Brief History of Indonesian

Literature
Prepared by: Estremos , Edzy Adeline I.
 Indonesian literature refers to written or literary
works produced in Indonesia. The works, which
are transmitted orally, can be seen in the article
Oral tradition of Indonesia.
 During its early history, Indonesia was the center
of trade among sailors and traders from China,
India, Europe and the middle east. Indonesia was
then the colony of the Netherland and Japan.
Therefore its literary tradition was influenced by
these cultures. However, unique Indonesian
characteristics cause it to be considered as a
separate path and tradition.
 Situated in South East Asia.
 An archipelago that consists approximately 17,508
islands, it has 33 provinces.
 With population over 238 million people (2011)
 35 centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia
secured its independence after World War II.
 Bahasa Indonesia is their National Language.
 Islam is the major Religion in the whole
Indonesia.
 Indonesia’s national motto: “Bhinneka Tunggal
Ika” (“Unity in Diversity” literally, “many , yet
one”
 The world’s fourth most populous country.
 The nation’s capital city is JAKARTA.
 Netherlands is the country that is said to be the
longest colonizer in the history of Indonesia.
 Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world.
 Indonesian Literature has a religious function.
The songs or exorcisms were used during critical
periods in the life of the Indonesian people b,e it
in birth,death, sickness,pregnancy, rice planting
and harvesting, war, head hunting, and drought.In
form they are like the Biblical Psalms. They have
no very strict formal pattern.
 Indonesian literature has 7 orally transmitted
prose forms they are: myths, animal stories and
beast fables, fairy tales, legends, puzzles and
riddles, anecdotes, and adventure stories.
 Ramayana- A great Indian epic of the first century
A.D where one of the earliest references of
Indonesia can be found.
 Javadvipa- the ancient name of Java.
 Saravanadvipa- the island of gold and silver.
 Javanaese and Malay Literature are the most
important in quantity written literature in the
history of Indonesian literature.
 Malay Literature in Indonesia is consisted chiefly
of novels and poetry.
 The well-known short story of Indonesian
literature was The Lotteries of Haji Zakaria.
 The best known poems were in the form of Pantun,
which consists of four lines written in romantic
bein, the first stanza is rhyming with the third and
the second stanza is rhyming with the fourth.They
were learned by the heart.
 By the Malay and Bahasan Indonesian poets,
Muhammad Yamin, Rustan Effendi, and Sanusi
 Pani were influenced by the West, in particularly
the Dutch.

MAJOR INDONESIAN WRITERS:

 Mohammad Yamin (August 24, 1903 – October 17,
1962) was an Indonesian poet, politician and
national hero who played a key role in the writing
of the country's 1945 constitution.
 Roestam Effendi was an Indonesian writer and
member of the House of the Representatives of the
Netherlands. He is known for experimenting with
the Malay language in the writing of his drama
Bebasari and his poetry collection poetry anthology
Pertjikan Permenoengan.
 Sanusi Pane (14 November 1905 – 2 January 1968)
was an Indonesian writer, journalist, and
historian.[1] He was highly active in literary media,
sitting on the editorial boards of several
publications. He has also been described as the
most important dramatist from before
the Indonesian National Revolution.
 Chairil Anwar was like a burning torch that
illuminated Indonesian literature. His poems have
been translated into Dutch, English, and Filipino.
 Takdir Alishjobana was an editor and one of the
founders of the review Pudjangga Baru (The new
writer). His two novels are The Ever Lighted
Lamp (1952) and Unruffled Sails (1938).
 Mochtar Lubis a Magsaysay Memorial Foundation
Awardee and an editor of the newspaper
Indonesian Raya, is another important writer
with an interesting stories about his people.