Downloaded from Brill.Com09/27/2021 04:01:16PM Via Free Access 350 Review Essays

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Downloaded from Brill.Com09/27/2021 04:01:16PM Via Free Access 350 Review Essays Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 172 (2016) 349–368 bki brill.com/bki Engaged Literature An Examination of Social Issues Reflected in Contemporary Indonesian Literature L.G. Saraswati Putri University of Indonesia [email protected] Djenar Maesa Ayu, Jangan Main-main (dengan Kelaminmu). Kumpulan Cer- pen. Jakarta: pt Gramedia Pustaka Utama, [2004] 2007, 122 pp. isbn 9792206701. Price: usd 2.53 (paperback). Damhuri Muhammad, Anak-anak Masa Lalu. Jakarta: Marjin Kiri, 2015, viii+ 121 pp. isbn 139789791260466. Price: usd 2.53 (paperback). Esha Tegar Putra, Dalam Lipatan Kain. Motion Publishing, 2015, 132 pp. isbn 9786027005464. Price: usd 3.9 (paperback). Kompas, Di Tubuh Tarra, dalam Rahim Pohon: Cerpen Pilihan Kompas 2014, Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kompas, 2015. isbn 139789797099497. Price: usd 4.55 (paperback). Okky Madasari, Entrok. Jakarta: pt Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2010, 282 pp. isbn 139789792255898. Price: usd 4.92 (paperback). Okky Madasari, Maryam. Jakarta: pt Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2012, 27 pp. isbn 139789792280098. Price: usd 5.64 (paperback). Okky Madasari, Pasung Jiwa. Jakarta: pt Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2013, 328 pp. isbn 139789792296693. Price: usd 3.98 (paperback). Made Adnyana Ole, Dongeng dari Utara. Yogyakarta: Akar Indonesia, 2014, 110 pp. isbn 139789799983893. Price: usd 2.53 (paperback). Oka Rusmini, Saiban. Jakarta: Grasindo, 2014, 56 pp. isbn 139786022516026. Price: usd 4.99 (hardback). © l.g. saraswati putri, 2016 | doi: 10.1163/22134379-17202018 This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported (cc-by-nc 3.0) License. Downloaded from Brill.com09/27/2021 04:01:16PM via free access 350 review essays Literature offers a unique way to peer into the collective consciousness. The aesthetic experience involves not only our cognitive abilities, but also our emo- tional sensibilities; it offers a window into social values and trends. Literature not only moves, entertains, and edifies, it also invites people to imagine other ways of living, to see alternative possibilities for their own lives and their own societies. In this way, literature has the power to inspire people to transform the world. Poems and prose can raise awareness and encourage resistance to injustice. Criticisms of socio-political life have appeared from the late colonial period through Suharto’s New Order in books, often republished, by a range of authors including Semaun (1899–1971), Mas Marco Kartodikromo (1890–1932), Wiji Tukul (1963-missing since 1998), W.S Rendra (1935–2009), and Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1925–2006). Their works spoke on behalf of the marginalised, and criticised corrupt authorities. As literary historian Melani Budianta said, ‘fiction served as a means of voicing that which was silenced’ (Budianta 2009: 143–145). One prominent theme in recent literature is the Tragedy of 1965, which refers the army’s annihilation of Indonesian Communist Party members, sympathis- ers, and many thousands of ordinary people in civil society. For decades after 1965, this history was virtually blacked out by authorities, and in schools and the media, people learned a sanitised, propaganda version of what happened. So, younger generations living in post-1998 Indonesia have become aware of the events of 1965 in part through literary works by writers who lived through that time and directly experienced its horrors. The flavour of the times is con- veyed in novels and short stories such as Pulang (‘Home’) by Leila Chudori (born in 1962), Blues Merbabu by Bre Redana (born in 1957), Drupadi by Fajar Arcana (born in 1965) among others. But here I want to focus on other themes in contemporary Indonesian literature. Generally, the recent scene of contempo- rary Indonesian literature readership comes from diverse background, namely literary critics, university’s students, academics, researchers, journalists, and activists. This readership is supported by the major bookstore companies such as Gramedia and Gunung Agung, but now the appearances of online and indie bookstores also play an important role to extent the number of readers. In ‘A many-headed Machine’, Henk Maier (2015) discusses Indonesian liter- ature over generations, arguing that after 1970 it has become far more diverse in its methods and choice of themes than in previous decades.1 According to 1 He identifies the emergence of several varieties, namely Islamic literature (sastra islam), literature of the interior (sastra pedalaman), cyber-literature (sastra dunia maya), regional literature (sastra regional), contextual literature (sastra kontekstual), fragrant literature (sas- tra wangi) and wild literature. See Maier 2015. