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Gugur Bunga

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Wikipedia article




"'Gugur Bunga di Taman Bakti'" ('The Fallen Flower in the Garden of Devotion'), better known as "'Gugur Bunga'", is an Indonesian patriotic song written by Ismail Marzuki in 1945. Written to honor the Indonesian soldiers killed during the Indonesian National Revolution, it tells of the death of a soldier, and the singer's feelings. It has since become a common song for protests and funerals. The song's line 'gugur satu, tumbuh seribu' (one falls, a thousand arise) has entered common Indonesian vernacular.

Writing



"Gugur Bunga" was written by Ismail Marzuki in 1945 at the beginning of the Indonesian National Revolution. It was written in honor of the Indonesian soldiers who died fighting the Dutch colonial army. During the war, an estimated 45,000 to 100,000 Indonesians died in combat, with civilian casualties exceeding 25,000, possibly as many as 100,000.Friend, Bill personal comment 22 April 2004;

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Nyoman S. Pendit, 'Bali Berjuang' (2nd edn Jakarta:Gunung Agung, 1979 [original edn 1954]); Reid (1973), page 58,n.25, page 119,n.7, page 120,n.17, page 148,n.25 and n.37; Pramoedya Anwar Toer, Koesalah Soebagyo Toer and Ediati Kamil 'Kronik Revolusi Indonesia' [Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia, vol. I (1945); vol. II (1946) 1999; vol. III (1947); vol. IV (1948) 2003]; Ann Stoler, 'Capitalism and Confrontation in Sumatra's Plantation Belt, 18701979' (New Haven:Yale University Press, 1985), p103.; all cited in Vickers (2005), page 100


Lyrics and structure



"Gugur Bunga" is performed andante moderato in time.

Reception



"Gugur Bunga" is seen as a mournful, patriotic song about the death of a soldier fighting his enemy. As such, it has become a well-known nationalistic song in Indonesia, being covered by numerous artists. It is also considered a compulsory song for students to learn, along with "Indonesia Raya, "Satu Nusa Satu Bangsa", and "Bagimu Negeri".

"Gugur Bunga" is usually used at funerals and memorial services which involves military ceremonies, such as at the memorial service of former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, former President Suharto, former President B. J. Habibie, former First Lady Ainun Habibie, former First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, and veteran reporter Rosihan Anwar.

After the death of four students in the 1998 Trisakti shootings, the media used the lyrics 'gugur satu, tumbuh seribu' as a slogan for the reformation movement and to indicate that the students had not died in vain. Today the line 'gugur satu, tumbuh seribu' has entered common usage, with the meaning of "One falls, a thousand arise".

References



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Category:1945 songs

Category:Indonesian patriotic songs

Category:Funerary and memorial compositions

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