1. MURTI: 1 LINE, 28 COUNTS
1. MURTI: 1 LINE, 28 COUNTS
Murti, children's story teller
Taking children's literature as the topic of her dissertation led Murti Bunanta, an author and academic, to become the first person to obtain a doctoral degree on that subject from the University of Indonesia in 1997.
Murti choose the Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih tale as the subject of her academic exploration. In the past, the folk tale was recounted orally.
"I wanted to know the quality of the folk stories that have been rewritten into children's stories. I went to many libraries to find what I was looking for. Then I came to the conclusion that the story of Bawang Merah and Bawang Putih is the most rewritten folk tale. So I picked it," said Murti.
Murti, who was born in Semarang, Central Java, on Aug. 5, 1946, found that the quality of story retelling in Indonesia is meager and frequently tended to blur the real meaning of the original story.
"The story comes from the fantasy world, but it is retold as if it happened in the real world. This is not necessary. The image that the stepmother is always cruel does not need to be accentuated because the real message is that one has to work hard in order to succeed," she said.
That compelled her to keep on improving children's literature. Her dissertation was only one example of Murti's efforts to promote children's literature.
Murti received her bachelor's degree in 1981 from the University of Indonesia's School of Letters with a thesis on Dutch Children's' Literature, and completed her postgraduate studies with a thesis on American Children's' Literature in 1985, also in the University of Indonesia.
"When I finished my primary degree I found that the awareness of children's literature was low," she said.
In 1987, amid her tight schedule as a lecturer in UI, she together with some colleagues founded a group named the Society for the Advancement of Children's Literature (KPBA), a non-profit organization that has pioneered various activities to promote children's reading habits in Indonesia.
"My duty is to force everyone to pay attention to children, to provide them with good books, and to improve the interest of children in reading," said Murti.
She has been the group's chairwoman since then. The group's activities include storytelling, improving human resources through training teachers, and trying to provide good books as well as helping establish libraries.
"In the future we also want to send young talents abroad to attend workshops to improve their skills," said Murti, speaking about the organization's plans.
Murti, who is the daughter of a former swimming coach, is married to Bunanta, a businessman. She was herself a talented national swimming athlete. She also won a third and second place in different swimming categories in the 4th Asian Games in Jakarta in 1962.
"I met him while we were both active in sports," said Murti. whose husband was a water polo athlete.
The couple has one son, Andreas, an engineer and businessman, and a daughter, Agatha, who has a Master of Business Administration degree.
"We are a joyful family with enough books to read. So I want to share this with other children. That's all. It's a simple goal,'' said Murti.
She has written at least 10 children's books both in English and the Indonesia language. Among these are Twenty Indonesian Proverbs for Children, Tiny Boy, The Mouse Deer and Turtle, The Legend of The Banyan Tree, and ABC-Book about Animals. Her work Si Bungsu Katak (1997) won an international competition, the Januz Korzchak International Literary Prize, in 1998.
All of the books are folk stories. The Library of Congress in America, which is known to be very selective in choosing books, is among the institutions that collect her books.
"I am preparing my eleventh book, which will be published in the U.S., retelling Indonesian folk stories," she said.
Why does she choose writing folk stories?
"I start with folk stories because these are what I love. When I was a child, my mother told me stories, and these became the subjects of my research. By retelling the folk tales, we introduce our culture, our spirit, to others, and we get to know ourselves," said Murti.
Murti has written a number of essays and given lectures on children's reading. She has also served as a juror in some international festivals on children's literature.
By writing books, she also wants to help build up dignity in children.
Working for children is her everyday activity. Often, she has to find the sponsors, working partners, and even an organizer herself for an event.
There are young people who voluntarily help, but they just come and go.
2. BATMAN: 1 LINE, 35 COUNTS
'Batman' takes World Cup centre-stage
Behind Japan's unusually spirited foray into the World Cup knock-out stage lurks a man with a gruesome black "batman" mask, which has caught the fancy of football fans around the globe.
In the World Cup limelight centre back Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has shone brightly as he joined gutsy goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki to battle back a flurry of attacks by Belgium, Russia and Tunisia in the first-round Group H.
Japan reached the second round with two wins and one draw and a goal difference of 5-2 -- battling the much feared prospect of becoming the first World Cup hosts to crash out in the first round.
The 25-year-old Gamba Osaka defender needed a medical face- guard to strap his nose which was broken in a training match a few days before Japan's 2-2 draw with Belgium in their World Cup opener.
The new fame has put him under the microscope of European scouts again, two years after an offer from West Ham went nowhere as he had too few international appearances to meet English Premiership standards.
"As long as I am active as a player, I will be willing to play at such a high stage," Miyamoto, who has worn 15 caps, commented about a career abroad. "I cannot comment further unless there is any offer."
Gamba Osaka coach Akira Nishino said: "His rating must have soared. If there is a concrete offer, I will personally support him."
Miyamoto painted the mask black to make it look more frightening.
Fortunes then turned as Miyamoto came on as substitute for first-choice but injury-prone centre back Ryuzo Morioka in the 71st minute of the Belgian match when he bruised his left knee and ankle.
"I am getting used to how it feels while playing," Miyamoto said of the mask, which has become a hot World Cup fashion item matching England captain David Beckham's Mohican hair-style.
In response to growing enquiries about the mask, sportsgear maker adidas, which sponsors Miyamoto, has produced hundreds of replica copies. They distributed them to supporters in Tokyo and Osaka on the Japan-Tunisia matchday Friday.
Miyamoto has scored one goal in his 172 J-League matches since he moved to Osaka's senior side from their youth farm in 1995. He made his international debut in 2000, against Bolivia, a few months before taking part in the Sydney Olympics.
Until 2000, he doubled as a labor economics student at Osaka's Doshishiya University, a background unique among J-Leaguers.
He once said: "What I do first after I wake up in the morning is to read an economic daily."