Writer Kuntowijoyo leaves legacy to RI

Writer Kuntowijoyo leaves legacy to RI

Slamet Susanto and Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Kuntowijoyo, a prominent writer and historian, died on Tuesday at
Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta after suffering from
meningoencephalitis for more than 10 years.

The 63-year-old lecturer is survived by his wife
Susilaningsih, 58 and two sons Punang Amarireja, 34 and Alun
Paradita, 23.

Relatives said Kuntowijoyo was a productive person who always
threw himself into things. He was still writing academic articles
13 years after being hit by the disabling brain disease.

"He kept typing although with only one finger. He never
complained about his illness," said his sister-in-law Eny
Wijayanti.

Kuntowijoyo, who was born in Klaten, Central Java, completed
his undergraduate studies at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta
in 1969. He later obtained a doctorate degree in history from
Columbia University in 1980, after completing a dissertation
titled "Social Change in An Agrarian Society: Madura, 1850-1940."
The dissertation turned out to be very influential among social
observers in the country.

He went back to UGM after completing his studies in the U.S
and continued to teach in the Letters Faculty at Gadjah Mada.

Kuntowijoyo, a noted columnist, has also long been active in
cultural organizations.

He once chaired the Mantika Study Group, which mainly
discusses performing arts. This brought him close to prominent
artists and film directors such as Arifin C. Noer, Ikranagara and
Chaerul Umam. He has written many short stories, poets and novels
and won several literary awards.

Kuntowijoyo also wrote extensively about Islamic topics. Two
of his books that became influential in Islamic circles were
Paradigma Islam (Islam Paradigm) and Khotbah Di Atas Bukit
(Preach Over the Hill).

He will be buried on Wednesday.