Oka Rusmini
Encyclopedia
Oka Rusmini the poet and novelist, was born on 11 July 1967 in Jakarta
, Indonesia
. Presently, she lives in Denpasar
, Bali
. Her writing is characteristic of the condition of women in the patriarchal culture in traditional society.
Oka has to her credit collections of short stories, poems and novels. Oka's poem has also been included along with twelve other Balinese contributors in a book entitled Bali Living in Two Worlds, edited by Urs Ramseyer from the Museum der Kulturen Basel in Switzerland
.
She has also served as the fashion editor in the Bali Post, the largest local newspaper in Bali. She has been speaking at various national and international literary forums, such as "Ubud Writers and Readers Festival" in Bali; the "Pulpit Poet 21st Century" at Taman Ismail Marzuki
, Jakarta in 1996; ASEAN Writers Writing Program, 1997; "International Poetry Festival", Surakarta
, 2002 and that in Denpasar, Bali in 2003. She represented Indonesia at the "Winternachten Literature Festival" in The Hague
and Amsterdam
, the Netherlands
. In 2003, she was invited as a guest author at the University of Hamburg
, Germany
.
magazine, which was also translated as "Putu Helps his God" by Vern Cork and included in a book Bali Behind the Seen, published in Australia
. In the same magazine, her novel "Sagra" won the prize for the novel category. This was followed by the Horizon literary magazine best short story award for her collection of stories entitled "Pemahat Abad", translated as The Sculptor of the Century, in the period 1999-2000. Her short story "The Century Carver" has been translated into English by Pamela Allen
. Poetry Journal awarded her with the best poetry in 2002. In 2003, her novel Tarian Bumi, "Dance of the Earth" was hailed as the "Work Honorees Writing Literature 2003" by the Ministry of Education
, Language Centre, Indonesia. The novel has been translated in German and is in process to be translated into English by Lontar Foundation
.
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...
, Indonesia
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...
. Presently, she lives in Denpasar
Denpasar
Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade. It is located at .-History:...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
. Her writing is characteristic of the condition of women in the patriarchal culture in traditional society.
Oka has to her credit collections of short stories, poems and novels. Oka's poem has also been included along with twelve other Balinese contributors in a book entitled Bali Living in Two Worlds, edited by Urs Ramseyer from the Museum der Kulturen Basel in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
She has also served as the fashion editor in the Bali Post, the largest local newspaper in Bali. She has been speaking at various national and international literary forums, such as "Ubud Writers and Readers Festival" in Bali; the "Pulpit Poet 21st Century" at Taman Ismail Marzuki
Taman Ismail Marzuki
Pusat Kesenian Jakarta Taman Ismail Marzuki or popularly known as Taman Ismail Marzuki is an art and cultural center located in jalan Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Also within this complex stood Jakarta Art Institute and Jakarta Planetarium...
, Jakarta in 1996; ASEAN Writers Writing Program, 1997; "International Poetry Festival", Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
, 2002 and that in Denpasar, Bali in 2003. She represented Indonesia at the "Winternachten Literature Festival" in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 2003, she was invited as a guest author at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Awards
In 1994, she won the best short story prize for her entry "Putu Menolong Tuhan" in the FeminaFemina
Femina is a Latin noun meaning 'woman'.It is the title of five magazines:*Femina , a fortnightly women's magazine owned by the Times Group and published in India since July 1959*Femina , the first women's magazine in Indonesia...
magazine, which was also translated as "Putu Helps his God" by Vern Cork and included in a book Bali Behind the Seen, published in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In the same magazine, her novel "Sagra" won the prize for the novel category. This was followed by the Horizon literary magazine best short story award for her collection of stories entitled "Pemahat Abad", translated as The Sculptor of the Century, in the period 1999-2000. Her short story "The Century Carver" has been translated into English by Pamela Allen
Pamela Allen
Pamela Allen, born in April 1934, in Devonport, New Zealand is a children's writer and illustrator. She has published over 30 picture books since 1980, when she moved to Australia. Eight of her books have been adapted for the stage by The Patch Theatre Company and performed at the Sydney Opera House...
. Poetry Journal awarded her with the best poetry in 2002. In 2003, her novel Tarian Bumi, "Dance of the Earth" was hailed as the "Work Honorees Writing Literature 2003" by the Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education
Several countries have government departments named the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Public Education. The first such ministry ever is considered to be the Commission of National Education Several countries have government departments named the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of...
, Language Centre, Indonesia. The novel has been translated in German and is in process to be translated into English by 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...
.
Publications
- Utan Kayu: Tafseer in Games (1998)
- Bali: The Morning After (Australia, 2000)
- Boxwood (2003)
- Color We (2007)
- The Century Carver (2009)
External links
- http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2010/08/century-carver-by-oka-rusmini.html Rereading Lives: "Century Carver" by Oka Rusmini
- http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/portal/article/viewArticle/1416 PORTAL Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, Vol 7, No 2 (2010): "Outcaste by Choice: Re-Genderings in a Short Story by Oka Rusmini"
- http://insideindonesia.org/edition-66-apr-jun-2001/reviews-marrying-up-in-bali-3007488 Inside Indonesia: "Marrying Up in Bali"
- http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/index.php?option=com_php&Itemid=70&id=42 Singapore Writers Festival