THE LONTAR FOUNDATION
We are an independent, not-for-profit organization based in Jakarta, Indonesia,
promoting Indonesian literature and culture through the translation of its literary works
Against the Grain
By Suwarsih Djojopuspito
Translated by George A. Fowler
The Mystical Path of Badrul Mustafa
By Heru Joni Putra
Translated by George A. Fowler
The Lontar Anthology of Indonesian Drama
Vol. 1 Plays for the Popular Stage (1890-1960)
AUTHOR OF THE MONTH
Oka Rusmini was born in Jakarta on 11 July 1967 and now lives in Bali with her husband, the poet and critic Arif Bagus Prasetyo. One of Indonesia’s most distinguished contemporary writers, she is acclaimed for her poetry, fiction, drama, and children’s literature, particularly for her nuanced exploration of women’s lives within Bali’s patriarchal social order.
She has published more than a dozen books, including novels, short story collections, and volumes of poetry, while also serving as a regular contributor and staff member of the Bali Post. Her works have appeared in numerous anthologies and have received many prestigious literary honors, including awards from the National Language Development Agency in 2003 and 2012, the Tantular Literary Award (2012), the S.E.A. Write Award presented by the Royal Thai Government (2012), the Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa for her poetry collection Saiban (2014), and the CSR Indonesia Award for Excellence in Cultural Initiative (2019).
Her novel Tarian Bumi (Earth Dance), first published in 2003, received a literary achievement award from the Indonesian Ministry of National Education and has been translated into several languages, including English, German, Italian, and Korean. Oka Rusmini is also a frequent speaker at literary festivals, conferences, and cultural events in Indonesia and abroad.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Earth Dance, the story of four generations of Balinese women, centers on conflicts that arise between the demands of caste and personal desires. Narrated by Ida Ayu Telaga, a Balinese woman in her thirties, the novel shows Balinese women—as shown by her mother, grandmother and female peers—to be motivated by two factors: the yearning to be beautiful, and the desire for a high-caste husband.
Headstrong Telaga defies her mother’s wishes and marries the man of her dreams, who is a commoner. Thus, in a reversal of societal expectations, as shown in the novel by images of women who aspire to “liberation” through “marrying up,” Telaga’s emancipation is implicitly characterized as a move downwards, through transformation to the status of a commoner.
Earth Dance also reveals that—like high-caste status—beauty, too, has a price. Behind the thick, glossy hair and golden complexion, lies a web of jealousy, derision and intrigue. Telaga, whose life is controlled by her mother’s avarice, her mother-in-law’s bitterness and the greed of her sister-in-law, has frequent cause to wonder: “Is this what it means to be a woman?”
“The Smiling Semar from America” (Semar Mesem dari Amerika) is a documentary film devoted to the life of Gregory John Churchill (1947-2022) and his love of Indonesian puppets. During his decades in Indonesia he collected more than 8,000 puppets from around Indonesia and other parts of the world.
The film was produced by the Lontar Foundation under the supervision of John H. McGlynn and directed by Eva Tobing.
Novel Against the Grain karya Suwarsih Djojopuspito bukan hanya berbicara tentang dunia pergerakan, tetapi juga kehidupan rumah tangga kaum pergerakan, tarik-menarik antara dunia privat dan publik di masa yang penuh gejolak. Novel ini boleh disebut sebagai novel feminis pertama dalam sastra Indonesia.
Mari bergabung dalam peluncuran dan diskusi “Perempuan dan Pergerakan”.
Jumat, 23 Agustus 2024
19.00 WIB
Komunitas Utan Kayu
Jalan Utan Kayu Raya 68H,
Matraman, Jakarta Timur
Pembicara:
Dewi Widyastuti
Isyana Artharini
Moderator:
Dhianita Kusuma Pertiwi
Registrasi:
bit.ly/Against_The_Grain
Acara ini terbuka untuk umum, tempat terbatas, gratis dengan pendaftaran.
Terselenggara atas kerja sama Yayasan Lontar dan Komunitas Utan Kayu.
Didukung oleh Dana Indonesiana – Kemendikbudristek – LPDP
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