Halo, Halo Bandung

"Halo Halo Bandung"
Single by Ismail Marzuki
Genre Anthem
Songwriter(s) Ismail Marzuki

Halo, Halo Bandung is an Indonesian patriotic song written by Ismail Marzuki that describes the spirit of the struggle of the people of the city of Bandung in the post-independence period in 1946, particularly in the event of Bandung Sea of Fire that occurred on March 23, 1946.[1][2][3]

Background

Ismail Marzuki, then a singer and songwriter of keroncong groups Lief Java, performed regularly with the group by the mid 1930s at Studio Orkes NIROM II in Tegalega, Bandung, as part of the NIROM (Nederlandsch-Indische Radio-omroepmaatschappij) station's Eastern Programme.[2][4] Having returned to Batavia after marrying fellow singer of the groups, Eulis Zuraidah, the sentimental memories and sweet reminiscences of the city was well maintained in his mind. These recollections led him to wrote a song called "Hallo Bandung" in Sundanese language,[2] as well as other songs such as "Bandung Selatan di Waktu Malam" and "Saputangan dari Bandung Selatan". The phrase "Hallo Bandoeng" was well known at that time as the call-sign and usual opening used by Radio Kootwijk when establishing a radio-telegraphic connection with Bandung (in Dutch: "Bandoeng"), one of the largest cities in the then Dutch East Indies.[4] It was made famous by Queen Consort Emma when she officially opened the radiotelephone service from Koninklijke PTT Nederland main building in The Hague on January 7, 1929 with the words "Hallo Bandoeng… Hier Den Haag".[4][5] It quickly escalated even further as a catchphrase since the release of Dutch song "Hallo Bandoeng" by Willy Derby which sold more than 50,000 copies, a remarkable number at that time.[6]

This early version of the song lyrics indicated that it was not meant to be a war-related-marching song but simply a sentimental-yearning song. During Japanese invasion, the song was translated into Indonesian language as part of Japanese propaganda which included the elimination of any Dutch influences and promote the use of Indonesian language throughout the country. However, this second version was still reflected its original meaning as a nostalgia song.[2][3]

Following the surrender of the Japanese in the Dutch East Indies, Indonesian nationalists fought a four-year war of independence against Dutch NICA and initially British Commonwealth forces, a period known as the Indonesian National Revolution. Early in this period Ismail Marzuki and his wife had to evacuate to Bandung to escape from British-Dutch occupation in Jakarta. Unfortunately after they settled in Bandung, an ultimatum was given by the British force for the Indonesian combatants in Bandung to leave the city. In response, the southern part of Bandung was deliberately burned down in an act of defiance as they left on 24 March 1946; an event which came to be known as Bandung Lautan Api (or Bandung Sea of Fire). This incident inspired Ismail Marzuki, as well as many Indonesian combatans and refugees, to alter the last two sentences of the song lyrics to became more patriotic and be able to boost their fighting spirit against British-Duch forces. Soon after, the song Halo, Halo Bandung became very famous and emerged as a symbol of the struggle of the Indonesian people in their fight for independence from colonial foreign nations.[2][3][7]

Lyrics

Version Translation
1[8] Halo, halo Bandung, ibu kota Periangan

Halo, halo Bandung, kota inget-ingetan

Atos lami abdi patebih, henteu patingal

Mugi mugi ayeuna tiasa tepang deui

'tos tepang 'teu panasaran

 Hello, hello Bandung, the capital of Preanger

Hello, hello Bandung, a city full of memory

For so long I'm in distance, cannot see

Hopefully now we meet again

And after that, no more inquisitive feeling

2[9] Hallo-hallo Bandung, ibukota Pasundan

Hallo-hallo Bandung, kota kenang-kenangan

Lama sudah beta, ingin berjumpa pada mu

S'lagi hayat dan hasrat masih dikandung badan

Kita 'kan jumpa pula

 Hello, hello Bandung, the capital of Pasundan

Hello, hello Bandung, a city full of memory

For so long already, I want to meet you

Whilst my soul and desire in my body

We will meet again

3[9]

Halo, halo Bandung, ibukota Periangan

Halo, halo Bandung, kota kenang-kenangan

Sudah lama beta tidak berjumpa dengan kau

Sekarang telah menjadi lautan api

Mari bung rebut kembali

Hello, hello Bandung, the capital of Periangan

Hello, hello Bandung, a city full of memory

For so long already, I have not met with you

Now she has become a sea of fire

Let's reclaim her, friends!

References

  1. ↑ Sitaresmi, Ratnayu. "Social History of The Bandung Lautan Api (Bandung Sea of Fire), 24 March 1946" (pdf). Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Setiadijaya, Barlan (1996). "Keunikan Sejarah Lagu "Hallo Bandung"". www.kompas.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2017-09-25.
  3. 1 2 3 Kurnia, Anwar; Suryana, Mohamad (2007). Sejarah 3: Smp Kelas IX (in Indonesian). Yudhistira Ghalia Indonesia. p. 37. ISBN 9789790191402.
  4. 1 2 3 Freriks, Kester (2011). "'Hallo Bandoeng, hier Radio Kootwijk'". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  5. ↑ van Hoorn, Inggrid (1996). Radio Kootwijk: de wereld rond een zendstation (PDF) (in Dutch). Apeldoorn, Netherlands: Historisch Museum Apeldoorn. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-08-13. Lay summary.
  6. ↑ "Muziekencyclopedie - Levenslied". www.muziekencyclopedie.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  7. ↑ McMillan, Richard (2006-05-17). The British Occupation of Indonesia: 1945-1946: Britain, The Netherlands and the Indonesian Revolution. Routledge. p. 67. ISBN 9781134254286.
  8. ↑ 10 lagu Indonesia oleh Ismail Marzuki (in Indonesian). Djakarta: Martaco. 1950. Lay summary.
  9. 1 2 Marzuki, Ismail. NIROM Catalogue. Jakarta: Nederlandsch-Indische Radio-omroepmaatschappij. Lay summary.
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