Tales of the Accusers of Time
“Finally, as I was on my way back to my village, walking limply and crying silently, I came upon the realization that my own home will most likely reject me.”
Hana’s tale in Faisal Oddang’s short story Kapotjes dan Batu yang Terapung (Kapotjes and the Floating Stone) ripped through the veil that shrouded the dark history of sexual crimes during Japan’s colonization of Indonesia.
For more than 75 years, the jugun ianfu phenomenon has remained a dark blotch on the public’s conscience and a reminder of deep emotional wounds that may never heal.
Faisal said that he often heard such sorrowful tales from the elderly in his hometown. “Women used to smear blackened charcoal on their bodies to make themselves look unattractive. That way, Japanese soldiers would not bring them to the barracks,” he said.
Ironically, there are always those who try to bury the dark past of sexual crimes, of which Indonesian women suffered during the Japanese colonization; or even in much more recent events, such as the May 1998 riots. On the other hand, many sexual assault victims have remained silent as they often see their circumstances as a source of shame.
Faisal expressed this bitterness in his short story Kapotjes dan Batu yang Terapung, which is included on the list of Kompas Selected Short Stories 2018.
At the Kompas Selected Short Stories 2018 Gala Dinner at the Bentara Budaya Jakarta culture space on Friday (28/6/2019), writer Ni Made Purnamasari and musician Ages Dwi Harso presented the short story in poem form.
“I crawled out from this enforced reality, from this time that has never truly gone away, from this darkness of infernal barracks, from these screams and shrieks of the night, from these punctures of primordial lust, from these repeating deaths,” Purnama said in her poem. Through her words and Ages’ cello-playing, the audience found a clear portrayal of the victims’ sorrow.
Black and white
Raudal Tanjung Banua’s short story Aroma Doa Bilal Jawad (The Scents of Bilal Jawad’s Prayers) was also named among Kompas Selected Short Stories 2018. Raudal’s story was centered on the changing traditions of his hometown in West Sumatra.
“Aroma Doa Bilal Jawad brings up many people’s concerns that daily life is becoming more dogmatic and more black and white. The short story does this without being patronizing,” said M. Hilmi Faiq, a member of the Kompas Selected Short Stories jury panel.
The short stories Kapotjes dan Batu yang Terapung and Aroma Doa Bilal Jawad were selected as the Best Short Stories of the 23 stories named at the event. The two short stories are equally powerful, weighty and linguistically beautiful.
Raudal’s short story exposes Raudal’s own subjective reality as a Minangkabau man closely linked to his people’s praying rites. Bilal Jawad represents Raudal’s voice in the story. Through the subtle narrative, Raudal criticizes efforts to homogenize praying rites that can undermine Indonesia’s diversity.
Raudal’s powerful message was captured perfectly by musician Adrian Yunan Faisal. The former member of indie band Efek Rumah Kaca responded to Raudal’s short story through his song “Aroma Doa”. Apart from creating a special song inspired by Raudal’s story, Adrian also sang eight other songs at the gala dinner.
Diversity
Indonesia’s diverse cultural backgrounds shape the short stories published by Kompas throughout 2018. Muna Masyari uses Madurese culture in her story Pemesan Batik (Batik Buyer), which explores the diverse messages hidden behind batik motifs. Senior writer Triyanto Triwikromo in his short stroy Ziarah Terakhir Gus Dar (Gus Dar’s Final Pilgrimage) discusses the pilgrimage tradition at the core of Javanese Islam culture.
Other themes, such as family, sexual violence and sociopolitics, also dominate the short stories’ themes this year. An interesting thread across these short stories are father figures – including in Ahimsa Marga’s Bapak (Father), Meutia Swarna Maharani’s Baruna, Dewi Ria Utari’s Melarung Bapak (Sending Father Off), Rizki Turama’s Durian Ayah (Father’s Durian) and Djenar Mahesa Ayu’s Saat Ayah Meninggal Dunia (When Father Passes Away). These short stories explore longing, alienation and respect for father figures.
Urban themes are also prevalent, such as in Seno Gumira Ajidarma’s GoKill, Desi Puspitasari’s Karangan Bunga (Wreaths), Novka Kuaranita’s Cara-cara Klise Berumah Tangga (Marriage, Cliché Style) and Agus Noor’s Pelahap Kenangan (Eater of Memories). Dynamic criticism on social reality can be found in Joko Pinurbo’s Ayat Kopi (Coffee Verse), Mashdar Zainal’s Laki-Laki yang Kawin dengan Babi (The Man Who Married a Pig) and Raudal’s Aroma Doa Bilal Jawad.
Kompas chief editor Ninuk Mardiana Pambudy said the newspaper’s editorial team for the Sunday edition received 10 short stories every day on average. However, due to limited space, only 53 short stories could be published in 2018. Now, Kompas has established a new platform in which two short stories on the website Kompas.id are published every Saturday. Every day, Kompas.id’s short story editor receives between five and seven short stories.
The organizing committee head for the short stories gala dinner, Maria Sury Berindra, said that the dinner was held to celebrate short story writers and to bring them closer to short story enthusiasts. Noted writers Budi Darma, Martin Aleida, Ahmad Tohari, Agus Noor, Ahimsa Marga and Joko Pinurbo attended the event.