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Indonesian Literature can refer to literature produced in the Indonesian archipelago. It is also
used to refer more broadly to literature produced in areas with common language roots based on
the Malay language (of which Indonesian is one scion). This would extend the reach to the
Maritime Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, but also other nations with a common language
such as Malaysia and Brunei, as well as population within other nations such as the Malay
people living in Singapore.
The phrase Indonesian literature is used in this article to refer to Indonesian as written in the
nation of Indonesia, but also covers literature written in an earlier form of the language, i.e. the
Malay language written in the Dutch East Indies. Oral literature, though a central part of the
Indonesian literary tradition, is not described here.
Contents
1 Blurred distinctions
2 Overview
3 Traditional literature: Pujangga Lama
o 3.1 Genres
o 3.2 Works
4 18701942: Sastra Melayu Lama
5 Angkatan Balai Pustaka
o 5.1 Unifying forces
o 5.2 The Bureau for Popular Literature
o 5.3 The first Indonesian novel
o 5.4 Authors and works of the Balai Pustaka Generation
6 Interlude: the '20s Generation
o 6.1 Politics
o 6.2 Language
o 6.3 Literature
7 Pujangga Baru
o 7.1 Forces towards renewal
o 7.2 A new magazine
o 7.3 Characteristics
7.3.1 Romanticism
7.3.2 The easterns tradition
o 7.4 Other works
o 7.5 Authors and works of the Pujangga Baru Generation
8 Angkatan 1945
o 8.1 Authors and works of Angkatan '45
9 Angkatan 1950
o 9.1 Authors and works of the Angkatan 50
10 Angkatan 1966
o 10.1 Authors and works of the Angkatan '66
11 Angkatan 1980-1990s
o 11.1 Authors and works of the Angkatan 1980-1990s
12 Angkatan Reformasi
o 12.1 Authors and works of the Angkatan Reformasi
13 Angkatan 2000s
o 13.1 Authors and works of the Angkatan 2000s
14 Bibliography
o 14.1 A note on alphabetisation
o 14.2 Works
15 Notes
Blurred distinctions
The languages spoken (and part of them written) in the Indonesian Archipelago number over a
thousand, and for that reason alone it is impracticable to survey their entire literary production in
one article. Since the thought of a national Indonesian language only struck root as recently as
the 1920s, this means that emphasis in the present article is put on the twentieth century.
At the same time, such a choice leaves a number of distinctions open. Major factors which make
for a blurring of distinctions are:
Even in the 1930s, Malay was the lingua franca of the Archipelago, but was also used
widely outside it, while a national Indonesian language was still in a state of
development.[1] Thus, it is often difficult to ascertain where Malay leaves off and
Indonesian begins. Nor is it possible to understand the development of Indonesian
literature without study of the older Malay which it reacted against, and whose tradition it
continued.
A work which appears in one Indonesian language may be found in a variant form in one
or more others, especially when such literature has been part of the tradition for a long
time.
Oral literature is, of course, assessed by other means than written manifestations, and
field-work is one of these means. However, in the written literature, too, poetry may have
been recorded which had originated as oral literature.[2]
Overview
During its early history, Indonesia was the centre of trade among sailors and traders from China,
India, Europe and the Middle East. Indonesia was then a colony of the Netherlands (ca. 1600
1942) and Japan (194245). Its literary tradition was influenced by these cultures, mainly those
of India, Persia, China and, more recently, Western Europe. However, unique Indonesian
characteristics cause it to be considered as a separate path and tradition.
There is considerable overlapping between these periods, and the usual designation according to
"generations" (angkatan) should not allow us to lose sight of the fact that these are movements
rather than chronological periods. For instance, older Malay literature was being written until
well into the twentieth century. Likewise, the Pujangga Baru Generation was active even after
the Generation of 1950 had entered the literary scene.
Traditional literature: Pujangga Lama
Early Indonesian literature originates in Malay literature, and the influence of these roots was felt
until well into the twentieth century. The literature produced by the Pujangga lama (literally "the
old poets") was mainly written before the 20th century, but after the coming of Islam. Before that
time, however, there must have existed a lively oral tradition.[3] Within traditional Malay-
language literature, sometimes it is differentiated into 3 periods: before ~1550 AD; between
~1550-1750 AD; ~1750-1900 AD.[4]
Genres
Works
syair
Syair Bidasari, Syair Ken Tambuhan, Syair Raja Mambang Jauhari, Syair Raja Siak
pantun
scattered items found all over the Indonesian Archipelago, and also incorporated in other
works (e.g., Sejarah Melayu) [5]
hikayat
Hikayat Abdullah (1849), Hikayat Andaken Penurat, Hikayat Bayan Budiman, Hikayat
Djahidin, Hikayat Hang Tuah, Hikayat Kadirun, Hikayat Kalila dan Damina, Hikayat
Masydulhak, Hikayat Pelanduk Jinaka, Hikayat Pandja Tanderan, Hikayat Putri Djohar
Manikam, Hikayat Tjendera Hasan, Tsahibul Hikayat.
historiography
Sejarah Melayu.
