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.