Imagining Indonesia: constructions of the west in the Buru Quartet

7/29/2019 Imagining Indonesia: constructions of the west in the Buru Quartet

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despite the reality that text and space, fiction and location...[are] inseparable and co -

productive (Hones 2011, p.686). Both narrative theory and human geography are mutually

compatible and beneficial, through their combined interest in interpreting the empirical

world. By allow[ing] insights into places and manifestations of place identity , the Buru

Quartet has certainly exposed the ambivalent character of political culture in Indonesia,

grounded in the authors position as shaper of social worlds real and imagined (Stainer

2006, p.103-4). The complexity of literary geography arises from the murkiness of the

theoretical and methodological boundaries between geographical and literary analysis. Not

that this should be taken negatively; for Hones (2008), the potential of literary geography

lies in promoting cross-disciplinary alliances. From my study the most obvious alliance

which comes to mind is that between studies of occidentalism and the novel form.

Narrative concepts can be used to explore geographical themes and position how

modernity is framed the doubled textual geography of the quartets narrative and

authorial audiences being a case in point. The concept of narrative universe is particularly

valuable for infiltrating the mind of the writer, allowing for aesthetic readings of the

quartets fantasised imagery which are crucial to unpacking the romanticised

representations of the West, as scholars of occidentalism strive to do. No better can one

examine an imagined gaze than in the novel, where the whole world is constructed

through the authors imagination.

Not only do literary works convey the personality of the writer, but, as demonstrated in

chapter five, literary philosophy is vital to position ing the authors sense of self. Thus

encased in the novel is an untapped resource of intense subjectivity: through his writing,

and the multitude of different characters and political perspectives, we experience

Pramoedyas attemp ts to find his sense of place. The most obvious point to note about

research of this variety is that narrative space is constructed through the readers

imagination on the basis of cultural knowledge (Ryan 2010, online). I maximised the

potential for what one could term a useful interpretation of the novels, by combining my

analysis wi th relevant excerpts from Pramoedyas speeches and interviews. However

because literary geography embodies an interpretative strategy, and keeping in mind the

Bakhtinian idea that both author and reader inhabit their own chronotope (chronotope

implying an interpretation of space and time in literature) (Vice 1997, p.208), arguably the

fantasy is as much mine as his. In short, the text-reader interaction is central to how the

geography of Indonesia is perceived. Commenting on the individuality of pieces of


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research, Tate concedes that methodological subjectivity is unashamedly flaunted as an

unprobl ematic research strategy and so risks discrediting and invalidating occidentalism

as a discourse (2005, p.347). I certainly hope not to have flaunted my strategy; the case

becomes somewhat obscured when analysing the novel. Moreover, filling the historical

abyss engendered by the surreptitious New Order requires turning to buku-buku kiri, which

offers one of few means to excavate this buried past. We should not underestimate the

value of imagining oneself in anothers place. In the words of Einstein (1929, p.117),

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles

the world .


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Appendices

Appendix 1: The five-step research process

Key:

- Constructions of the West- Javanese/Javanism- Political ideology- Representations of the colonial encounter- Non-Western modernity

This Earth of Mankind (n.v: Minke)

P16 European progressiveness Values colonial education P17 Product of Europe European superiority Javanese with European

training European progressiveness Deprived older generation Europe vs. Wayang Europe vs. Dutch Indies

Valuing colonialism P18 Confusion withmodernity

P19 European progressiveness Inferiority complex Product of Europe European modernity P20 Superiority complex P23 European education Javanese culture uncivilised Javanese P24 Respect as Native

(because Europeanbusiness/knowledge/customs)

P29 Ontosoroh = Javanese Racism P49 Rudeness of Europeans European identity vs. native

identity P56 Equality P60 Barrenness of Europe Meaning of life Inequality Scarring of colonial war Barbarity

