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)
FEATURED TRANSLATOR
Jennifer Lindsay first came to Indonesia from her birth country New Zealand in 1970 and has been returning to Indonesia in various guises ever since, including stints as researcher, Australian cultural attaché, and cultural officer (at the Ford Foundation).
Jennifer’s academic writing focuses on Indonesian cultural history, performing arts, language and translation. She was contributing editor to Heirs to World Culture: Being Indonesian 1950-1965 (KITLV 2012) and directed Menggelar Indonesia, a documentary about Indonesia’s cultural missions abroad in that era.
Active as translator from Indonesian since 1990, she translated Goenawan Mohamad’s weekly Tempo column Catatan Pinggir into English for twenty years. She has also literary works by Linus Suryadi, Ashadi Siregar, and Leila Chudori, among others. As columnist, she contributed “Word Watch” about the Indonesian language to (the English) Tempo (2014-2018). Her essays are published in the Sydney Review of Books, Mekong Review, and Australian Review of Books.
In 2026, Jennifer branched out from academic writing, non-fiction, and translating the literary work of others, with her own novel; a work of historical fiction titled The Editor which follows the emotional journey of Sophia Raffles as she compiles the memoir of her late husband.
Webpage: Jennifer-lindsay.com
IN MEMORIAM
Anton Kurnia, passed away on Friday, September 18, 2026. Born in Bandung in 1974, he was a writer, translator, and editor whose work extended far beyond his own books.
In recent years, Anton was closely associated with Jakarta’s literary institutions, serving as Chair of the Literature Committee of the Jakarta Arts Council and Director of the Jakarta International Literary Festival. These were not merely administrative roles. He worked to bring literature into contact with readers, writers, translators, thinkers, and the wider international community.
Anton wrote short stories, novels, essays, and narrative nonfiction. His 2023 collection, Nostalgia, was selected by Tempo magazine as one of the year’s best works of fiction. He also translated writers including James Joyce, Vladimir Nabokov, and Salman Rushdie, and served on the National Book Committee from 2016 to 2019.
Anton understood literature as more than the writing of books. He helped build the institutions and conversations that allow literature to flourish—organizing festivals, editing books, translating works, connecting people, and opening doors.
His was often a quiet kind of work, sometimes frustrating and rarely lucrative, but necessary because, as the obituary reminds us, human beings need words to understand their lives.
Farewell, Anton.
“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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Bank Name: Bank Negara Indonesia BNI
Bank address: Cabang Bendungan Hilir, Jakarta 10210
Account number: 0461 2005 62
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