Until the twentieth century, ethnic and linguistic diversity was dominant in the vast archipelago,
and as a result, no national literature existed. Literature in Malay rubbed shoulders with works in
other languages of the region, from Batak in the West through Sundanese, Javanese, Balinese, to
Moluccan in the East. It is true that Malay was used as the lingua franca of the colony, and
indeed, far beyond its borders, but it could not be regarded as a national language.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, changes became visible. National
consciousness emerged among educated Indonesians especially. At the same time, the Dutch
colonisers temporarily veered to a point of view which allowed for the education and unification
of the Indonesian peoples to self-reliance and maturity, as it was perceived. Indonesian
independence, however, was not contemplated by the Dutch. A third factor was the emergence of
newspapers, which at the beginning of the century began to appear in Chinese and subsequently
in Malay.[6]
The Bureau for Popular Literature
Education, means of communication, national awareness: all these factors favoured the
emergence of a comprehensive Indonesian literature. The Dutch, however, wished to channel all
these forces, nipping any political subversiveness in the bud while at the same time instructing
and educating Indonesians, in a way the government saw fit. For those reasons, an official
Bureau (or: Commission) for Popular Literature was instituted under the name Balai Pustaka,
which became some sort of government-supervised publisher. Besides preventing criticism of the
colonial government, Balai Pustaka blocked all work that might be conducive to any sort of
religious controversy, and anything "pornographic" was avoided: even a novel featuring divorce
had to be published elsewhere.
At the same time, school libraries were founded and were supplied by the new publisher. Works
in Dutch as well as translations of world literature were brought out, but a burgeoning indigenous
literature was also stimulated.[7] From 1920 to 1950 Balai Pustaka published many works in high
Malay (as opposed to everyday "street Malay"), but also in Javanese and Sundanese, and
occasionally also in Balinese, Batak or Madurese.
During this period, whose heyday was in the 1920s, Indonesian literature came to be dominated
by fiction (both short stories and novels), and Western-style drama and poetry, which gradually
replaced the earlier syair, gurindam, pantun and hikayat. Merari Siregar's Azab dan Sengsara
was the very first modern novel appearing in Indonesian, constituting a break with the Malay
romance tradition. While not completely successful, in that it rather schematically deals in black-
and-white oppositions, and directly addresses the reader, subverting its realism, this may still be
regarded as the first treatment of contemporaneous problems (i.e., the issue of forced marriage)
in the realist tradition.[8]
Nur Sutan Iskandar was the most active authors and he could be called as "the King of Balai
Pustaka Generation". When viewed the original author, could said that the novels of a raised in
the generation are "novel Sumatera", with the Minangkabau as the centre point.[9]
Politics
In 1908, Budi Utomo, the first indigenous movement, was founded. Conceived as a political
organisation, it soon adapted its objectives under pressure from the Dutch government, and
mainly restricted itself to cultural activities.[10] Political concerns were more prominent in
Sarekat Islam, founded in 1912 as a society of tradesmen, but which soon evolved into a
nationalist movement, counting among its members the future President of the Republic,
Soekarno, and the communist Semaun. Meanwhile, other societies were founded, and a political
party mainly aimed at halfcaste Dutch and Indonesian members appeared.
In due course, the Dutch colonizers followed suit, and a Volksraad (Dutch East Indies) ("People's
Council") was founded in 1918.[11] This Council was an assembly of Dutch and Indonesian
members, whose powers, however, were severely restricted. It was a consultative committee
advising the Governor General, the Dutch viceroy of the East-Indies, who could react to the
Council's advice as he pleased.
Language
One of the first actions the Volksraad took was to request the sanction of the use of two official
languages in its meetings: Dutch and Malay. Although until well into the 1930s only one Council
member consistently used Malay,[12] it was significant that the language had now acquired
official status.
Literature
It was, however, still a language in development. Indonesian had never been a national language,
and to most Indonesians it, or its ancestral Malay, had never been their mother tongue. For all
this, in addition to the publications of Balai Pustaka and its magazine Panji Pustaka,[14] other
magazines featured work by Indonesian writers as well, although there was not as yet one
particular indigenous magazine devoted exclusively to the emerging literature. However, a
notable source was Jong Sumatra, a magazine founded in 1918 as the platform of Jong
Sumatranen Bond, the Association of Young Sumatran intellectuals.
