronments, with the aim of finding the mea- ning of the material for their lives. The CTL learning model with a constructivist approach emphasizes the use of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), knowledge transfer, connecting acquired knowledge with faced reality, collecting, analyzing, hypothesizing, and producing new things from existing data, as well as an assessment system focusing on aut- hentic assessment obtained from various sources and implemented integrated with the learning process (Vygotsky & Cole, 2018). With a constructivist approach, CTL underpins the preparation of learning scenarios on the material of Stambul come- dy in Semarang in the early 20th century to create meaningful learning about colonia- lism. The application of this learning mo- del is projected to foster an understanding of the colonial society’s life in the Dutch East Indies viewed from the art practices reflecting discrimination and slavery of the indigenous people. In an effort to create meaningful lear- ning about colonialism through the explo- ration of Istanbul comedy in Semarang in the early 20th century, CTL is systemati- cally applied based on a learning plan (see Table 1). This lesson plan is designed as a gui- de for meaningful learning about colonia- lism through the exploration of Stambul comedy in early 20th-century Semarang. The lesson plan aims to create more pro- ductive learning that can strengthen stu- dents’ conceptual understanding. Stu- Table 1. Lesson Plan of Meaningful Teaching about Colonialism Learning Objectives Developing knowledge about the Stambul comedy in Semarang in the early 20th century and the discourse behind its development Guiding students to understand the discourse and issues in colonialism and helping them find ways to comprehend Developing knowledge about colonialism Approach Constructivism Strategy Contextual Teaching and Learning Learning Section Time (Min- utes) Activities 1 5 The teacher explains the learning objectives 2 15 The teacher explains the stages of learning 3 20 The teacher divides the students into five groups, each consisting of 5 students. The teacher provides texts about the legacy of colonialism that exists today and the development of Stambul comedy in Semarang in the early 20th century. Students are asked to identify the negative impacts of colonialism on early 20th-century art. 4 35 The teacher instructs the students to collaborate in compiling knowl- edge from books and relevant sources. Students present the answers they have compiled Inter-group responses 5 15 Appreciation, reflection, and conclusion drawing Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 9 dents are expected to discover knowledge independently. Students are expected to learn through a constructivist philosophi- cal foundation by “experiencing” rather than “memorizing.” According to Sears (2002), implementing contextual learning can create meaningful learning conditions if it meets the prerequisites: first, the mate- rial taught is in-depth, phenomenological, and contextual to the realities faced by stu- dents; second, students can develop their own knowledge through the process of discovery, elaboration, and reflection; and third, a classroom atmosphere that appre- ciates every achievement. The exploration of Indies art de- velopment in the early 20th century can create meaningful learning by applying a constructivist approach, considering the connection between old knowledge (stu- dents’ initial understanding of early co- lonialism) and new information (material explored and discussed independently) and the reflection on the knowledge orga- nized and discussed by students. This will direct learning towards a predetermined goal, where students can understand the meaning of colonialism based on the expe- riences undergone by the Indonesian na- tion, specifically, the negative impacts of colonialism in the form of discrimination, slavery, and marginalization of indigeno- us culture. Students’ Initial Knowledge of Arts and Colonialism Before meaningful learning about co- lonialism can begin, an analysis was first conducted on students’ initial knowledge about the relationship between art and colonialism. Generally, the relationship between art and colonialism is not under- stood paradigmatically; students only un- derstand art and colonialism as concepts. They do not historically understand art within the context of Dutch colonization in Indonesia. Three key findings on students’ initial knowledge are: first, art is seen as a human expression with aesthetic value; second, colonialism is seen as a process of domination and occupation; and third, art and colonialism are not seen as related, with art developing independently from the colonization process. This understanding is evidenced by three statements from personal interviews on February 1, 2023 (Student Statement 1 to Statement 3). Student Statement 1: “Art, in my opi- nion, usually relates to something beauti- ful, which can be music, paintings, dance, sculpture, and other works created as a hobby.” Student Statement 2: “In my opinion, colonialism is an effort by one nation to dominate and occupy the land of another nation, where they occupy an area to rule and govern it like a country.” Student Statement 3: “In my opinion, art and colonialism have no relation what- soever; art develops based on creation and usually focuses on aesthetics, whereas co- lonialism does not influence the develop- ment of art.” Students’ understanding shows a superficial, ahistorical thinking process. They have never received material on the history of art and its relationship with co- lonialism. Thus, their knowledge is based on “guesses” that are not conceptually sound. They are not only unaware of the history of art during colonialism but also lack a thorough understanding of the im- portance of studying history. To address this, a process is needed to construct better conceptual knowled- ge. Conceptual thinking enables students to recognize the connections between facts, concepts, and information, creating a foundational knowledge base (Ültanir, 2012). The knowledge that lacks a con- ceptual foundation often results