The end of the nineteenth century witnessed paradox among the Chinese in
colonial Java. On one hand, they were prospering economically, but were
nonetheless held in contempt by the Dutch, encountered legal discrimination and
faced challenges if they wanted to educate their children in European schools.
Their marginal position motivated them do their utmost to become “civilized
subjects”, on a par with Europeans, but they were also inspired to reinvent their
Chinese identity. This contribution will highlight role played by “enlightened”
Chinese, the kaoem moeda bangsa Tjina. Central to this movement were the
Chinese girls known to the public as bangsawan prampoewan (the noblewomen),
who wrote letters the newspaper and creating a gendered public sphere. They
also performed western classical music in public. Considering the inspirational
impact of bangsawan prampoewan’s enlightening achievements on non-Chinese
women, it is appropriate to include them into the narrative of the history of the
nation’s women’s movements.