P61 Admirable Acehnese vs.European technology

P67 Cultural relations P68 European literature

P79 Injustice/inequality P80 Siding with colonialism Subservience

P92 Friendliness of Tuan Confused identity P114 Japan vs. Europe Japanese progress Dutch control as natural Colonial paternalism Ambivalence to modernity P121 Javanese customs European vs. Native treatment P122 Javanese hierarchy Succumbing to tradition Java vs. future of humanity

Primitive mentality Javanism vs. colonial devil P127 Love for mother

(Javanism) P128 Freedom vs. Shackles of

Javanism To be modern is free P130 Confused identity P133 Javanism P134 Alienation P137 Respected P138 Javanism Belittled P148 Example to people P149 Fairytale vs. twisted

colonial experiment Dutch vs. Natives European progressiveness Not all Europeans evil P192 Minkes development =

Indonesias Javanese vs. civilisation P224 European vs.

Colonialism P250 Using Europe for own

interest

Native image (protectivedevice)

Anti-Europeanness Metaphor for Indonesian

progress P279 European court P287 Banned from using

Dutch , refuses to use Javanese P289 Disgust at European

court P297 Dutch > Javanese Science > Javanism

P301 Elevation aboveEuropean peers P327 Inequality Native vs. European power P358 Hypocrisy of Europe

Step 1: Isolating and colour-coding the themesfor analysis


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Child of All Nations (n.v: Minke)

P15 Native principles P17 Racial prejudice P20 Social status P27 Social status / Corruption P36 Mistreatment P42 Mistreatment P47 Japan as example P48 Japan as equal P49 Self-sufficiency P51 Racism P54 Japan as example P56 Racism (anti-Chinese) P58 Siding with colonialism P61 English superiority P68 Corruption (older

generation) Japan as equal Europe vs. Asia P75 Deifying Europe P76 European superiority P77 Oppression of mankind P78 West as virus P82 Colonial devil P83 Inequality Anticolonial = advanced Triumph of the East Japan as example Science and learning A conquered people

P88 Stunted growth P89 Capitals interests P90 Khouw Ah Soe = Chinese

awakening P102 Western superiority P103 European

progressiveness Colonialism as inevitability P113 Knowing ones society P118 Inequality P120 Mistreatment P124 European

progressiveness Native as sub-standard Degradation of Native European as supernatural Inequality Revenge of the Native P189 Writing gives life

substance P203 Corruption P205 Alienation P208 Evil money P225 Exploitation P231 European attire P237 Inequality P239 Atavism of peasants P251 Inequality

P255 Corruption P259 Age of capital Deifying capital P264 Philippines P265 Colonial paternalism P272 Benefit of capital

Power of Nationalism P274 Honour of Europe cf.European power as a monster

key P275 Philippines P284 Confusion with

modernity P317 Japan as example P318 Colonial paternalism

Footsteps (n.v: Minke)

Reject modernity

P16 Freedom/Independence White exploitation P17 Modernity = human

rights P21 Undermine authority Oppression P27 Confidence against

Europe P33 Triumph of capital P35 Liberalism P37 Mistreatment P42 Fraudulent

P48 Corruption P49 Sugar Inequality (cf. Rousseau) P64 Orphan P65 Javanese morals P67 Hypocrisy P69 Feminism Beauty of Java China P73 Ang San Mei = Chinese

awakening P77 Western decadence P79 Young generation P81 Chinese values P98 Javanese culture P106 False consciousness P118 Young vs. old

generation P123 Success of Japan P125 Japan as modern P131 Confusion with ideas P138 West as virus P159 Tyranny P171 Organisation P173 Becoming modern P177 False consciousness P191 Organisation Democracy


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P195 Priyayi = problematic p197 Propaganda p198 Mama = pro-Indonesia p200 Persecution p201 Europe vs. Gamelan

p203 Chinese values p204 Equality p216 Christianity vs.

militarism p217 Barbarism p218 Mama = anticolonial p219 Javanese conscience p221 Java vs. modernity Repression P226 Colonial empathy P229 Natural success P231 Duty to the people P232 European marriage =

harmonious P234 Priyayi = problematic Siding with colonialism P237 Violence P240 Tranquillity vs.

