“Perempuan” vs. “Wanita”: Terms for Women in Indonesia.

Discover how two simple terms tell the story of women’s roles and rights in Indonesia’s history.

‘Wanita’ and ‘Perempuan’ have the same meaning when referring to women. However, their origins and the distinct meanings they have developed over various periods of leadership in Indonesia make this discussion significant. Understanding the history behind these terms helps us see how gender discourse has changed in Indonesian culture.

According to the Indonesian Dictionary, perempuan is defined as a human who has a vagina and is usually capable of menstruating, becoming pregnant, giving birth, or breastfeeding. The word perempuan originates from the Sanskrit word ‘pu,’ which means honor. Furthermore, the term is derived from the Old Javanese word empu, meaning master, noble, or honorable, which then underwent affixation with the additions of ‘per-’ and ‘-an,’ forming perempuan.

Meanwhile, according to the Indonesian Dictionary, Wanita refers to an adult female human being. The word wanita is a loanword from the Sanskrit’ Vanita,’ which can be translated as ‘the desired one.’ This word was later adopted into Old Javanese as wanita before being reabsorbed into Indonesian.

According to one journal, some argue that wanita has acquired an additional perception derived from Javanese folk etymology, specifically wani ditata, which can be translated as ‘willing to be organized.’ However, this idea has been challenged since wani ditata isn’t the source of the word wanita. Instead, it’s a playful twist created by Javanese speakers, giving Wanita a new layer of meaning.

The shift in meaning associated with wanita is believed to stem from its usage during the New Order era, reflected in programs from the Ministry of Women’s Roles, such as Dharma Wanita. The idea promoted by this group focused on women sticking to their ‘natural roles,’ which led to women being perceived as passive figures. This influence on how gender is perceived is essential when examining the meaning behind these terms.

Beyond Dharma Wanita were other ‘wives’ organizations,’ such as the military wives’ association Persit Kartika Chandra Kirana, and professional wives’ groups like the Indonesian Doctors’ Wives Association and the Indonesian Engineers’ Wives Association. This phenomenon reinforced the idea that a woman’s identity was tied to being a companion to a man, placing her existence, status, and honor in the shadow of her husband’s identity rather than her own.

This notion is also supported by Susan Blackburn’s book, Women and the State in Modern Indonesia, which describes the status of women during the New Order as a group in society that needed to be guided to the ‘right path’ — obedient and passive — so they could align with government development goals.

Looking back, women’s rights activists began to move away from the term wanita and the old domestic role of the New Order. Instead, they started using perempuan, inspired by the 1928 Indonesian Women’s Congress. You can see this change in the names of many NGOs, reflecting their commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

When Abdurrahman Wahid became president, the Ministry of Women’s Roles was renamed the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment (now the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection). Since then, the struggle for gender equality has more frequently used the term perempuan rather than wanita, as seen in institutions like Komnas Perempuan.

Perempuan has a more positive connotation. That doesn’t mean Wanita is banned, though. But it’s better to use perempuan when discussing empowerment, human rights, or women’s dignity.

This aligns with a 1997 study titled Betina, Wanita, Perempuan: Telaah Semantik Leksikal, Semantik Historis, Pragmatik, which views women as being equal to men etymologically. This is based on its root, empu, which means master, skilled, or authoritative, and its connection to ampu, meaning support or protector. Furthermore, perempuan is closely related to empu-an, shortened to puan, a respectful address for women.

Although perempuan is often replaced with other terms like wanita without the intention of degradation, reflecting on the history of women’s struggle in Indonesia highlights the importance of the terminology used in conveying the fundamental values of the movement itself. This is a crucial first step in the fight against patriarchal systems so that women can achieve equal standing with men.