‘Pantun’ Queen of ‘Penawar Rindu’ Island
Writing "pantun" is the way Syamsinar takes care of her identity as a Malay woman. She shows the beauty and sacredness of a language. Cries and laughter can be created and begin with four lines in the rhyming "mantra" that comes from her tongue.
Writing pantun (poem) is the way Syamsinar takes care of her identity as a Malay woman. Through pantun, she shows the beauty and sacredness of a language. Cries and laughter can be created and begin with four lines in the rhyming "mantra" that comes from her tongue.
Syamsinar, 64, is a native of Belakang Padang Island, Batam. The people that live on the island named “Penawar Rindu” (Catharsis Longing) call her Mak Unai. On the other islands, people are more familiar with the stage name Datin Latifa.
In the Riau Islands, Syamsinar is known to have never been defeated in the tradition of replying each other with pantun. Contesting against two pantun creators at the same time, she has never been short of words to be arranged into four lines of sentences with harmonious rhymes.
Syamsinar\'s ability to create pantun made former Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir, 18 years ago, call her the Pantun Queen of “Penawar Rindu” Island. The name of the queen became increasingly famous, and even Malaysians do not want to miss her appearances. "I am not a queen, I am a mother of four," Syamsinar replied modestly on Sunday (2/6/2019).
What Syamsinar dreamed of is actually not the excitement of the audience\'s applause when she wins the contest in replying each other with pantun. That does not satisfy her heart as her feeling is even increasingly anxious because the one she has been waiting for has never appeared, namely the new opponent of the contest in replying each other with pantun.
"The opponents have been the same for a long time. I am sad because now there are no more young men who are capable of replying each other with pantun. I want to be defeated by young people. If they want to try, they should be smarter than the old ones," Syamsinar said without emotion.
Pantun teaches the importance of a cool head. Anyone can be angry or irritated when quipped with pantun. However, even the Malays are not allowed to say harsh things in response to the pantun that offends or hurts their heart. "When angry, respond to it. When unable to answer, shut up," Syamsinar said.
Think carefully before speaking. The significance of this was realized by Syamsinar after decades of pursuing and caring for the tradition of replying each other with pantun. Language is a double-edged sword that can make people laugh happily, cry sadly, or feel both at the same time.
Therefore, there needs to be wisdom in using it. Borrowing the term of Syamsinar, language is sacred. It takes extraordinary time and perseverance to learn to use it so that someone truly understands the benefits and disasters that can be created in life.
Reflection of the heart
Syamsinar started to love making pantun when she was 12 years old. Whatever she was feeling was poured in the pantun, which was arranged while helping the parents take care of the house. Often it made people wonder when they saw her mouth muttering like reading a mantra.
"Sampiran usually tells stories about nature, while the content of pantun is about everyday life. The theme can be anything, pets, food, household affairs, everything can be used to make a pantun," Syamsinar said.
After getting married at the age of 16 years old, Syamsinar\'s fondness to compose pantun flourished. Thanks to the husband\'s support, she slowly began to dare to join in the contest in replying each other with pantun on the radio network of the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization (Orari).
From there, her agility began to be widely known. As a result, invitations to go to the stage to reply each other with pantun at a wedding ceremony or the reception of officials continued to arrive. After her household affairs were finished, she would go with pleasure, sometimes without being paid.
In the early 1970s, when Batam began to become a free trade area, Syamsinar’s pantun received new life. Through pantun, she voiced her anger about Malay culture that was increasingly pushed aside and marginalized in her own home.
Language is no longer seen as sacred. Pantun, which used to be a means for Malays to have dialogue, now is merely a spectacle. The meaning evaporates, the magical value is lost.
"The Malays have long been known for being skilled. Now all of them are still fond of speaking, but they are simply speaking. People don\'t care about the rules of the language anymore, they don\'t want to have a dialogue, they like to fight," Syamsinar said.
From then on, she did not just tell about her life, but also told stories about her community and homeland as a Malay. It became a spirit in every pantun she creates. In Syamsinar, the spirit of struggle is flaring up and growing.
Every time, in the midst of a crowd of spectators or in silence, Syamsinar continues to chant the pantun. As a Malay woman, pantun is the only weapon she has. With a pantun, her voice is heard and her thoughts fall into the consciousness of the crowd.
Writing
The turning point of Syamsinar\'s life took place in 2001. At that time, she showed her notes to Nyat. "That\'s good, even though it’s written down in a little portion. Soon it will become a book," Syamsinar said imitating Nyat\'s words.
Syamsinar’s passion about creating pantun on cultural values that have been forgotten got a new shape in the form of letters. She found her true calling, continuing to write until her death to perpetuate love, which is inherent in her body and soul.
Now she has distributed dozens of books about pantun for free to anyone who wants them. The books are printed very simply. The books are given covers and bound by a photocopy worker next to her house.
One book of pantun consists of at least 70 pages. One page contains 3 pantun. She has written about 10,500 pantun since her meeting with Nyat in 2001.
"There is no one else who diligently records their work. In order to enable our grandchildren to learn to make pantun, I have to keep writing," Syamsinar said.
Syamsinar has the dream of establishing a place to learn pantun and Malay tradition for children in her surroundings. She hopes, some day, there will be someone who wants to continue her struggle to preserve the pantun tradition in the Malay land.
Care, courage and perseverance are what make her known as the queen of pantun. Let it be later, when she is gone, her favorite pantun books written with tears and sweat become the story of the struggle of a woman from “Penawar Rindu” Island named Syamsinar.
Ikan belana dalam tebat (Belana fish in a pond)
Mari dipancing anak nelayan (Let it be fished by fishermen\'s children)
Jangan mati anak jangan mati adat (Do not let children know nothing about tradition)
budaya Melayu wajib dilestarikan. (Malay culture has to be preserved)
Syamsinar
Born: Belakang Padang, Batam, Riau Islands; Oct. 10, 1955
Husband: The Late Azhar Batubara
Children: The Late Adelina Suzana boru Batubara, The Late Bobi Batubara, Robi, Handisurya Batubara, Muhammad Fairus Batubara
Education: SDN 1 Belakang Padang state elementary school