Barbarity P242 National pioneer Colonial Europe vs. Free

Europe Voice of the people Selflessness P245 Barbarism

P246 Court P249 Colonial bandit P253 Javanese identity P257 Priyayi mentality P260 Religion and

modernisation P261 Organisation P265 Social hierarchy P269 Priyayi = problematic P271 Racial organisation P274 Use of Dutch language Social hierarchy

Rigidity P277 Superiority Javanese culture/language P281 Europe vs. the Indies Java deserves credit Civilising the Native P288 Boycott Development of humankind P292 Bupati = meaningless P294 Voice of the people P299 Grace, confidence, self-

respect

Priyayi mentality P305 Indisch people P306 European tradition vs.

the Indies

Sugar P324 Lack of discrimination P331 Young generation P333 Hostility P339 Trading organisation

P340 Islamic traders Union(SDI) p342 Aggression Immorality p343 Indies Nationalism P347 Corruption P348 Ancestry/culture Reshaping modernity P349 Javanese customs Inequality P351 Success of SDI P353 SDI and Marxism P354 Boycott Hidden desires Violation of rights P366 Bourgeois organisation P368 Aggression P369 Racial hatred Corruption The comrade P372 Equality P373 Roman empire P374 Traditional values P375 Isolation P376 Outmoded ideas P377 Confusion with

modernity Pride vs. reality Alienation P379 Confusion with

modernity P385 Mistreatment P386 Victimisation P388 Desire for education P389 Ethical policy P390 Power of China Chinese Superiority

Rebellion in China Older generation P394 Defying customs P395 Negativity of customs Feminism (Kartini) Rights of the modern

individual P404 Sugar/exploitation P405 Boycott P416 Brutality and aggression P418 Wayang Rise of bourgeoisie

P424 Mistreatment P431 Hypocrisy P449 Advantages over Europe P450 Idealism


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P455 European customs P456 Anti-liberal

House of Glass (n.v: Pangemanann)

P2 Sun Yat-Sen P3 Look to Europe Nationalism = modern P4 Knowledge of Dutch Understanding Europe P5 Europe vs. colonialism Democratic spirit Challenging authority Admiration for Minke P7 Confusion with Europe Uniting the Natives P8 Liberalism Privileging government

interests P9 European education Empathy Sugar/aggression P14 Admiration for Minke P18 Flow of history P19 Commodifying the Native Thuggery Dishonesty Lust Intimidation Resolve/resistance

Machiavellian P21 Piece of heaven Self-justification Hypocrisy P23 Different customs Deceit/treachery P26 Machine of civilisation P27 Pangemanann = high

status P28 Thought of the Native How they organise cf. Europe P29 Criminal

P30 Weak-willed P35 Inhumanity of colonialmotive vs. European influence

Pangemanann is unworthy vs.Minke

Living in glass house P41 Innocence of

Pangemanann vs. Corruptionof colonial system

Exploitation Pangemanann = unprincipled Self-conscious identity Inferiority as Native P48 Barrenness of Indies life P49 Emulating the Philippines Interconnection Asian

colonies

P50 Dutch genius Indoctrination of natives Destroying idealism Pangemanann as Native

guinea pig

European knowledge revealsthat colonialism evil - paradox P55 paradox of colonialism -

important P62 Awakening of West vs.

awakening of east P67 Javacentrism P68 Javanese > European

peoples P69 Java defeated by Europe Writing poems before

Europeans P71 Europeans defeated Java

because they had principles P73 Oppression Minke victim of colonialism P78 universe of Wayang vs.

modern ideas Javanese = defeated

philosophy Unconsciousness of the

Javanese people P83 Pangemanann face of

Netherlands Indies Europe and China

Successful human being vs.successful criminal Tortured conscience Minke destroyed by colonial

law European vs. Asian values Barbarism Pangemanann succumbing to

corruption Innocence of Minke National pioneer P98 Chinese awakening vs.

