Ahmad Tohari: Writing is Like Zikr for Me, Must Be Done with Solemnity

Cultural figure and national literary great Ahmad Tohari has called on the younger generation, particularly students, to strengthen literacy culture through the habits of reading and writing. According to him, these activities are a vital means of personal development as well as an indicator of a nation’s progress.

“Writing is a strategic activity as a primary means of self-development. People who write usually have above-average intelligence. That is why a nation’s progress is determined by the literacy of its people,” said Ahmad Tohari at SMAN 1 Sigaluh in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java, on Thursday (16 July).

The appearance of the legendary author of the novel Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk formed part of a “Meet and Greet National Cultural Figure Ahmad Tohari” event, which also commemorated the 29th anniversary of SMAN 1 Sigaluh. During the dialogue, the man affectionately known as Kang Tohari revealed that he regards writing as a form of worship.

“For me, writing is my way of remembering God, so I am fully absorbed every time I write. When starting out, it is fine to imitate at first, because we all certainly need inspiration from the reading materials of earlier writers,” he told an audience of hundreds of students.

He also motivated the pupils not to be afraid to begin their own works. Kang Tohari recounted his own experience of going through a long process before his work gained national recognition. “It was only on my fifth piece that my writing was published in Kompas,” he said, stressing the importance of perseverance and extensive reading of quality works as the foundation of writing.

Furthermore, he reminded the students of the importance of mastering the “Tri Gatra Bahasa” — the three pillars of language: Indonesian, the mother tongue (regional language), and English as the international language. According to him, quality written works can serve as a means of introducing Indonesia’s identity to the international world.

The head of SMAN 1 Sigaluh, Linovia, said Ahmad Tohari’s presence was a special moment as it coincided with the launch of the One Class One Book (SKSB) programme. This flagship programme successfully produced 24 books written by students from each class, along with one book collaboratively written by teachers and education staff.

“We hope this is a good first step in fostering the spirit of literacy among students and teachers. Going forward, we will continue to develop literacy activities like this,” said Linovia.

Appreciation also came from the head of the Banjarnegara Regency Archives and Library Service (Dinarpus), Arief Rachman. He expressed hope that the 25 books written by members of the school community could become part of the Banjarnegara Regional Library (Perpusda) collection so that they can be accessed by the wider public.

“We hope that the 25 books can later be sent to Perpusda Banjarnegara to be displayed alongside other books by local writers. This SKSB programme is an excellent initiative by SMAN 1 Sigaluh,” Arief concluded.

Now aged 78, the author of Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk, Ahmad Tohari, remains in good health. He still frequently accepts invitations to speak as a resource person on literature.