THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT OF SAMIN’S FOLLOWERS:  A CASE STUDY OF THE MODONGSO ATTACK IN 1907

Firza Azzam Fadilla; Daya Negri Wijaya; Muhammad ‘Afwan Mufti; Agus Danugroho

doi:10.61677/satmata.v4i1.1000

Authors

Firza Azzam Fadilla Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang
Daya Negri Wijaya Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang
Muhammad ‘Afwan Mufti Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang
Agus Danugroho Social Sciences, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Airlangga

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61677/satmata.v4i1.1000

Keywords:

Saminis, Modongso Attack, Samin manipulation strategy, colonial resistance, indigenous resistance.

Abstract

In 1907, the Dutch East Indies government arrested Samin Soerosentiko and several of his followers through the Assistant District Head of Kedungtuban-Blora, who pretended to invite him to his residence. Afterward, Samin Soerosentiko and several of his followers were exiled to Padang, Sumatra. The incident involving Samin Soerosentiko’s arrest and exile led to an attack carried out by one of his followers named Modongso. The purpose of this study is to analyze and interpret the case of Modongso’s attack at the residence of the Assistant Regent of Kedungtuban, Blora. The research method employed is the historical research method, utilizing primary sources such as archival reports and newspapers from the Dutch East Indies government. The theories of interpersonal deception and manipulation and deception were used as analytical tools to examine the Modongso attack case. A comparison of sources shows that Modongso and his brother initially arrived unarmed, then obtained a blunt keris during the confrontation, causing injuries without immediate death. These findings complicate the notion that the attack was a fully planned assassination attempt. Modongso's attack is better understood as an unusual episode of violence within the Samin movement, which is generally associated with nonviolent resistance. This study tentatively and case-specifically proposes the concept of a “Samin manipulation strategy” to explain how indirect actions may have contributed to colonial misperceptions without assuming any conscious intention to deceive Modongso. Future research should conduct comparative studies of other Samin resistance incidents to test the relevance of this concept.

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