Native awakening Links to Marxism Power of European

knowledge P104 Colonial power P112 English newspaper: hell

in the Indies P115 Fall of the Javanese Indies is not awakening as the

French revolution suggests -ambivalence

French revolution - waisya inJava?

P119 Japanese and Chineseawakenings A European organisation

challenging Europe


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Talk about this 'false' form of Europe, as in Dutch colonialpower

P120 Kuomintang - Chinese

National People's Party The political party Corruption and working for

colonialism Threat of young generation Numbed to violence P124 Confusion with

democracy P125 Javanese democracy vs.

European democracy Thought and responsibility vs.

tradition in Java Notion of big brother

(Orwell) Confusion with democracy P130 Mistreatment Domination of the Native P136 Emergence of multiple

parties Europe as a guide P140 Native and the modern

world P142 Selfish interests P144 Seed of nationalism Pangemanann as a conquered

Native P151 Use of European ideasnatural

P153 Colonialism root of allproblems

P157 Abuse of power P166 Loss of national

integrity P170 running amok vs.

Western rationality P174 Value of European

literature P181 Strength of nationalism P183 from Marko to Marco -

European pedigree Javanese ancestry P188 Fighting colonialism Nationalists of the European

mould P189 Better life in France P190 Marco as a European

Native Hybridity - Bhabha Western rationalism coupled

with Eastern viciousness

P201 Racial hatred P208 European science andlearning

P215 Superiority of Europeanphilosophy

P220 Nationalists = politicalconsciousness

P223 Europeanisation of thought

P224 politicians vs. criminals P225 Idealising the European

woman P227 Held back by own

people P229 English influence and

yellow culture P230 Confronting the

colonialists P231 Indies nationalism vs.

ethnic nationalism (unity vs.divergence)

P232 Positivity of Europeaneducation

P250 the great Thomas Edison(light bulb)

P253 Progressive values P260 Confusion of young

generation P263 confusion - European vs.

traditional thinking P264 The homeland Java as unprincipled

P270 Bribery of Pangemanann P278 Value of Native women P282 Meaninglessness of

Pangemanann's existence P284 French Revolution

without the philosophy P285 Turning back on

government P286 Nationalism as product

of Europe P287 Speech and pen, not

blood and sword Javanese rigidity P288 Natives borrowing from

Europe Confusion by European

education P289 Confusion of nationalist

leaders P291 Rioting and unrest P300 The meaning of freedom P301 Jean Marais and the

irony of civilisation P305 Minke inherently

Javanese

P306 Minkes limitedknowledge of Europe


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Step 2: Dominant phrases, buzzwords and discourses across the quartet

Constructions of the West

West as superior/heaven, Juxtaposition of Europe with European colonialism , Juxtaposition of Europe with

Javanism , Europe as teacher, Minke, Within Asian values discourse , Ambivalence to European thought,Orientalism discourse

Javanese/Javanism

Culture as traditional/timeless, social hierarchy, Wayang culture, Mentality, Isolation, Juxtaposition with Europe , Defeat, Minke, Ignorance, Pride

Political ideology

Demand for equal rights/status, (False) consciousness, Ambivalence to method, Anticolonial, Value of science and learning , Influence of capital, Modernity, Bourgeoisie, Alienation, Organisation, The people,the nation/nationalism , Minke, Feminism, Boycott, Liberalism

Representations of colonial encounter

Racism, Corruption, Inequality, Colonial paternalism, Juxtaposition with tranquil Europe , Pangemanann,Unprincipled, Sugar, Hypocrisy, Evil, Aggression, Anticolonialism , Criminal, Undeveloped, Empathy,Indoctrination, Orientalism discourse

Non-Western modernity

Success/examples of Japan/China, awakening, young generation, old generation, ambivalence to modernity ,Asian values discourse, (lack of) knowledge, nationalism, Europe , Philippines, Orientalism discourse , Self-conscious

