Ahmad Tohari
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Tohari is an Indonesia
n author born in the village of Tinggarjaya, Jatilawang, Banyumas
on the June 13, 1948. He is married with five children, and continues to live in the Banyumas area. His formal education was only until high school in Purwokerto
. He explored several faculties of economics
, social and political studies and medicine
, but did not graduate from any of them. Until now, his experience of growing up in a small village still color his literary works.
He has published seven novels, three anthologies of political and religious essays, two collection of short stories, and numerous individual short stories and essays. The following three novels made out a trilogy (later published as one book, Ronngeng Dukuh Paruk), describing the dynamics of a ronggeng
- a dancer/prostitute in an isolated village in Central Java
: Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk [A Dancing Girl of Paruk Village], Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari [A Shooting Star at Dawn], and Jantera Bianglala [The Rainbow's Arc]. He is one of only a few Indonesian writers who have written stories set against the background of the 1965 Communist uprising and resultant mass killings.
His books have been published in Japanese
, Chinese
, Dutch
and German
. An English
edition of Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk is being prepared for publishing with the University of Hawaii
and the Lontar Foundation
in Jakarta
.
He has received several national and international awards for his work, including the Southeast Asian Writers Award and a Fellowship through the International Writers Program in Iowa City. He has often written for the national newspaper Suara Merdeka, and the famous weekly Tempo
. He was staff editor for the Jakarta newspaper, Merdeka
from 1979 until 1981, and General Editor for Amanah
, a political and religious magazine, from 1986 to 1993. With his family, he runs an Islamic school (pesantren
). Finally, he is a well-known export of Java
nese folk arts, and a consultant for the regional office of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Education.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n author born in the village of Tinggarjaya, Jatilawang, Banyumas
Banyumas
Banyumas or "Banjoemas" is a regency in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Sumpiuh.The term Banyumasan is also used as an adjective referring to the culture, language and peoples of larger Banyumas area...
on the June 13, 1948. He is married with five children, and continues to live in the Banyumas area. His formal education was only until high school in Purwokerto
Purwokerto
Purwokerto is a city on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is the capital of Banyumas Regency, Central Java region. The estimated population of the city in 2005 was 249,705.-Geography:...
. He explored several faculties of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, social and political studies and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, but did not graduate from any of them. Until now, his experience of growing up in a small village still color his literary works.
He has published seven novels, three anthologies of political and religious essays, two collection of short stories, and numerous individual short stories and essays. The following three novels made out a trilogy (later published as one book, Ronngeng Dukuh Paruk), describing the dynamics of a ronggeng
Ronggeng
Ronggeng is a type of Javanese and Malay social dance in which couples exchange poetic verses as they dance to the music of a rebab or violin and a gong...
- a dancer/prostitute in an isolated village in Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
: Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk [A Dancing Girl of Paruk Village], Lintang Kemukus Dini Hari [A Shooting Star at Dawn], and Jantera Bianglala [The Rainbow's Arc]. He is one of only a few Indonesian writers who have written stories set against the background of the 1965 Communist uprising and resultant mass killings.
His books have been published in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. An English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
edition of Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk is being prepared for publishing with the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
and the Lontar Foundation
Lontar Foundation
The Lontar Foundation, a not-for-profit organization based in Jakarta, Indonesia, was founded in 1987 by four Indonesian writers: Goenawan Mohamad, Sapardi Djoko Damono, Umar Kayam, and Subagio Sastrowardoyo and the American translator, John H...
in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
.
He has received several national and international awards for his work, including the Southeast Asian Writers Award and a Fellowship through the International Writers Program in Iowa City. He has often written for the national newspaper Suara Merdeka, and the famous weekly Tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. He was staff editor for the Jakarta newspaper, Merdeka
Merdeka
Merdeka is a word in the Indonesian and Malay language meaning Independent or freedom. It is derived from the Sanskrit Maharddhika meaning "rich, prosperous and powerful". In the Malay archipelago, this term had acquired the meaning of a freed slave...
from 1979 until 1981, and General Editor for Amanah
Amanah
In Islam, amanah , is free will, which has been given only to humans and jinn. In contrast, other entities do not have this quality....
, a political and religious magazine, from 1986 to 1993. With his family, he runs an Islamic school (pesantren
Pesantren
Pesantren or Pondok Pesantren are Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. According to one popular tradition, the pesantren education system originated from traditional Javanese pondokan; dormitories; ashram for Hindu or viharas for Buddhists to learn religious philosophies, martial arts and...
). Finally, he is a well-known export of Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese folk arts, and a consultant for the regional office of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Education.