from rote learning, where history is mainly taught as a process of memorizing names, dates, years, and events generally, without pro- viding knowledge on concepts and how to formulate knowledge based on concepts and facts (Birgili, 2015; Ülger, 2016). The- refore, meaningful learning is necessary to develop these thinking skills. A construc- tivist approach offers opportunities for students to develop their potential to ask Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-1710 questions, seek answers, collaborate, and formulate ideas about what they have learned. In meaningful learning practice, constructivism encourages students to for- mulate their own knowledge autonomous- ly, viewing historical information not as a doctrine but as an academic discourse that can be studied, discussed, and evaluated together. Student Acceptance and Rejection of Co- lonialism after Studying Indies Art Ma- terials During the implementation of mea- ningful learning about colonialism, stu- dents demonstrated curiosity and genera- ted questions to be answered. Material on the development of Indies art and culture in early 20th-century Semarang helped stu- dents understand the explanation better because the material was quite contextual. Additionally, the teacher explained that knowledge of colonialism has shifted over time. Modern colonialism is often under- stood theoretically and generally as a pro- cess of domination and occupation, while the actual practice of colonialism, which is a crucial source for learning, is rarely used and often overlooked as a primary source in constructing knowledge. Indies art was explained theoretical- ly and factually based on the experiences of the Indonesian nation, especially as they occurred in Semarang, with gathered facts. Students also received relevant pictures of Indies art to help develop their illustration and imagination (Leopold & Mayer, 2015). Through imagination, students sharpen their creativity and cognitive abilities. Imagination plays a significant role in psychological and emotional development (Charlton, 2018), helping them understand the world. Indies art became new informa- tion accepted by students, as evidenced by the statement (Student Statement 4 to Sta- tement 6). Student Statement 4: “I just heard about Indies art; it was never taught befo- re. I just found out that Semarang was a place where a mix of Dutch and Javanese culture developed.” Indies art, such as Stambul, strongly sparked students’ curiosity. The teacher explained that the art developed as a part of Dutch colonialization and cultural poli- tics in the archipelago. It was no secret that the Dutch aimed to “Dutchify” the indige- nous population, including altering cultu- ral forms, leading to the birth of mixed arts like Stambul. Student Statement 5: “Colonial relics do not reflect the positive side of the Dutch government. Initially, I thought the Dutch had a positive impact, giving us historical objects with beautiful appearances. But be- hind that, there was the struggle of local people who became slaves, coolies, and servants, which is very degrading to our society.” This statement is a concrete form of rejection of colonialism. After the teacher explained the dark side of colonialism in the form of cultural expansion, students began to realize that the Dutch did not have good intentions. Unlike the “glory” slogan of their maritime era, which symbo- lized prosperity for the Dutch, the period brought worse conditions for the indige- nous population. Student Statement 6: “If colonialism had not come, perhaps indigenous art would have remained preserved. The in- fluence of colonialism in the field of art has marginalized the already developed local art.” The awareness of cultural marginali- zation due to colonialism serves as a brid- ge to relate past situations to the present (Hogan, 2011). Today, Indonesians gene- rally lack interest in their local art or feel inferior about consuming and practicing it. To some extent, Indies art represents an attempt to erase cultural identity (Hou- ben, 2008). Cultural identity is a symbol of a nation’s existence (Setyawan & Dopo, 2020). What grew in Java was considered old-fashioned, uninteresting, and even worthless, causing people to lack self-es- teem. Local art symbolizes the indigenous population’s progress. Colonial cultural politics led Javanese society to forget their cultural identity. Students perceived this Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 11 phenomenon as a rejection based on aca- demic concepts, leading to objective kno- wledge that aligns with the Indonesian nation’s experience. This highlights the importance of specific knowledge that can guide learning into a meaningful dialogue. Henrik’s secret testament about sla- ves working for him to sustain his life in terms of art and entertainment made stu- dents understand that colonialism not only marginalized culture but also involved slavery based on racial discrimination (the colonial government divided society into three categories: European, Foreign Eas- tern, and Indigenous) (Ross, 2012). These categories placed the indigenous populati- on at the lowest social stratum, positioning them as slaves. In this context, becoming a slave serving white masters. Student Statement 7: “The roles divi- ded in colonial society harmed indigenous people. This was shown by the slaves Hen- rik owned. This not only degrades digni- ty but also humanity. I think colonialism should be rejected to avoid such condi- tions in the future.” Understanding the condition of the indigenous population during the colonial period fostered a supportive viewpoint, aligned with past experiences. This serves as an essential knowledge source. Such a thinking construct can be deemed critical and in-depth regarding the material, in- formation, and facts students read. Under- standing such reading material determines the rejection of colonialism. The beauty or aesthetics of art born from colonialism is a fact. However, its for- mation process positioned the indigenous population unfairly. Students then took a stance. Art and other cultural products of that era only made the indigenous