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".