Bung Hatta's Birthplace Museum

Tracing the Footsteps of the Proclamator: History and Philosophy of Bung Hatta's Birthplace Museum

Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta is more than just an ordinary wooden building standing in the heart of Bukittinggi City, West Sumatra. Located at Jalan Soekarno-Hatta No. 37, this building is a replica of the original house where Mohammad Hatta, one of the founders of the Indonesian nation and the first Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, was born. Through its bamboo walls and wooden floors, this museum holds a deep narrative about the childhood of a great intellectual who shaped Indonesia's economic and political foundations.

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Historical Origins and Construction Period

The original house where Bung Hatta was born on August 12, 1902, had actually collapsed in the 1960s. Its original construction is estimated to have been built around the 1860s by Hatta's maternal grandfather, Ilyas Bagindo Marah, who was a successful businessman in Bukittinggi at the time. Hatta spent his childhood in this house until 1913, before continuing his education at the Meer Uitgebreid Lager Onderwijs (MULO) in Padang.

After decades of the land being vacant, an initiative arose from the Bukittinggi City Government and Bung Hatta's extended family to revive this historical memory. The construction of the replica began in November 1994 and was inaugurated on August 12, 1995, by Mr. Azwar Anas, who was then the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare. This reconstruction effort was carried out with great care to ensure a high degree of accuracy to its original form.

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Traditional Architecture and Construction Details

Architecturally, Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta displays the typical Minangkabau residential style of the late 19th century, but with strong functional influences. The building consists of a main structure made of high-quality wood and woven bamboo (sasak) for its walls, and a zinc roof that resembles its original pattern.

The building structure is divided into several main parts:

1. Main Building: Consists of two floors. The first floor was used as a living room, family room, and Hatta's grandfather's bedroom. It was also on this floor that Hatta's birthplace room is located.

2. Upper Floor: This area functioned as a bedroom for the male children in the family, including young Hatta. The use of the upper floor for boys reflects the Minangkabau tradition where teenage boys usually slept in the surau or an outer room, but in Hatta's more modern-traditional family, a special room was provided on the upper floor.

3. Pavilion: Located at the back, it was used as a kitchen and service area.

The uniqueness of its construction lies in the dominant use of wooden pegs without iron nails, reflecting West Sumatra's traditional carpentry techniques that are resistant to earthquake tremors. The interior layout also maintains authenticity by featuring antique furniture, most of which are donations from the family or antique items identical to the 1900s period.

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Historical Significance and Important Events

Every corner of this house tells a story about Hatta's character development. It was in this house that Hatta was first exposed to values of discipline, religiosity, and entrepreneurial spirit. One unique historical fact is the presence of a bendi (horse-drawn carriage) in the back area of the museum. This bendi is not just a display; it is a replica of the vehicle used by Hatta's grandfather to pick up and drop off young Hatta, symbolizing the family's social status and the importance of educational mobility for Hatta from an early age.

This house also bears silent witness to how the egalitarian Minangkabau tradition, which emphasizes deliberation, permeated Hatta's thinking. In the central room, family discussions often took place involving local figures, which indirectly shaped Hatta's critical mindset before he departed for the Netherlands to study economics.

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Related Figures and Periods

The central figure is, of course, Mohammad Hatta. However, the museum also highlights the roles of his mother, Siti Saleha, and his grandfather, Ilyas Bagindo Marah. The period most emphasized is the early 20th-century Dutch East Indies colonial era (1902-1913), a transitional period when the Ethical Policy began to be implemented, allowing figures like Hatta to gain access to proper formal education.

The existence of this museum is also closely related to the history of the independence struggle. Although Hatta reached the peak of his struggle in Batavia (Jakarta) and exile in Digul and Banda Neira, his intellectual roots are firmly planted in this land of Bukittinggi.

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Preservation and Restoration Efforts

As a protected Historical Site, Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta is managed by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Bukittinggi City. Since this building is a replica, the biggest challenge is to prevent organic materials like wood and bamboo from decaying due to age and the humid tropical climate.

Periodic restorations are carried out on the roof and repainting of the sasak walls. The local government also strives to collect original artifacts still in the hands of collectors or distant relatives to be returned to this house. Currently, visitors can see the original bed, study desk, and a collection of old books that provide a real glimpse into the daily life of the Father of Indonesian Cooperatives.

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Cultural and Educational Importance

For the people of West Sumatra, this museum is a symbol of intellectual pride. It is not just a tourist destination, but an educational center for the younger generation about the values of simplicity. Hatta was known as a very honest and frugal figure; these values are conveyed in the museum guide's narrative to every visiting student.

Religiously, the presence of a prayer room and the emphasis on religious education in the house's layout indicate that Hatta grew up in a devout Islamic environment, which later merged with the democratic socialist ideas he learned in Europe.

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Unique Facts and Conclusion

One rarely known unique fact is that the floor plan of this house was rebuilt based on Bung Hatta's own memories recorded in his memoirs, as well as the help of memories from close relatives who were still alive when the reconstruction project began. The accuracy of the placement of windows, stairs, and even the building's orientation was meticulously calculated to create an atmosphere identical to the conditions in 1902.

Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta now stands tall as a living monument to honesty and intelligence. It reminds every visitor that a great leader is not born from instant luxury, but from a simple home filled with noble values, disciplined education, and deep love for the homeland. This museum remains one of the most crucial historical destinations in Bukittinggi, bridging the colonial past with Indonesia's sovereign future.