popu- lation appear “uncivilized” and morally “humiliated.” This includes not only the role of servants and slaves but also their bodies not being seen as part of civiliza- tion and development. Such dehumani- zation was understood by students, with human exploitation evoking empathy for past events. Upon further examination, empathy in understanding Indies art de- velopment and colonial cultural products is an attitude that needs to be cultivated in students. Learning should not only be a lecture or information transfer but also a process of knowledge and attitude construction (Holmes, 2013). Through analyzing readings on the impact of colo- nialism in art and its sociological context, students’ dominant attitude was rejection based on an academic concept. Student Statement 8: “So our ances- tors were just slaves and servants. This is very insulting to our society’s honor. Even in beautiful art, if there’s human exploita- tion, it should be rejected. Beautiful buil- dings built through slavery would lose their beauty. It’s part of past sins and mis- takes, very inhumane, I think.” Dehumanization as a behavior or process that degrades human dignity can be found in historical events, including in the history of the development of Indies art. The position of the native population as workers, servants, helpers, or slaves providing services without receiving ap- propriate recognition has stirred discon- tent among students. This emerges as a reaction to the discourse analysis behind the development of art, implying that ae- sthetics in art cannot be viewed as a sin- gular entity. Instead, how aesthetics are perceived and created also becomes an important object of study in the historical examination of art for students. Although rejection was prominent and dominant in the class, some students still maintained their opinion to accept some impacts of colonialism. This view is dominated by observations of colonial rem- nants in Semarang, such as the Societeit de Harmonie and other buildings showcasing colonial architecture as products of cultu- re. Additionally, they argue that without Dutch colonization, the native population would not have been introduced to foreign arts such as Stambul, kroncong orchestras, and the unique blend of Dutch and Indo- nesian architecture. Student Statement 9: “Colonialism, to some extent, has brought changes to the colonial societies. These external changes Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-1712 are a phenomenon that has also occurred in other nations. Some former colonies have now become developed countries, like America. I think we need to appre- ciate some of the Dutch colonial legacies, although we don’t have to appreciate eve- rything, such as the process of slavery, for example.” This perspective represents the view of students who feel that colonialism has had a positive impact on the colonized na- tions. The example provided is quite con- crete, namely the experience of the Ameri- can nation. However, this acceptance must still be regarded as a form of tolerance in learning. Learning sources and reading preferences determine the formation of students’ knowledge. Student Statement 10: “Indies art has become a part of culture in Indonesia, a historical relic that symbolizes Dutch colo- nialism. We can accept it as both an idea and a fact. We can learn about colonialism through this art, so it must still be appre- ciated in the academic realm.” The above opinion is quite academic in viewing the development of Indies art and its benefits in learning activities. It ser- ves as an information source about the co- lonization and slavery process in the Dutch East Indies. This is an important statement that shows academic ability and awareness of the role of facts in the learning process of history. Facts are the basis for developing students’ knowledge. Indies art is a fact, as is the sociological situation surrounding it. Therefore, as a series of facts, everything is important in learning. This statement marks the ideal acceptance of the results of exploring Stambul comedy in early 20th- century Semarang. Students’ rejection and acceptance of colonialism and its impact on the de- velopment of art in the Dutch East Indies, including Stambul comedy in early 20th- century Semarang, have a strong basis of thought. This basis is born from a construc- tivist process: discovering, elaborating, and determining the meaning of learning (Vygotsky & Cole, 2018). The factors deter- mining students’ rejection or acceptance include reading preferences, collaborative ability, and criticism. These three factors have proven to determine students’ attitu- des and knowledge. The learning process, conducted systematically with contextual teaching and learning, bridges students’ existence to a position where they under- stand and can derive meaning from what they have learned. Development of Knowledge about Colo- nialism and Student Reflection Colonialism is still understood as a process of domination and occupation of one nation by another. However, the meaning of colonialism, as experienced by Indonesia, has not been deeply com- prehended, particularly in terms of deri- ving meaning from past phases. Chalmers (2019) in his research states that colonia- lism is always identified with cultural ex- pansion and the formation of a new cultu- re that reflects the identity of the colonized society. This is similar to what happened in Indonesia. He further mentions that education about the development of art during the colonial period can be a source for understanding the roots of racism in a former colony. Understanding the deve- lopment of Stambul comedy in early 20th- century Semarang has fostered students’ understanding of the roots of racism, disc- rimination, slavery, and the marginalizati- on of local culture. The history of art deve- lopment during the colonial era, packaged with contextual teaching and learning, has proven to train students to interpret colo- nialism more deeply. The meaning derived from learning about colonialism includes the understanding that art does not always grow and develop purely as an aesthetic, but other aspects, such as discrimination