Friends turn out to honor Umar

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Several of his peers said on Saturday that the death of Umar Kayam, 69, inflected a great loss on the ailing nation, recalling that he worked in a broad range of activities that enriched Indonesian culture.

"I lost a friend who I used to talk with," former education and culture minister Fuad Hasan after attending the burial of Umar at Karet public cemetery here.

Fuad said Umar had been a friend since childhood when they were in junior high school in Surakarta, Central Java together.

Film director Slamet Rahardjo said he died too early, as his literature was still needed to relieve the burden of the people.

"He was very modest in his lifestyle and he could talk with the common people," Slamet recalled.

Born in Ngawi, East Java, on April 30, 1932, Umar obtained his doctoral degree from Cornell University in New York state in 1965.

He headed various institutions, including as director general of radio, television, and film (1966-1969), chief of the Jakarta Art Council (1969-1972), and since 1977 had headed the Center for the Research of Indonesian Culture at Gadjah Mada University.

The modesty of Umar and his broad social interaction was reflected by the many people who attended his burial to pay their last respects.

Not only were the literary community represented by such people as Goenawan Mohammad, Mohammad Sobary and Faruk H.T., but also bureaucrats such as the head of the Supreme Audit Body, Satrio Budihardjo Joedono, were also seen among the crowd.

Novelist Ayu Utami and former fashion model Ratih Sanggarwati also paid tribute.

Several academics, including Sapardi Djoko Damono, Tommy F. Awuy, Rizal Malarangeng, William Liddle and Taufik Abdullah, were also spotted among the mourners.

"This has shown how vast the interaction of Mas (elder brother) Kayam was," said Goenawan, who could not hide his tears.

Goenawan added that Umar, in his capacity as director of radio, television, and film, had breathed life into the domestic film industry.

Umar had encouraged the development of quality-oriented and money-making movies. "With that strategy, our movies can grow optimally," Goenawan added.

John McGlynn, director of the Lontar foundation, acknowledged that he had learned a lot from Umar as he was a great storyteller.

"In our relationship, he was always like a father to me. He was a wonderful man," McGlynn added.

Tommy F. Awuy from the University of Indonesia said that many of Umar's works criticized feudalistic society.

Tommy added that Umar was a person who believed that sweeping reforms could never take place without transforming the feudalistic culture in the society.

Columnist and head of the Antara state news agency Mohamad Sobary said Umar continued to try to advance Indonesian culture through his literature until his final illness.

"He hoped Goenawan (Mohammad) and poet Rendra would unite to improve the cultural condition in Indonesia," Sobary said, referring to their conversation before Umar's death.