“THE REAL ME” IN ARCHIVES: UNRAVELLING THE PERSONAL ARCHIVES OF HAZEU

Abstract

Godard Aren Johannes Hazeu (Penasehat Kantor Urusan Masyarakat Pribumi) merupakan salah satu penasehat yang memiliki peran penting di masa awal pemerintah kolonial Belanda. Hazeu juga dikenal sebagai seorang penasehat Belanda yang kontroversial. Hal ini dikarenakan beberapa nasehatnya dinilai terlalu subjektif dan memihak kaum pribumi. Salah satu kasus kontroversial yang pernah ditangani oleh Hazeu adalah peristiwa Garut. Ketika Garut bergejolak pada tahun 1919, Hazeu diperintahkan oleh pemerintah Belanda untuk menginvestigasi peristiwa tersebut. Namun, laporan investigasi Hazeu ditentang karena dinilai terlalu subyektif oleh pemerintah. Bahkan pemerintah menyalahkan Hazeu sehingga pada akhirnya Hazeu harus mengundurkan diri dari posisinya dikarenakan hal tersebut. Semua laporan investisgasi dan korespondensi Hazeu kepada para pejabat pemerintah tentang Garut tersimpan lengkap di arsip personal Hazeu. Bagaimana Hazeu merekam, menyimpan, dan menampilkan peristiwa Garut dalam arsip personalnya? Inilah pertanyaan penelitian yang akan dibahas dalam tulisan ini. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan metode kualitatif dengan menggunakan studi kepustakaan dan kearsipan berdasarkan teori kearsipan yang disampaikan oleh Catherine Hobbs bahwa arsip personal tidak hanya merekam tentang kehidupan personal penciptanya sebagai seorang individu, akan tetapi arsip personal juga menyimpan konstruksi persepsi dan pemikiran penciptanya terhadap orang lain yang berhubungan dengannya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa arsip personal Hazeu menyimpan tak hanya tentang rekaman dan informasi secara detail tetang peristiwa Garut, akan tetapi juga menampilkan sisi personal dan persepsinya mengenai kasus Garut. Dalam arsipnya, Hazeu menunjukkan rasa tidak setuju atas sikap pemerintah mengenai kasus Garut dan meyakinkan pembaca bahwa dirinya tidak bersalah dalam kasus Garut.

Godard Aren Johannes Hazeu (Advisor of Office of Native Affairs) was one of the most important advisors in the colonial government. He was also well known as the most controversial advisor because many of his advices were considered as being too subjective and to be in favor with the natives. One of the most controversial cases of Hazeu was the Garut affairs. When Garut was in tension in 1919, he was assigned to investigate the affairs by the government. However, his report of investigation was banned because the government concluded that it was too subjective. Hazeu was even blamed by the colonial government that in the end, Hazeu had to give up his position because of the case. All of his reports, correspondences to the high officers and notes were completely recorded in the personal archives of Hazeu. How did Hazeu record, keep and picture the Garut affairs in his personal archives? This is the research question which is going to be discussed in the article. The article investigates Garut affairs based on the records which are kept in the personal archives of Godard Aren Johannes Hazeu. This is a qualitative research by using literature and archival reviews which is based on the argument of Catherine Hobbs that personal archives do not only record the personal, private, inner life of the creator as an individual, but also there is a construction of perceptions and thoughts of the creators towards others. (Hobbs, 2001: 128-129). The result of this research shows that the personal archives of Hazeu keep not only the records and detail information on Garut affairs, but also show his personal point of view and his perceptions on Garut affairs. In his personal archives, Hazeu showed his disagreement to the government in dealing with Garut affairs and convinced the readers that he was not guilty in the affairs.