Lontar Foundation racing against time

By Ati Nurbaiti

JAKARTA (JP): The assumption might be that local writers would jump at the chance to speak their mind on videotape for posterity.

The tape might eventually make it to TV, no better way, perhaps, to break through the notorious ignorance about literature here, a concern reiterated in last week's meeting of writers in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra.

But several writers responded to the proposal with "I don't want to die yet".

One of the founders and only full-time editor of the Lontar Foundation dedicated to Indonesian literature, John McGlynn, recalled the writers' superstitious comments, which may have been made half in jest.

Lontar has documented several authors for its On the Record series. Several hours of interviews with each author are edited into 30-minute videos.

The project is an invaluable complement to years of documentation of the works of local writers by senior essayist H.B. Jassin.

But it is a race again time in the form of mortality -- the renowned Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana and Selasih passed away after their segments were made, and several other authors died before Lontar could approach them.

Many of the writers proposed for the series are in their 70s.

There is also the problem of funding. The formidable US$16,540 needed for production of each documentary has meant that many interviews have been put on the back burner.

In addition to the video project and its translations of Indonesian literary works, Lontar has also introduced a biannual festival of Indonesian oral traditions.

In what may be construed as a desperate but necessary bid to fan wider interest in the nation's literary heritage and gain funding, Lontar is announcing the projects and the costs on-line (http://www.lontar.org/).

McGlynn, 45, traces his interest in Indonesian literature to his days studying theater at the University of Wisconsin.

A Javanese puppet master (dalang) came to teach, he said, "and I began making my own style of puppets out of fiberglass". This interest ultimately led the American to Indonesia, and into the literary community.

His endeavors began in earnest in 1986 when poet Sapardi Djoko Damono was nominated for the Southeast Asia Write Awards in Bangkok. McGlynn recalls that there was no readily available English translation of his work for the judges.

This highlighted the need for translation of other works, and Sapardi's anthology of poetry, Suddenly the Night, paved the way for many more.

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McGlynn formally set up the foundation the following year with Goenawan Mohamad, chief editor of the Tempo newsweekly (it was banned in 1994), author Umar Kayam and others. It is now chaired by Adila Suwarmo.

A new translation is of a play by the late Iwan Simatupang, Square Moon, which reveals how the author intentionally pursued a spartan life as he sought "universal humanism".

While the list of Lontar's translations is inspiring in that more Indonesian works will be accessible to the world, McGlynn said the output fell far short of the founders' expectations.

"We thought we could do at least 10 a year ...," he said.

But Lontar has no full-time translators, and no money to pay any either. Each translation is meticulously edited.

"The most important thing is not to do a disservice to readers," McGlynn says.

The hunt is now on for full-time translators and editors. There are also plans to set up a company to deal with the business concerns, and enable editors to concentrate on their work.

McGlynn said Indonesian literature, in part due to the many foreign scholars on Indonesian studies, had "a good chance" in earning global appreciation compared to the literary works of other Southeast Asian countries.

Apart from making the world more aware of Indonesian literature, Lontar targets the wider and future local audience, evidenced in the video documentation project.

But on the home front, as the writers in Bukittinggi can avouch, it's another story.

Lontar's vision is that along with the barrage of cartoons on Sunday mornings, parents will be able to sit with their children to watch living and departed literary greats on TV.

Families could view narrations by such writers as Sitor Situmorang in the beautiful native surroundings which inspired his works.

But the TV powers have told Lontar that literature simply does not sell.

"They say it's too intellectual, there's no audience ... and they haven't even tried," a morose McGlynn said.

Lontar has nevertheless presented the videotapes to several schools, and staffers said teachers and students were quite excited.

Shortly after commemorating its 10th anniversary last month, Lontar held a trial screening of the videos before a tiny audience at the Utan Kayu theater in East Jakarta.

After a hushed, awed viewing of the writers expressing their thoughts, several for the first time on film, regrets were expressed that Lontar had not made more widespread publicity for the event.

Founder Fikri Jufri threw up his hands in exasperation.

"That shouldn't be our concern," he said, adding the foundation was overwhelmed by other pressing matters, such as potential trouble from the authorities over controversial authors featured in the series.

Despite the undeniable problems mentioned by Fikri, Lontar's mission to popularize Indonesian literary works continues through the dedication of McGlynn and others.