European rationality P307 European superiority Javas lack of contribution

The grass against the trees Minke as representative of Java

P316 Minke as a self-respecting European

P321 Alienation from hispeople

Minke a teacher of Europe P336 Promise of self-

government P345 Pangemanann devoid of

self-respect P349 Pangemanann: European

environment vs. colonialism P357 Pangemanann's

European education fornothing


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Step 3a: Connecting the q uartets themes

Minke constructions of the West West as superior/heaven

Minke Political ideology Javanism

West as superior/heaven Negatives of colonialism Pangemanann Negatives of colonialism

Ambivalence to method nationalism

Step 3b: Combining themes and narrative concepts

Authorial audience Narrative audience Narrative voice why the shift from Minke to Pangemanann? Intradiagetic embedding connection to Javanism? Narrative universe how can this be applied?

Minke constructions of the West West as superior/heaven idealising the West ( narrative universe )

Minke Political ideology Javanism ( intradiagetic narration ) viewing Marxism through Javanese lens hence the ambivalence to modernity

West as superior/heaven Negatives of colonialism (narrative universe ) such idealisation in comparisonto his own colonial plight

Pangemanann Negatives of colonialism ( shift in narrative voice ) Pangemanann represents the negativeinfluence of colonialism

Ambivalence to method nationalism privileging the nation over socialism

Authorial audience narrative audience

?

Step 4: Key ideas from speech and interview transcripts

Indonesia testing for young generation Failure of older generation Colonial paternalism Positive impression of America Notion of becoming fully human Courage against the oppressors Lack of conceptualisation behind Indonesia Apologises for Javanism Against Wayang Buru Quartet as re-examination of history Pramoedya writes against status quo (cf. Lekra) Value of Aufklaerung (enlightenment)

What is the link?


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Writing for the people Negatives of kampung culture Cultural dislocation Shift of narrative voice fundamental to quartet Link between Javanism and Suharto regime

Step 5: Bringing the themes together (connecting authorial and narrative audiences)

Minke constructions of the West West as superior/heaven idealising the West ( narrative universe )(reflects Pramoedyas positive impression of America )

Minke Political ideology Javanism ( intradiagetic narration ) viewing Marxism through Javanese lens hence the ambivalence to modernity ( Exploring historical role of Javanism: Pramoedya against Javanismbecause Suharto regime is Javanese )

West as superior/heaven Negatives of colonialism (narrative universe ) such idealisation in comparisonto his own colonial plight ( value of Aufklaerung to construct Indonesia in Western image )

Pangemanann Negatives of colonialism ( shift in narrative voice ) Pangemanann represents the negativeinfluence of colonialism

Ambivalence to method nationalism privileging the nation over socialism ( because Indonesia has ownproblems and broader context of Marxism irrelevant )


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Appendix 2: Samples from speech and interview transcripts

My Apologies, in the Name of Experience (adapted from Indonesia 61)Pramoedya Ananta Toer

(Translated with an Afterword by Alex G Bardsley)

I was twenty at the time. But I myself am of Javanese ethnic origin, and so I was educated from birth to become a Javanese, guided bythe social-ethnic mechanism toward Javanese ideals, culture and civilization.

In their own times, it is true, other peoples have experienced such a " kampung " civilization and culture too. Those who have managed toslip their shackles are the nations that rule the world.

In 3 1/2 centuries of colonization, my ethnic group's power never once prevailed against European power, not in any field, bu t especiallynot militarily. The poets and writers of Java, being some of those who think and imagine within the framework of " kampung "civilization and culture, flaunt the superiority of Java: that in facing the Dutch, and Europe, Java never lost. The masturbatory stories thatare staged, and written, and even the stories spread by word of mouth, constitute one of the reasons I always ask: why does my ethnicgroup not want to face reality? The little knowledge I picked up in primary school and the little reading I have done in Westernliterature, at first unconsciously, but ever more forcefully, made me free myself from the " kampung " civilization and culture of my ownethnic origin. Once again my apologies.

