Cross-cultural poet and translator

Cross-cultural poet and translator

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

In the 32 years of the New Order regime in Indonesia, hardly any
literary works written by Chinese-Indonesians saw the light of
day.

The New Order regime did not give any room for the development
of the ethnic Chinese culture.

Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967 prevented Chinese-
Indonesian writers from developing their talent as it prohibited
them from expressing themselves through Chinese cultural themes.

As a result, the ethnic Chinese culture became alienated in
Indonesia and thus Chinese-Indonesian writers lost their place in
Indonesia's contemporary world of literature.

When the reform era was ushered in following the collapse of
the New Order regime, Indonesia's literary world was suddenly
caught by surprise with the emergence of the prolific Chinese-
Indonesian writer Wilson Tjandinegara.

A poet and a translator of Chinese literary works, he suddenly
emerged as a spokesman for ethnic Chinese literature.

Wilson Tjandinegara, though no longer young, is indeed a
newcomer to Indonesia's literary world. He became known only in
1997 when he began to actively take part in the Indonesian
Literary Community (KSI), an organization that brings together
Indonesian writers. Wilson joined the KSI in 1996, the year it
was founded.

Although he was the oldest among KSI members, he learned how
to write poetry from younger poets who had made a name for
themselves earlier. After deciding to quit his business, Wilson
took part in various discussions in cultural pockets in Jakarta,
Tangerang and Bogor.

Wilson was born to a poor ethnic Chinese family in Makassar on
Dec. 20, 1946. As his father was just a tailor, Wilson had to
work hard. At age 12, he had to work after school to help augment
the family income. In his youth, he started a bookstore and a
book rental shop in Makassar. Books by Chairil Anwar made the
greatest impression on him.

"I'm really impressed by Chairil Anwar's line -- 'Once
meaningful, then dead'," said Wilson, whose Chinese name is Chen
Tung Long.

This particular line by Chairil Anwar, a poet of the 1945
Generation, has spurred him to continue writing although he is no
longer young. Obviously he had to make a very difficult decision
in abandoning his successful business to devote himself fully to
literature.

Many of his relatives were cynical about his decision. "I
devoted myself to my business for decades. I have the material
wealth that I have dreamed of acquiring since childhood. I must
do something else. This something else is to be a writer and a
translator," said Wilson, who now lives in Cimone, Tangerang.

Link between Chinese and Indonesians

Wilson said although the material benefit from the literary
world was not big, the proceeds from the sales of his books were
good enough. "If I do not make a profit, I will certainly stop
being a translator and a writer," said Wilson, who enjoys
traveling and photography.

Although he started rather late in life as a writer, Wilson is
considered a pioneer of cultural exchange as he has played a
substantial role as a bridge between ethnic Chinese and
Indonesians.

Poet Abdul Hadi W.M. once said in his writings that Wilson's
decision to be a writer and a translator of Chinese literature
into Indonesian was important and valuable.

At least he has disseminated literary works by ethnic Chinese
and introduced Chinese literary works to the public from the
classical to the modern periods.

Meanwhile, based on his observation of the books that Wilson
has published, poet Taufiq Ismail has called him an activist poet
of three directions", meaning that besides being a poet, Wilson
also plays a role as a promoter of intercultural relations, and
translator of Indonesian-Chinese literary works.

Wilson has dozens of titles to his credit including
collections of his poems Puisi Untukmu (Poems for You, CV
Gitakara, 1995), Lelaki Adalah Sebingkai Lukisan (A Man is a
Painting in its Frame, KSI, 2001), and Rumah Panggung di Kampung
Halaman (House on Stilts in My Home Village), KSI, 1999.

Wilson said that he paid serious attention to the translation
of Chinese literary works into Indonesia as he wanted to bring
the two cultures closer so that they could know each other
better.

If Chinese-Indonesians get acquainted with other ethnic groups
in Indonesia, he said, their relations would certainly be good.

"At least, friendship will be fostered. Social turmoil will be
slightly reduced if this process continues for long enough.

"This reminds me of what Prof. Zhou Nanjing of Peking
University once said in a letter to me. One of the reasons for
the anti-Chinese campaign in Indonesia is a lack of
communication.

"Therefore, I must introduce Chinese culture to the Indonesian
community by translating Chinese literary works," he noted.

Pioneer of cultural exchange

As a KSI member, Wilson has taken the initiative to organize
collaborative activities between the KSI and the Association of
Yin Hua Writers (PPYH), an organization of Chinese-Indonesian
writers, the board members of which include Jeanne Yap and
Cecillia, an editor of a bilingual Chinese-Indonesian newspaper.

Through this collaboration, the two organizations have
published translated works and organized several art events such
as a demonstration of Chinese painting by Madam Chian Yu Tie and
Chinese calligraphy as well as a musical performance of Guzhen, a
Chinese musical instrument played by Ibu Chen Suen Cui from
Bandung at HB Yassin Literary Documentation Center, Taman Ismail
Marzuki (TIM) on October 30, 1999, coinciding with the third
anniversary of KSI.

As he serves as a mediator for cultural exchanges through his
translations, Wilson is now considered by writers as one of the
pioneers of cultural exchange in Indonesia.

In that vein, Wilson recollects an experience during the
launch of his 101 Puisi Mandarin (101 Chinese Poems) in Makassar
several years back. During the launch four Makassar songs were
sung in their Chinese translation.

"I found it funny because in Jakarta and in Makassar, writers
on both sides live in the same city but do not have any
relationship with each other. After I tried to bridge the gap
between them and helped them get to know one another, I felt the
need to establish cooperation among writers so that our national
literary world would flourish," he said.

Apart from being active in literary activities, Wilson has
also actively paid attention to the life of Chinese-Indonesians
in various regions across the country through photography.

He visited poor Chinese villages in Kalimantan and Banten.
Through his photographs, he would like to tell people that not
all Chinese-Indonesians are privileged and wealthy."There are
quite a lot of poor Chinese-Indonesians. They earn a living as
farmers and fruit vendors. Some of them are even jobless," he
said.

It is Wilson's hope that Indonesian-Chinese cultural exchange
can dispel the unfavorable view about Chinese-Indonesians so that
they will no longer be considered "money-making animals".