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 172 (2016) 349–368 Downloaded from Brill.com09/27/2021 04:01:16PM via free access review essays 351 Maier, Indonesian literature has had a less explicitly nationalist focus, instead emphasising more personal themes and narrating the actualities of socio- economic matters, as in the work of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. The following review essay proposes a new mapping of socially engaged topics in Indonesian literature during the reformation era since President Suharto stepped down in 1998. I analyze contemporary literary work emerging in Indonesia in the context of social and political changes, changes both reflected in and inspired by the upheaval of these years. This context of socio-political turmoil, along with women’s voices, gender issues, and a new environmental awareness, has influenced the current style and mood of Indonesian literature. I investigate literary works that developed during the reformation era, and discern some of the emergent themes, at a time when, unlike the New Order period, freedom was celebrated. But these works do more than celebrate, so this essay also looks into the challenges, problems, and inspirations faced by the present generation of young Indonesian writers. The essay is organised in three sections. The first part discusses recent works concerning how literature relates to present-day human rights problems, namely minority and civil rights in Indonesia. The second part looks at gender- related issues, which overlap with human rights violations, namely, women’s and lgbtiq (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, and Queer) rights. Lastly, the essay explores the role of environmental issues in Indonesian cur- rent literary work. Environmental degradation is a pressing concern now in Indonesia. Some of the urgent issues are deforestation in Sumatra and Kali- mantan, and the development of unsustainable practices that are destroying natural spaces and continue to encroach on animal habitat and threaten the survival of wildlife. I focus on writing that took place in the wake of the reformation era, includ- ing many woman authors, beginning with Ayu Utami (born in 1968), who published her debut still under the New Order. In general, women writers in Indonesia are stereotyped, relegated to a single second class category, but this unfortunate and condescending labeling2 ignores the great richness and vari- ety of contemporary writing by women. In the first section on ‘civil rights’,Okky Madasari (born in 1984, and a star of this generation), identifies urgent issues about religious freedom for the Ahmadiyya in Indonesia. Madasari also engages with gender issues, discussed in the subsequent section, where we find fel- low author Djenar Maesa Ayu, who in Menyusu Ayah (‘Sucking Father’s Milk’), addresses rape and sexual violence in Indonesia through a compelling and 2 Fragrant literature (see footnote 1) is a term referring to women authors in Indonesia, more than often this generalization disregards whatever themes these women are expressing. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 172 (2016) 349–368 Downloaded from Brill.com09/27/2021 04:01:16PM via free access 352 review essays unconventional narration. Lastly, I look at writing about nature that reflects on how people are enduring the disappearance of natural spaces and the fading of traditional ways of life. The writers discussed are Made Adnyana Ole (born in 1968), Oka Rusmini (born in 1967), Guntur Alam (born in 1986), Gus tf Sakai (born in 1965), Damhuri Muhammad (born in 1974), and Esha Tegar Putra (born in 1985). Politics, Religion and Civil Rights Okky Puspa Madasari was born in Magetan Regency, East Java. She studied Political Science at Gadjah Mada University in 2005, and Sociology at the Uni- versity of Indonesia, finishing her Master’s degree with a thesis called ‘Geneal- ogy of Indonesian Novels: Capitalism, Islam, and Critical Literature.’ As a novel- ist, she is known as a realist who deeply portrays political and social conditions in Indonesia, a likely result of her early occupation as a journalist. She was a co-founder of and is currently involved in the asean Literary Festival, which promotes literary awareness among youth in Indonesia and the Southeast Asia region. She was the youngest author to win the Khatulistiwa (Kusala) Literary Award (kla) for her second novel Maryam, which centres on the experience of an oppressed minority, the Ahmadiyya. All around Indonesia, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community have been suffer- ing from persecution by Muslim extremists. According to The Association of Religion Data Archives, there are approximately 400.000 Ahmadiyya in Indone- sia. Members of the Ahmadiyya community suffer from banning and closure of their mosques. Muslim extremists have also expelled them from their homes and workplaces. The
Recommended publications
  • CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Everyone
    1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the study Everyone who has a relationship certainly wants to marry with her/his couple, to live together, to have children and new family. Marriage is the purpose for whoever wants to have better life than before, because they can live together with their soulmate in their life. Anthropologists have proposed several competing definitions of marriage in an attempt to encompass the wide variety of marital practices observed across cultures(Duran: 1997). Eva Illouz argues “that the 'love' (companionate) marriage emerged at the same time as the rise of capitalism in European and American society”.” 'Love' is not the raw emotion that Western representations make it out to be, but a cultural construction shaped by the social and economic conditions of modern industrial society”. “Industrialization weakened the ties between extended families, and made the nuclear family the norm” (Illuz: 1997). In some jurisdictions cohabitation may constitute a common-law marriage, and in some countries the laws recognize cohabitation in lieu of institutional marriage for taxation and social security benefits. This is the case, for example, in Australia. Common-law marriage is an option pursued by many as a form of resistance to traditional institutionalized marriage; however, in this context, states reserve the right to define the relationship as marital, based only on a history of co-habitation. Marriage laws refer to the legal requirements which determine the validity of a marriage, which vary considerably between countries (Nolo :2009). 1 2 Islam religion also commends to marriage, with the age of marriage being whenever the individuals feel ready, financially and emotionally.
    [Show full text]
  • Outcaste by Choice: Re-Genderings in a Short Story by Oka Rusmini
    OUTCASTE BY CHOICE: RE-GENDERINGS IN A SHORT STORY BY OKA RUSMINI HARRY AVELING da Ayu Oka Rusmini is a major contemporary Indonesian author. She Ihas published two novels—Tarian Bumi (2000)1 and Kenanga (2003); a collection of short stories, Sagra (2001)2; and a volume of poetry, Patiwangi (2003, republished in 2007 as Warna Kita with the omission of some 12 poems). Born in Jakarta in 1967 of Balinese parents, she was a member of the highest Balinese caste, the brahmana caste,3 but renounced this status, including her title, after her marriage to the East Javanese essayist and poet Arif B. Prasetyo. Oka Rusmini is a graduate of the Indonesian Studies Department, Udayana University, and lives in Den Pasar where she works as a journalist for the Bali Post. Most of Oka Rusmini’s prose works explore the constraints which the socio-religious practices of caste place on all members of society, but most especially on women. Both of her novels tell of a woman’s abandonment of her brahmin caste status as the result of her marriage to a sudra. The title of the poetry book, Patiwangi, refers to the ritual practice by which this degradation is confirmed, and the poem which gives the book its title bears the footnote: “Patiwangi: pati = death; wangi = fragrant. Patiwangi is a ritual which is performed on a noble woman in her Village Temple to remove her noble status as a consequence of having married a man of a lower caste. The ritual often has a serious psychological impact on noble women” (107).
