Page turners in 2001's literary scene

Page turners in 2001's literary scene

Lie Hua, Contributor, Jakarta

The country's literary arena was shaken in 2001 by the
appearance of Supernova, a novel written by a real newcomer, Dee
(Dewi Lestari).

This breakthrough work fostered an unusually rich literary
debate. But it was not the only happening during the year.

Writers, including a crop of first-timers, do not seem to be
daunted by the protracted economic and political crisis gripping
the country.

World-famous Pramoedya Ananta Toer came out this year with two
books -- Cerita dari Digoel (Tales from Digoel) which he edited,
and Perawan Remaja dalam Cengkeraman Militer (Girls in the
military's grip), his account of a group of Indonesians forced to
become comfort women by the Japanese occupation forces. This
account, based on data collected while he was exiled on Buru
Island, shows great literary flair and reads like a novel of
sorts.

This year also saw the publication of some of Pramoedya's
works in English translation: Tales from Djakarta, It's Not an
All-Night Fair and The King, the Witch and the Priest (or Calon
Arang). These translated works will surely make him more
accessible to foreign readers.

An epic novel of sorts -- in terms of geographical setting,
particularly -- was also released: Perang dan Kembang (War and
Flowers) by Asahan Alham. Dwelling on the period spanning the
late 1960s to the early 1980s, this novel, which is partly
autobiographical, graphically describes for readers what life was
like in Vietnam and later in China during those years. Asahan --
formerly Asahan Aidit, youngest brother of slain Indonesian
communist leader, DN Aidit -- lived through this period himself.

The year also saw the release of works by noted writers
exploring unfamiliar genres. Well-known poets Sutardji Calzoum
Bachri and Sapardi Djoko Damono each published collections of
short stories, entitled respectively Hujan Menulis Ayam (Rain
Writing Chicken) and Pengarang Telah Mati (The Author is Dead).

In the hands of both Sutardji, the self-styled president of
Indonesian poetry, and Sapardi, a highly skilled lyricist, the
stories read more like long poems. However, their attempts to
write in a different genre deserve praise.

Another fresh addition was The Rite of the Bali Aga by Sitor
Situmorang. This is his first collection of poems, originally
written in English. Here, as in his usually lyrical poems, Sitor
shows his skill in bringing together English words to form
harmonious strings of verses.

At least two noted poets saw the publication of their complete
works: Goenawan Mohamad with his Sajak-Sajak Lengkap 1961-2001
(Complete Poems 1961-2001) and Toto Sudarto Bachtiar with his
Suara, Etsa, Desah (Voice, Etches, Sighing). Complete works allow
readers to observe the literary development and achievements of a
writer.

Writers have benefited from the increasingly widespread use of
the Internet in this country. An anthology of cyber poems called
Graffiti Gratitude has been published, containing works by new
and established poets, including foreigners writing in English.
Obviously the world, even in literature, is becoming increasingly
borderless. Just try any search engine and look for sites on
Indonesian literature. There are a few that may interest you.

It was also during this year that a number of Indonesian
literary works were published in English translation. Apart from
Pram's works, we could also enjoy Kill the Radio, a collection of
poems by Dorothea Rosa Herliany, The Magician, a collection of
short stories by Bakdi Soemanto and Beautiful Eyes, a
compilation of the best short stories published in Kompas.

Amid the threat of national disintegration, Indonesian writers
of Chinese origin, some of them writing in Chinese and
Indonesian, have continued to make their presence felt. In
cooperation with the Indonesian Literature Committee (KSI), in
November 2001 they launched verse collections by two Chinese
Indonesian writers, Jeanne L. Yap and Mingfang. Translated into
Indonesian by Wilson Tjandinegara, these poems introduced a wider
reading audience to what Chinese Indonesian writers were feeling
and experiencing.

Also worthy of mention were the tireless efforts to popularize
literature under the sponsorship of the country's only literary
magazine, Horison. The program included a series of visits to
schools and universities to acquaint students with writers, and
the release of a book, Dari Fansuri ke Handayani (From Fansuri to
Handayani), a collection of literary pieces from both past and
present.

A number of other books representing all literary genres,
particularly short stories, saw the light of day during 2001,
including Larung, the sequel to the phenomenal Saman.

Newspapers like Media Indonesia, Kompas and Republika still
feature a regular literary page. The Jakarta Post also deserves
praise for regularly publishing Indonesian short stories in its
Sunday edition.

In addition to Horison there are two other magazines offering
literature buffs fresh articles, stories and poems. They are
Kalam (Pen) and Media Kerja Budaya (Cultural Work Medium). Like
poems? Then Puisi (Poetry) magazine may interest you.

Last but not least, we have Di Bawah Langit tak Berbintang
(Under a starless sky) by Utuy Tatang Sontani, one of Indonesia's
most important playwrights, victimized after the bloody 1965 coup
allegedly involving the Indonesian Communist Party. Utuy died in
self-imposed exile in Moscow. This book is an account of how he
began writing and how he spent his years of exile in China and
Russia.