and slavery, also support the development of such art. Fischer-Tiné and Mann (2004), Kan- tawala (2012), and Lentis (2017) describe experiences in British India, where colo- nial-era art education became a process of forming an Indian identity mixed with English identity, indicating an effort to create a new identity in the colony. They Syaiful Amin et al., Stambul Comedy Exploration in Early 20th-Century Semarang: 13 created artistic products such as orchestras and performances that appeared to invol- ve a blend of cultures, allowing colonial culture to grow gradually. After gaining independence, India lacked an art educati- on model that freed the society from such colonial views. Some people even experi- enced historical amnesia, perceiving colo- nialism as a harmless process. This study’s findings have shown that the development of art during the colonial period can gene- rate knowledge that fosters anti-colonial sentiment. This is key to a counter-colonia- lism process that needs to be continuously discussed in former colonies like Indone- sia, India, South Africa, Egypt, and other previously colonized countries. The history of Stambul comedy’s de- velopment in early 20th-century Semarang is quite relevant to form an anti-colonial stance. It has been proven that narratives delivered by teachers through formulated learning scenarios have generated various perspectives on rejecting colonialism, whi- le a small minority still accept some im- pacts of colonialism for academic reasons. Both attitudes are maintained as a collec- tive commitment in democratic education, namely tolerance in protecting freedom of opinion and the views of others (Sant, 2019). The new knowledge produced is based on factors such as reading preferen- ces, collaborative ability, and critical exa- mination of texts provided by teachers and further explored by students. This exploration emphasizes not only the discovery of information but also the autonomous process of exploring the found information (Sears, 2002). It is then elaborated with findings from group peers. Based on past experiences, such a scienti- fic process becomes essential to continue using and developing in history education involving the material on the development of art during the colonial era. Learning with such a constructivist paradigm has triggered students to seek and discover new insights, autonomously decide attitu- des, and construct their own knowledge related to a discussion text proposed by the teacher. This learning approach has provided a learning experience that allows students to derive meaning from the sta- ges they have gone through, including the most contextual meaning of Indonesia’s colonial experience. In the end, exploring stambul come- dy in early 20th-century Semarang be- comes relevant for teaching a more con- textual and in-depth understanding of colonialism, reflected in students’ attitudes and views. Learning that relies on discour- se-rich texts has trained students’ critical thinking, collaborative abilities, and inde- pendent learning in reflecting on a past event. Regarding Indies art, the dominant attitude among students is an awareness that art development is not always synon- ymous with aesthetics; many aspects sur- round it. In the colonial development con- text, negative nuances more dominantly surrounded the development of Stambul comedy in early 20th-century Semarang, successfully constructed into new attitu- des and knowledge about colonialism in students. CONCLUSIONS This study focuses on analyzing the process of exploring Stambul comedy in early 20th-century Semarang by students as an integral part of history education with the development of art during the co- lonial period as the object of study. The is- sue of students’ knowledge about colonia- lism, which has not developed and tends to shift towards neutrality, necessitates an emphasis on colonialism education to cre- ate new knowledge about colonialism that contextually opposes past colonial practi- ces. The development of Indies art during the colonial period is quite relevant for initiating discussions about the contextual meaning of colonialism. The practices of slavery, racism, discrimination, and mar- ginalization of the local culture surroun- ding the seemingly beautiful development of Indies art have strongly driven students to formulate their attitudes and knowled- ge about colonialism autonomously. Stu- dents’ initial knowledge about colonialism Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 24 (1) (2024): 1-1714 showed poor results; they understood co- lonialism definitively as a process of occu- pation and domination, but the negative impacts of colonialism were not profound- ly known. The exploration of narratives about Indies art in the early 20th century with contextual teaching and learning has proven effective in training students to for- mulate their new attitudes and knowledge about colonialism. Students’ acceptance and rejection of colonialism were influen- ced by the constructivist approach, which systematically enabled them to effective- ly discover, elaborate, and determine the meaning of learning. New knowledge about the influence of colonialism on the development of Indies art was influenced by reading preferences, collaborative abi- lities, and critical examination of texts pro- vided by teachers and further explored by students, both individually and in groups. Ultimately, students’ knowledge about colonialism can become more contextu- al and in-depth when they can derive the meaning of learning through scientific sta- ges. Changes in attitudes and knowledge occur when students consciously receive the appropriate texts and methods in lear- ning activities. Utilizing the history of art development during the colonial period positively impacts students; the material is deemed important and predominantly acceptable for developing new knowledge and objective attitudes resulting from the autonomous process. REFERENCES Amin, S. (2022). Penguatan Empati Sejarah Berbasis Sejarah Publik pada Siswa SMA di Kota Semarang. Universitas Negeri Semarang. Andita, A. (2018). 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