    [Show full text]
  • Portrayal of Balinese Women in Oka Rusmini's Earth Dance
    PORTRAYAL OF BALINESE WOMEN IN OKA RUSMINI’S EARTH DANCE: A FEMINIST APPROACH Luh Eka Margarita Rita Sutjiati Djohan Sugeng Trijanto Setianingtyas Gunadarma University Gunadarma University Gunadarma University jl. Margonda Raya 100 jl. Margonda Raya 100 jl. Margonda Raya 100 Depok, 16424 Depok, 16424 Depok, 16424 [email protected] ABSTRACT This undergraduate thesis analyzed the Balinese women in Earth Dance by Oka Rusmini. The writer chose this novel because this novel describes the gender inequalities suffered by Balinese women and kinds of Balinese women resistance against gender inequalities by feminist approach, which in this undergraduate thesis the elaboration of the approach employed radical feminist that is radical feminist. The writer uses descriptive qualitative method. Collecting data in this research is done by reading some books, reading some journals, and searching information on the internet. The aims of the research are to describe the kinds of gender inequality against Balinese women and to describe the kinds of Balinese women resistance against gender inequalities in the novel Earth Dance by Oka Rusmini. The results of the research are; first, violence, unfaithful, stereotype, and double burden are the kinds of gender inequality experienced by the Balinese women; and second, celibacy, lesbian, and resist the custom are the kinds of Balinese women resistance against gender inequalities in Earth Dance by Oka Rusmini. Keywords: Feminism, Radical Feminist, inequality, resistance, Balinese women, Earth Dance. particularly for criticism of itself, 1. INTRODUCTION Balinese writers returned to exploring 1.1 Background of the Research local issues, especially the impact of the development of tourism and the Bali is one of favorite destinations for conflict between modernity and local foreign tourists, as a province and as customs, such as the caste system an island in Indonesia which is interest (Putra, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Hegemoni Kasta Dalam Tiga Prosa Karya Oka Rusmini I
    Jurnal Bakti Saraswati Vol.06 No.02September 2017 ISSN : 2088-2149 HEGEMONI KASTA DALAM TIGA PROSA KARYA OKA RUSMINI I Komang Widana Putra Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar Email: [email protected] ABSTRAK Tradisi lokal masyarakat Bali sering menjadi inspirasi para pengarang untuk menulis karya sastra. Tiga prosa karya Oka Rusmini dalam kajian ini berlatar kehidupan Bali mengetengahkan masalah hegemoni kasta yangbanyak menderitakan para tokoh perempuannya. Ketiga karya itu adalah novel Kenanga, novelet Sagra, dan novel Tarian Bumi. Hasil analsisis menunjukkan hegemoni kasta dalam ketiga karya ini terungkap lewatbahasa, adat, kehidupan sosial, serta aktivitas sosial. Kata Kunci: hegemoni, kasta, perempuan Bali ABSTRACT Balinese community’s local tradition frequehtly becomes inspitations to authors in creating their literary works. three prose written by Oka Rusmini in this study were based on Bali daily life which focuses on caste hegemony nproblems that mostly bexpereinced by the female characters. These three prose are Kenanga novel, Sagra novellette, and Tarian Bumi novel. the results of the analysis showed that caste hegemoni min these three works is reaveled through language, culture, social life, as well as social activities. Keywords: hegemony, caste, women Bali I. PENDAHULUAN mengakar dalam masyarakat adalah Oka Karya sastra yang mengangkat tema Rusmini. Banyak karya sastranya lahir sesuai akar tradisi pengarang tumbuh dan berdasarkan warna lokal tradisi Bali. Di dibesarkan sebagai semacam keunikan antara karya fiksi Oka Rusmini, yang yang memberikan tambahan cakrawala paling menarik untuk dibahasdalam tulisan pengetahuan pembaca untuk mengenal ini adalah tiga karya prosanya yaitu novel Indonesia. Pengangkatan tema yang Kenanga, novelet Sagra, dan novel Tarian demikian, bisa dilihat pula, sebagai bentuk Bumi.
