Young women writers break through convention<\/p>\n
Susi Andrini, Contributor, Ubud, Bali<\/p>\n
She writes about wild sexuality and female genitalia -- lush and
\nweird things considered taboo under "conventional" literary laws.
\nBut Ayu Utami's award-winning debut novel Saman shook the
\nIndonesian literary stage like a hurricane.<\/p>\n
Using vulgar language here and there and unveiling the deepest
\nyearnings of women's sexuality, Ayu is considered the "naughty
\ngirl" of the contemporary Indonesian literary scene.<\/p>\n
"I just try to express things about beauty, passion, life that
\ndon't have to follow any existing and culturally acceptable
\nvalues," said Ayu with a girlish grin.<\/p>\n
Born in Bogor, West Java, she pursued a career in journalism
\nbefore she was drawn into the literary world.<\/p>\n
"What we need is courage when thinking or judging what is
\nright or what is wrong, just or unjust. Many times, my views are
\nfar from mainstream thoughts," Ayu shared her opinions with
\nparticipants of the recent Ubud Writers and Readers festival in a
\nlively discussion titled Breaking the Rules.<\/p>\n
The session also featured two other "hot" writers, Dewi "Dee"
\nLestari Simangunsong and Djenar Maesa Ayu -- who were grouped
\ntogether as sastra wangi (fragrant literature).<\/p>\n
The cynical label was allegedly coined by an established, male
\nsenior writer of the previous generation, simply because they
\nwere young, they were women and they were trying to raise their
\nown voices through literature -- traditionally considered a male
\ndomain.<\/p>\n
During Suharto's New Order era, the military, like the Suharto
\nfamily and its cronies, was one of the most sensitive subjects
\nwriters and journalists alike could touch upon.<\/p>\n
"The military appeared as a double-faced object. On one side,
\nit was so scary, like a wolf or a cold-blood creature. On the
\nother side, I saw so many cool and sexy soldiers; such a
\ncontradictory thing to write about," Ayu said.<\/p>\n
Refusing to be sensationalist, Ayu continued, saying that she
\ndid not believe in any rules.<\/p>\n
"I never think of destroying or breaking any rules -- literary
\nrules in this case. In expressing my thoughts, the words just run
\nout smoothly like water in a river," she said.<\/p>\n
For her straightforwardness and perhaps strangeness, Ayu's
\nfirst novel, Saman -- the English version of which was relaunched
\nin Ubud following its initial launch on Aug. 30 in Jakarta -- won
\nher the prestigious Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands in
\n2000. Her second novel, Larung, also received a positive nod from
\nscores of critics.<\/p>\n
Ayu's works have encouraged a string of young writers to
\nfollow suit, while also opening the minds of many women to speak
\nbravely about "this taboo topic".<\/p>\n
Djenar Maesa Ayu is another rising star on the country's
\nliterary stage. The daughter of a noted filmmaker and an artist,
\nDjenar has vividly and eloquently recorded the bohemian lives of
\nmany artists of her parents' generation.<\/p>\n
"I used to see things considered immoral and against social
\nvalues when I was still very young. (So) I thought it was
\nsomething very usual or common in one's life. Both my parents had
\na lot of extramarital affairs. What made them stay together was
\nperhaps their common interest in sexuality," she admitted,
\nhonestly and openly.<\/p>\n
She also confessed at being quite shocked when entering the
\n"real world" outside her family and her parents' artistic circle:
\n"I encountered an awkward situation. I felt I was not accepted by
\nthe mainstream society, which adopted different values from mine
\nand my family's."<\/p>\n
Djenar said she was confused and felt trapped, ad led a
\n"double life" in order to be accepted by both her own community
\nand society at large. "This odd situation also occurred when I
\nentered the world of the men of letters. I, who came from an
\nartificial and glamorous world, had to adjust to this new
\nsituation. It was really. really hard and perplexing," she added.<\/p>\n
Through her experiences in this psychological and social
\nsetting, Djenar produced her first collection of short stories,
\nMereka Bilang Saya Monyet\/They Say I'm a Monkey (2002). Two
\nyears later, she published Jangan Main (dengan Kelaminmu) [Don't
\nplay (with your genitals)].<\/p>\n
"My work clearly reflects who I am. I just can't live in
\nbetween -- the glamorous world of artists and the serious,
\nintellectual literary community," Djenar said lightly.<\/p>\n
Unlike Ayu and Djenar, Dewi Lestari takes a look at different
\nissues in her writing.<\/p>\n
"What makes us similar is that we are all young female writers
\nproducing work at the same time. But, we are different in
\nchoosing our themes," Dewi pointed out.<\/p>\n
Her best-selling and self-published Supernova trilogy, Satria
\n(The knight), Putri (The princess) and Bintang Jatuh (The falling
\nstar), marked a breakthrough in the nation's literary world.<\/p>\n
The trilogy falls under the Sci-Fi genre, and mixes science
\nwith spirituality.<\/p>\n
Dewi, perhaps, spoke for all as she concluded, "There is
\nnothing wrong with being different."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/young-women-writers-break-through-convention-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}