Pujangga Baru
Forces towards renewal
As a result of all this, dominant factors in the literary landscape of the 1930s were the following:
A new magazine
Angkatan Pujangga Baru was created as a reaction to all this. This "Generation of the New
Literates (or New Poets)" adopted its very name, Poedjangga Baroe, to emphasise its striving for
renewal, attempting to break away both from the set forms of traditional Malay literature and
from the yoke of colonial constraints: the objective was a new poetics and a new national
consciousness.
To this end, in 1933 they founded the first national literary magazine, Poedjangga Baroe,[17]
created by Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana, Amir Hamzah (regarded as the greatest of the poets of the
late colonial period),[18] and Armijn Pane. Its main protagonists were the three founders, together
with Sanusi Pane (brother of Armijn).
The magazine was published between 1933 and 1942. When the Japanese occupied the country,
a request on the part of the editors for permission to continue publication went unanswered, and
this was tantamount to a refusal.[19] Publication was resumed in 1948, until the magazine finally
folded in 1953. Although influential as the pioneering platform of an emerging Indonesian
literature, sales had never been comfortable: Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana has revealed that the
periodical's subscription was never much more than 150.[citation needed] [20]
Characteristics
Poedjangga Baroe occasionally, and for reasons that have not been explained, included prose in
English, and more regularly and perhaps understandably, prose and poetry in Dutch.[21] However,
the magazine was characterised by its position as the first literary periodical in the national
language. In contrast with Panji Pustaka (the Balai Pustaka magazine), its editors were all
Indonesians, who had as often as not received their editorial training by working for the
government publishers in the 1920s. There was one exception: Beb Vuyk, an Indo-European
(Eurasian) author of Dutch nationality but with strong nationalist sympathies, was briefly on the
editorial board before the war broke out.[22]
The contents of the magazine were dominated by essays, often touching on the requirements and
exigencies of the new literature; and by poetry in the modern vein. This modernism was a
conscious breakaway from tradition, although two quite distinct tendencies were discernible.
Romanticism
On the one hand, poets (who usually had had a Dutch schooling) connected with a late Romantic
movement in Dutch poetry, the Beweging van Tachtig.[23] (Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana was the
main proponent of this tendency.)
This "Movement of the 1880s" had put emphasis on the individual expression of
emotions, and it is this emphasis which was reflected in the new Indonesian poetry. The
central role of individual emotions is borne out by the titles of some poems;
representative instances are: Mengeluh ("Complaint"), Kematian Anak ("The Death of a
Child"), or Di Kakimu ("At Your Feet").[24]
Nature poetry, in addition, bore witness to the romantic nature of this movement, with
titles such as Sawah ("Rice Fields") or Bintang ("Stars").[24]
A third aspect involved mysticism, Sanusi Pane's poem Do'a ("Prayer") perhaps the best-
known instance, with its opening stanza:[25]
Original Translation
The influence of Romanticism was discernible, too, in the use of westernising verse
forms, notably the sonnet. This constituted a break with traditional syair and pantun. At
the same time, practitioners of the new sonnet form maintained that it had its similarities
with the pantun. A traditional sonnet had its volta, a thematic turn between the eighth and
ninth verses, and likewise, a strong contrast is seen between the first and second couplets
of a pantun.[26]
The Dutch example was not followed slavishly. In particular, its emphasis on the strictly
individual in human experience was rejected. It was the poets' task, Poedjangga Baroe
maintained, to be a social agent, a force for national development. To some of its members, too,
the role of the poet was a religious one.[27]
On the other hand, some members of the movement were not unequivocally in favour of western
influence. A countervailing tendency was found in traditional eastern literature. The influence of
Rabindranath Tagore was felt. Amir Hamzah was greatly attracted to the Thousand and One
Nights, although his intention to translate this work into Indonesian never materialised. The
Bhagavad Gita was translated into Indonesian by him.[28] Sanusi Pane's play Manusia Baru
("New Humanity") was set in India.[29] Plays were based on Java's past. Amir Hamzah
anthologised eastern poetry.[30]
Other works
Some works of the Pujangga Baru generation are worthy of especial mention. Sutan Takdir
Alisjahbana's short novel Layar Terkembang ("The Sail Unfolds") is a sensitive portrayal of
young women in contemporary Indonesia. Rustam Effendi with his Bebasari wrote the first
modern play (on a historical theme). Armijn Pane's Belenggu ("Shackles") dealt with
extramarital relations, thus initially giving rise to controversy, but eventually the novel became a
classic and has been described as the first psychological novel in Indonesian.[31]
Angkatan 1945
The works of authors during this period are dominated by the thoughts of independence and
political manner. The works created by angkatan '45 are mostly more realistic, compared to the
works of pujangga baru, which are more romantic - idealistic.