    [Show full text]
  • 59 Cultural Criticism of Balinese Women Upon
    Journal of Education and Social Sciences, Vol. 5, issue 3, (October) ISSN 2289-1552 2016 CULTURAL CRITICISM OF BALINESE WOMEN UPON BALINESE TRADITION: A STUDY OF FEMINIST LITERATURE Made Rai Arta,S.Pd,M.Pd Department of Language Education, Post Graduate Program Ganesha University of Education, Bali-Indonesia E-mail :[email protected] Abstract Cultural discourse in Balinese people relates to social discourse which lives in line with current development within an ethnic entity. This writing aims at giving articulation in form of comprehension upon the existence of Balinese women in criticizing something felt as cultural unfairness which marginalizes themselves as individual and women. The study is in form of feminist literature which focuses on woman representation in the world of literature. The existence of feminist theory is intended to elevate the marginalization of woman literary works or marginalization of woman in literature. There are three focuses, namely: 1) giving text of woman author work, 2) discussing woman character in literary work, and 3) studying the response of woman reader upon the literature. The cultural criticism conducted by Balinese women in the novels of Balinese writer such as AA PanjiTisna, Oka Rusmini, Putu Wijaya concerns about the existence of cultural rebellion which is related to monolithic opinion by emphasizing on patrilineal society system, tradition and religious system of Balinese people framed by Hindus belief. In religious system of Balinese people there is a belief of destiny as a life that should be accepted as the consequences of karma (act). Bad actions done by the characters in the novel is a representation of the writer.
    [Show full text]
  • Contesting Caste Identity
    CHAPTER V Contesting caste identity Literature and caste issues Caste is one of the dominant themes in Indonesian literature from Bali, and issues to do with caste recur in all literary genres including poetry, prose and drama.1 In the 1920s and 1930s, caste was the foremost subject matter used in poetry, which was the most common genre during this period. During the national revolution period, caste based-themes continued to appear, but less frequently, because during this period Balinese writers, like those elsewhere in Indonesia, were concerned with more compelling issues such as the national revolution, poverty, morality, the leadership crisis, and national identity. Preoccupied with these national social and political issues, Balinese writers rarely wrote about local subjects such as caste. However, during the New Order period, when the regime pro- hibited the use of the arts and literary works for social and political propaganda and particularly for criticism of itself, Balinese writers returned to exploring local issues, especially the impact of the development of tourism and the confl ict between modernity and local customs, such as the caste system. Almost every Balinese writer has written about caste, which in the Reformation period is still a leading topic. It has been used by recent Balinese writers as a basis for short stories, novels and poetry written in Indonesian, and is also 1 The structure of the caste system in Bali and its terminology were outlined in Chapter II. For a detailed bibliography of short stories and plays discussed in this chapter, see Appendix F. I Nyoman Darma Putra - 9789004253636 Downloaded from Brill.com09/25/2021 12:57:57PM via free access 150 A literary mirror a dominant topic in modern literature in the Balinese language.2 Reading works about this issue in either language helps provide an understanding of how the Balinese manage the ongoing tension between maintaining and opposing the traditional social hierarchy.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This Chapter Includes the Background Of
    CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter includes the background of the study, limitation of the study, problem statement, objective of the study, benefit of the study, and thesis organization. A. Background of the Study The New Order is a term used to separate the power of Sukarno era (Old Order) with the Suharto era. As the period that marked a new era after the September 30 Movement uprising in 1965. The new order was born as an attempt to total correcting irregularities committed during the Old Order, the realignment of all aspects of the lives of the people, nation, and the state of Indonesia, Pancasila and the UUD 1945, a genuine and consistent and regain the strength of the nation to raise national stability in order to accelerate the process of development of the nation. The Indonesian killings of 1965–1966 were an anti-communist purge following a failed coup of the 30 September Movement in Indonesia. The most widely accepted estimates are that more than 500,000 people were killed. The purge was a pivotal event in the transition to the ‘New Order’; the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was eliminated as a political force, and the upheavals led to the downfall of president Sukarno and the commencement of Suharto's thirty-year presidency. It affects the people who 1 2 had participated in the Communist Partay (PKI), getting alienation from government. (Cribb, 1990: 5) The rationale of the slaughter following the 30th September movement was that the communists were thought to be deeply involved in the abduction and murder of the Generals, and therefore they were traitors.