Perhaps if earlier I had been educated in a particular discipline, history for example, I might do the research that would answer: whydoes all this happen and continue to happen? But I am a writer with minimal education, so it is not the materials if history that I examine,but its spirit. This I began with the tetralogy Bumi Manusia, particularly working on the currents that ebbed and flowed during the periodof Indonesia's National Awakening. And so there came to be a new reality, a literary reality, a downstream reality, whose origin was anupstream reality, that is, a historical reality.8 A literary reality that contains within it a reorientation and evaluation of civilization andculture, which is precisely not contained in the historical reality. So it is that the literary work is a sort of thesis, an infant that on its ownbegins to grow in the superstructure of the life of its readers' society.9 It is the same with new discoveries in every field, that carrysociety a step forward.

So I do not write escapist fiction either, nor do I serve the status quo.

It is necessary that I emphasize the problem of power, because it is this that tends to turn people into bandits, above all if they have heldit for decades and, without ever knowing the spirit of Verlichting , Aufklaerung ,11 remain in thrall to " kampung " civilization and culture.

Indeed many scholars (and many more to come) publish their research on various aspects of the New Order. They help us in many waysto understand many things. But as a person and a writer who shares in bearing the burden of change, I look at it according to nationalcriteria. The era of Soekarno and the Trisakti doctrine was nothing but a sort of thesis. The New Order, an antithesis. There fore, for me,it is something that in fact cannot be written about yet, a process that cannot yet be written as literature, that does not yet constitute anational process in its totality, because it is in fact still heading for its synthesis.

As individuals, who are armed only with their own selves, writers are naturally under the greatest pressure. Still, whatever befalls them,their personal experience is also the experience of their people, and the experience of their people is also their personal experience. Apart of this experience, small or large or the whole lot, will erupt in their writings, and will return to their people in the form of newrealities, literary realities. That is why the truth of fiction is also the truth of history.

Never mind mass murder, the smallest of thefts is criminal, and all of it can happen only because of " kampung " civilization and culture,the social culture and civilization of peoples who are isolated, who feel insecure and threatened because of their own acts, and for whommasks and robes of holiness become the uniform of a parade fascinating enough to be staged as a comic-book drama.

Once more--my apologies.

Jakarta, November 1991

I Have Closed the Book on Power (adapted from https://sites.google.com/site/pramoedyasite/home/works-in-translation/i-have-closed-the-book-on-power)


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Saya sud ah tutup buku dengan kekuasaan

Suara Independen no.3/I, August 1995

Translated by Alex G Bardsley

You once said that many of your literary works take their setting from periods of great or fundamental change in this nation, periods of crisis. Why are you drawn to this?

Well, this is because I want to know my own self as [part of] a nation. With the quartet [of which] Child of All Nations [is part], it is thegreat social-cultural changes leading up to the national awakening, that would produce liberation. My book Arus Balik (coming out thisAugust) tells of the change from traditional independence to colonial possession.

What did you get from Lekra?

Nothing of course. I'm a solo flight. Can't command and can't be ordered around. There was nothing. On the contrary, nothing butquarrels came out of it.

An Interview with Pramoedya Ananta Toer by Sebastian Tong and Fong Foong Mei (adapted fromhttps://sites.google.com/site/pramoedyasite/home/works-in-translation/interview-by-sebastian-tong-and-fong-foong-mei)

The following interview took place on 26 December 1996 at Pramoedya's home in Jakarta, Indonesia. Pramoedya's editor and friend,Yusuf Ishak, was also present.

Q : You began telling the story of Minke and Nyai Ontosoroh to your fellow Tapol [Indonesian acronym for tahanan politik or politicalprisoner] on Buru as a way of reviving their morale. This form of story-telling is similar to the performance of the dalang [wayangpuppet-master] and, in fact, critics have compared the Quartet to "traditional Javanese wayang". Is this an accurate description of thenovels?

Pramoedya Ananta Toer : Yes ... comparing it with the Javanese Wayang was begun by Professor Chun from Australia and thenfollowed by other critics. But according to my own opinion I have long abandoned the Wayang concepts.

Q : Therefore the Wayang concepts are unrelated to these four books?