Angkatan 1950
Angkatan 1950 was characterised by the Kisah magazine, established by H.B. Jassin (1917-
2000). This generation of Indonesian literature was dominated by collections of short stories and
poetry.
Angkatan 1966
Angkatan '66 was marked by rising the Horison magazine, led by Mochtar Lubis[32] Dozens of
writers previously associated with Lekra or leftist groups went into exile overseas, creating their
own literature.[33]
Angkatan 1980-1990s
This generation of Indonesian literature was dominated by romance novel. Additionally, poets
explored ideas such as femininity, and the women's unique gendered identity that exists in
Indonesia, as has been exemplified in the writing of Toeti Haraty, and Sitor Situmorang. This
identity is related to the concept of third gender, which is highly prevalent in the region of
Southeast Asia. (See kathoey for the case of Thailand). Beside that, the 1980s generation marked
by raised of popular stories, such as Lupus who wrote by Hilman Hariwijaya
Angkatan Reformasi
Authors and works of the Angkatan Reformasi
Angkatan 2000s
Authors and works of the Angkatan 2000s
Bibliography
A note on alphabetisation
Indonesian personal names differ from western-style names in that no clear distinction exists
between given names and family names, if any. This gives rise to various systems of
alphabetisation. In alphabetising according to the initial of the first name, the present
bibliography follows the convention adopted in many Indonesian works (but also in, for instance,
Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature). Thus, Ajip Rosidi is found under A. Western
names, of course, are alphabetised according to the surname.
Works
Ajip Rosidi, Sejarah Sastra Indonesia, Jakarta: Pamusuk Eneste (ed.), Leksikon
PT. Bina Aksara, 2nd impr. (In Indonesian; Kesustraan Indonesia Modern, Jakarta:
"History of Indonesian Literature".) Penerbit PT Gramedia. (In Indonesian; "A
Lexicon of Modern Indonesian
Bezemer 1921 Literature".)
Jassin 1987
Jassin 1993
1.
Even now, Javanese is the language with most native speakers in the country (see Languages
of Indonesia). One century ago, this was no different: the 1905 census showed that of 37m
"natives", nearly 30m hailed from the isles of Java and Madura alone: neither they nor many
other natives from the "outer islands" were Malay (cf. Bezemer 1921, p. 64).
Bezemer 1943, pp. 47ff.
Bezemer 1943, p. 8.
Braginsky 2004, for a summary see Malay Canonical Texts.
Bezemer 1943, p. 58; Braasem 1959.
Teeuw 1980b, p. 22.
Teeuw 1973, Uhlenbeck 1986.
Teeuw 1980b, p. 82; Seribu Tahun Nusantara 2000, p. 530.
Mahayana, Maman S, Oyon Sofyan (1991). Ringkasan dan Ulasan Novel Indonesia
Modern. Jakarta: Grasindo. p. 370.
Brouwer 1958, pp. 37-38.
Brouwer 1958, Ch. IV.
De Vries 1980, p. 106.
De Vries p. 102.
Braasem 1949, p. 153.
Jassin 1987, pp. 18-19.
Jassin 1987, pp. 16-17.
Spellings here, as elsewhere, may vary due to the spelling reform of 1972. Thus, the title
page of the magazine displays the title Poedjangga Baroe, whereas modern spelling dictates
Pujangga Baru. An intermediate version, Pudjangga Baru, is also occasionally found. The
present article as a rule uses the modern spelling, except where previous forms have been
expressly retained, as in the name Soekarno.
Braasem 1954, p. 36; Teeuw 1980a, p. 333.
Jassin 1987, p. 27.
Distribution of information had long been a problem in the Netherlands East Indies (Pigeaud
1949, p. 128), and this problem was compounded by the fact that pre-war indigenous literacy
was as low as 6 % of the population (Franois n.d., p. 25).
Jassin 1987, pp. 28-29.
Scova Righini 2005, p. 174.
Jassin 1987, p. 23.
Jassin 1987.
Jassin 1987, p. 248.
Jassin 1987, pp. 21-22.
Jassin 1987, p. 25.
Jassin 1987, p. 8.
Jassin 1987, p. 26.
Braasem 1949, p. 161.
Teeuw 1980b, p. 119; Teeuw 1980a, p. 333.
Yudiono (2007). Pengantar Sejarah Sastra Indonesia. Jakarta: Grasindo. p. 167.
Hill, David (2008). Knowing Indonesia from Afar: Indonesian Exiles and Australian
Academics (PDF) (Paper delivered at the 17th Biennial Conference on the Asian Studies
Association of Australia). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 16
March 2012.
http://malnavariations.blogspot.com
35. http://www.deelestari.com/id/
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LCCN: sh85065768
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