    [Show full text]
  • INDO 83 0 1178561786 17 40.Pdf (464.6Kb)
    Reading Ayu Utami: Notes toward a Study of Trauma and the Archive in Indonesia Laurie J. Sears * Then it was 1966 and just remembering the date makes people here shudder, even little things about any neighbor who was killed when the troops of the angel of death incarnated on earth as humans, but we never knew who they were. We only knew when they were already herding us toward the gaping hole, their faces dark and eyes missing. We couldn't trust anybody, not our lovers, not even our own selves. Because at that time only by pointing to someone else could we save ourselves, moving death over our heads over the heads of others.1 Ayu Utami, Larung * Thanks to Celia Lowe, Wolfgang Linser, and Tikka Sears for reading versions of this essay, to Francisco Benitez for his help with interpretation, and to Lauren Kronmiller, who brought my attention to some of the cited sources. I am particularly grateful to Henk Maier for his generous readings and comments on this essay. I also thank my colleague John Toews, noted scholar of European Intellectual History, for letting me sit in on his class "The Psychoanalytic Revolution in Historical Perspective" in Fall 2006. Thanks also to Tinuk Yampolsky, who helped me arrange and then hosted the interview with Ayu Utami. ^'Ketika itu tahun 66, tetapi mengingat angka tahunnya pun orang di sini gentar, apalagi hal kecil tentang siapa saja tetangga yang dibunuh, dan sukan malaikat maut turun ke bumi menjelma manusia, namun tak kita kenali yang mana. Kita hanya tahu ketika mereka telah menggiring kita ke muka lubang, wayah mereka yang gelap dan mata yang hilang.
    [Show full text]
  • The Exploitation of Children in the Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini (A Sociology of Literature Perspective)
    International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume V, Issue VII, July 2021|ISSN 2454-6186 The Exploitation of Children in the Novel Tempurung by Oka Rusmini (A Sociology of Literature Perspective) Risa Anjelitha Ashar, Inriati Lewa, Muhammad Syafri Badaruddin Faculty of Cultural Sciences - Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia Abstract: This study aims to reveal the exploitation of children in mail that he had departed for writing. After a short time at Tempurung, a novel by Oka Rusmini. The data collection method home, I went out again in search of creative inspiration. used in this research is the literature study method. The method of data analysis is the qualitative method. The types of data that Ni Luh Putu Saring is the next character. She is a young will be used in this study are from the novel. The results showed woman with a one-of-a-kind name given to her by her parents. that there were two forms of child exploitation carried out by the Saring has a lovely body shape and a lovely face. She parents in the novel. The forms of exploitation that are intended frequently expressed her dissatisfaction with her name, which are (1) forced marriage of children, and (2) the sale of children in was deemed uncommon. places of prostitution. The results of this research indicate that the father's act of forcibly marrying his daughter, and then The sociology of literature is a branch of cultural sociology. It exploiting his biological child, is immoral and condemnable. The investigates the social production of literature as well as its implications of this research will inspire everyone to protect their social consequences and The Tempurung Novel is an example children and not to do things that destroy the future of the child.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study in This
    CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study In this world, God creates human with many differences. Differences of opinion, behavior, choice, trait, feeling, and the differences of determining in life science. Each human has their own way to face their own problems. It takes attitude to face and solve the problems in life, one of which is the attitude of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the attitude of big heart that is based on a sense of sincerity that one aims to make other people happy. sacrifice can erase disappointment, foster a sense of humility, making keep smiling although being hurt, forgiving and not holding grudge, make the problems faced not heavy, and with a sacrifice can always to give without expecting to receive. According to (Girard and Driver: 2003) “that sacrifice might conceivably perpetuate domination, injustice and pain. A person with a sacrifice certailny is a nice behavior person, because not everyone can have a sacrifice.” Sacrifice is a part of the basic human right. It is a fundamental human right that protects the autonomy of the human conciense. It also called sacrifice. Not everybody can have sacrifice character, because it is dificult to do. When someone sacrifice about something, actually she wants everything under her control. She wants to get justice between herself and the society. According to (Girard: 2003)“The function of sacrifice is to quell violence within the community and to prevent conflicts from erupting.” Talking about sacrifice, there is a novel about phenomena of a sacrificing person. The Outcast is a novel that tells about a woman named Maryam who makes survival in her own life to be a sacrificing woman.
