Time For Heroes

National heroes have long been associated with wars and battles in defense of a country, which is why those buried in heroes' cemeteries are mostly fighters who took up arms -and lost their lives- for the love of their country.  But that association slightly eroded when President Jokowi name the late Usmar Ismail -the father of Indonesian Cinema- as a National hero.

With the honor, the state recognized not only his contribution to nation-building, but also his exceptional cinematic work. Usmar is not the first artistic figure to have been awarded the title. Long before him, Wage Rudolf Supratman who compose national anthem "Indonesia Raya" and the other respected composer Ismail Mardzuki were also named national heroes for their contribution in the independence struggle.

Usmar was no less commited to the nation's effort to win and hold onto independence. While working as a journalist, he was imprisoned by the Dutch on charge of subversion, but he only become famous after the independence struggle was over. Many of the movies he directed were inspired by the period of revolutionary yearning he had lived through.

In his remarks, President Jokowi said the national hero title bestowed upon Usmar was the state's highest recognition for "Cultural Fighters", people who dedicated their time and energy to build the sense of "National Identity".

Usmar's posthumous title should inspire the Indonesian art community to work harder to win appreciation, not only from national audience but also around the world. Making the nation proud is as heroic as fighting for it.