Representations of Slavery and Colonialism in Iksaka Banu’s Novel Rasina

Abstract

Slavery and colonialism profoundly shaped Indonesian society through systems of domination, exploitation, violence, and social inequality. These historical experiences continue to influence cultural memory and representations of the colonial past. This study examines the representation of slavery and colonialism in Iksaka Banu’s novel Rasina, focusing on how the novel depicts oppression, dehumanization, exploitation, and colonial power relations. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach using qualitative content analysis. Data were collected through repeated reading and note-taking and consisted of words, phrases, sentences, dialogues, narratives, and quotations related to slavery and colonialism. The data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, verification, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that slavery is represented through the treatment of enslaved people as commodities, including their sale, forced reproduction, exploitation, physical restraint, and sexual exploitation. These practices demonstrate the denial of human dignity and freedom under the colonial system. Colonialism is represented through the 1621 massacre of the Banda population by the VOC, the slave market where Rasina was sold, violence and intimidation by VOC officials, and the economic exploitation of indigenous resources. These representations demonstrate that colonialism operated not only through territorial domination but also through economic exploitation, violence, and the control of human bodies and social relations. The study concludes that Rasina functions as a literary representation of the historical realities and human consequences of slavery and colonialism in Indonesia. Through its historical narrative, the novel provides a critical reflection on oppression, inequality, human dignity, and social justice while contributing to the understanding of colonial memory in Indonesian literature.