    [Show full text]
  • Multiculturalism and Indonesian Identity Strategy in Indonesian Literature Study
    International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2013): 6.14 | Impact Factor (2015): 6.391 Multiculturalism and Indonesian Identity Strategy in Indonesian Literature Study I Nyoman Suaka Indonesian Language and Literature Education Department, Teachers Training College Saraswati Tabanan Bali Abstract: This article examines the Indonesian problem which contains of different religion, culture, language, ethnicity and politics. This diversity often becomes a source of conflict triggering SARA (Tribe, Religion, Race, intergroup). The problem in this research is what the strategy used to avoid the racial conflict. This is a qualitative research using literature documents as the objects. Documents such as Indonesian novels were analyzed to determine the role of Indonesian literature in supporting multiculturalism. The results showed that Indonesian literature itself already reflects the multicultural nature of regional identity in Indonesia such as Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Papuan and others. Keywords: multiculturalism, Indonesia, Literature 1. Introduction literature works as an afterthought towards a high tolerance multicultural Indonesian society. Anticipating the problems, bureaucrats raises term of SARA (Tribe, Religion, Race and intergroup). In “Orde baru” era, Regarding the above issues and as the effort to multic ultural hearing this term was quite scary because of strong society, understanding and analyzing Indonesian literature government intervention. In the reform era, ethnic and are necessary. Indonesian literature in the form of novel has religious issues are often the source of conflict. These reflected the diverse conditions in Indonesia. However, it is problems require alternative solutions. It is time for these not widely known by the public considering the readers of Issues of race, religion and cultural potential of the region to literary works are relatively few.
    [Show full text]
  • Outcaste by Choice: Traditional Legends and Gendered Power in a Short Story by Oka Rusmini
    Outcaste by Choice: Traditional Legends and Gendered Power in a Short Story by Oka Rusmini Harry Aveling, La Trobe University Ida Ayu Oka Rusmini is a major contemporary Indonesian author. She has published two novels, Tarian Bumi (The Dance of the Earth, 2000) and Kenanga (2003a); a collection of short stories, Sagra (2001); and a volume of poetry, Patiwangi (2003b, republished in 2007 as Warna Kita, Our Colours, with the omission of some 12 poems). Born in Jakarta in 1967 of Balinese parents, she was a member of the highest Balinese caste, the brahmana caste,1 but renounced this status, including her title, after her marriage to the East Javanese essayist and poet Arif B. Prasetyo, a Muslim. Oka Rusmini is a graduate of the Indonesian Studies Department, Udayana University, and lives in Den Pasar where she works as a journalist for the Bali Post. Most of Oka Rusmini’s prose works explore the constraints that the socio-religious practices of caste place on all members of society, but most especially on women, who are expected to marry respectfully within the existing caste structure and bear children who will continue to perform appropriately contextualised roles of domination and subordination. Both of Oka Rusmini’s novels tell of a woman’s abandonment of her 1 Anthropological commentary on caste in Bali is, at best, confused, because of its domination by idealised Indian models of four castes: the Brahmin, priestly caste; the satria, warrior, noble caste; the merchant caste, wesya; and the sudra, the lowest caste. F. B. Eiseman notes: ‘This is a great simplification.
    [Show full text]