PAT : Ya, The Fugitive (Perburuan) was influenced by the Wayang but since then, no more. I have cast off all Javanese influences, notmerely the Wayang alone, but all Javanese influences.

Q : But in This Earth of Mankind (Bumi Manusia), Minke imagines himself to be a Javanese knight while Annelies is frequentlycompared to a fairy-tale queen and even Banowati [a Wayang character].

PAT : I am a critic of Javanese culture. While I have consciously used Javanese elements, I have done so with a critical eye, not under itsinfluence. On the other hand, I have received the good values of Java, those that are decadent I have rejected.

Q : But have they influenced the form of the novels?

PAT : Actually, I don't really like discussing my own works.

Q : Why did you decide to suddenly change the first person narrator from Minke to Pangemanann in House of Glass (Rumah Kaca)?PAT : It was not a sudden change, it was part of the concept since the beginning.

Q : Do you fear the spread of American popular culture -- in terms of language, music and film -- among Indonesian youth?

PAT : No, everything which is beneficial to national or individual growth is good. We use Roman letters: its worth is unquestionable, ithelps our development. Also the use of paper ... [points to paper printed with the interview questions]

Democracy Is An Individual Choice (adapted from http://www.ceri-sciencespo.com/archive/november/intpat.pdf)

Conducted and edited by Romain Bertrand


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A Plea for Indonesia's 'Silent Millions' (adapted from http://bebeth009.blogspot.co.uk/2005/02/pramoedyas-80th-birthday.html)

The Washington PostSunday, June 7, 1998Q&A

Q. Please explain the connection between the Javanese shadow play called wayang and Indonesian politics.

A. Wayang is our most popular form of traditional theater. The wayang stories are essentially mythical battles involving gods and kings,good and evil, engaged in constant intrigue and conflict, while the common people stand aside in powerless awe. The stories areperformed to the masses in open-air theaters, broadcast on the radio and aired on television. The driving force behind each performanceis the dalang, the puppet master. He is the ultimate mover of the plot and has control over the destinies of all the characters.The majority of Indonesian politicians are from Javanese ethnic origins and, therefore, are influenced by the wayang stories from earlychildhood. However, our independence movement in 1945 set forth an ideal of a democratic and modern Indonesia, where the world of the wayang has no place. Unfortunately, that ideal of democracy never materialized. That's why references to the wayang are still madeto explain what's going on politically and also at times to manipulate people.

Los Angeles Times Interview (adapted from http://articles.latimes.com/1999/jun/06/opinion/op-44632)

Escaping Indonesia's Iron Fist in Fiction, But not in Life

June 06, 1999 | Steve Proffitt

Q : How do you see the country evolving that base of shared colonial experience to create its own political culture?

A: I have said again and again that this is a test for the young generation of Indonesians. How they deal with this question is key to thefuture of the nation. The older generation, under the new order, has failed.

Q : But in so many countries, intellectuals were a key force in bringing about social change. Do you see Indonesia's intellectuals as partof the failed generation you referred to?

A: Yes, and they have been part of the problem. Indonesian intellectuals cowered under Suharto's feet. They are supposed to be thepioneers in the resistance against oppression. Why didn't they speak out? Perhaps because of the long tradition of colonial paternalism.Indonesia is a country of yes men. Whatever those in power ask, Indonesians find it too easy to simply be hypocritical and say yes.

Q : How has this, your first visit to the United States, changed your opinion about this country?

A: Whatever impressions I have are, of course, immediate, and I have not had a great deal of time to fully digest all that I have seen.What I knew about the United States I learned from books. This history of your country is filled with oppression. But when I arrived

here, I saw how the different peoples and different races live together, peacefully. I s aw this, and it made me cry, because I want this forIndonesia.
http://articles.latimes.com/1999/jun/06http://articles.latimes.com/1999/jun/06


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Pramoedya Talks about Indonesia and Japan (adapted from http://www.asianmonth.com/prize/english/lecture/pdf/11_02.pdf)

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Imagining Indonesia: constructions of the west in the Buru Quartet

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