Kuntowijoyo

Kuntowijoyo (18 September 1943 – 22 February 2005) was an Indonesian writer and academic.

Biography Kuntowijoyo was born in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on 18 September 1943. His father was a dhalang and macapat reader, and his great-grandfather was a mushaf writer. When he attended elementary school at Ibtidaiyah Madrasah, he practiced declamation, storytelling, and reading the Koran. He was also mentored by literary figures M. Saribi Arifin and Yusmanan. A voracious reader, in middle school he read works by Indonesian authors such as Hamka, HB Jassin, and Pramoedya Ananta Toer; he graduated in 1959. while attending high school in Surakarta, he read works of world literature by Charles Dickens and Anton Chekov. He graduated from high school in 1962. In 1964, he published his first novel, Kereta Api yang Berangkat di Pagi Hari (The Train that Leaves Early in the Morning); it was picked up as a serial by the newspaper Djihad in 1966. The following year, in 1967, he published his first short story in the literary magazine Horison. his doctoral dissertation was titled "Social Change in an Agrarian Society: Madura 1850–1940". It was during his time in the United States that Kuntowijoyo began writing poetry, publishing two anthologies during this time: Suluk Awang-Uwung (1975) and Isyarat (Signs; 1976). Both dealt with his experiences while in the United States. He began to write at an increased pace. For three years in a row, from 1995 to 1997, his short stories were chosen as the best stories published by the newspaper Kompas; stories selected were "Lelaki yang Kawin dengan Peri" ("The Man who Married a Fairy"; 1995), "Pistol Perdamaian" ("Pistol of Peace"; 1996), and "Anjing-anjing Menyerbu Kuburan" ("Dogs Attack a Graveyard"; 1997). In 1995 Kuntowijoyo published a third collection of poetry, entitled Makrifat Daun, Daun Makrifat (Faith in Leaves, Leaves of Faith ), which dealt with his religious experiences. He left behind two works after his death, Historical Experience (a handbook for students of history) and Sejarah Eropa Barat (History of West Europe); Sejarah Eropa Berat was published posthumously under the title Peran Borjuasi dalam Transformasi Eropa (Role of the Bourgeois in the Transformation of Europe; 2005). Together they had two children, Punang Amaripuja (in 2005 a lecturer at the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta) and Alun Paradipta.

Awards When he was a student of literature faculty of UGM, he was awarded by Badan Pembina Teater Nasional Indonesia for Rumput-Rumput Danau Bento (1968) and by Sastra magazine for Dilarang Mencintai Bunga-Bunga (1968). Other awards include: Art Award from the Government of Yogyakarta (1986) Literary Writing Award from the Centre for Language Advocacy and Development for Dilarang Mencintai Bunga-Bunga (Don't Love Flowers; 1994) Culture Award from the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (1995) Satyalencana Kebudayaan from the Government of Indonesia (1997) Mizan Award (1998) S.E.A. Write Award from the Government of Thailand (1999)

Selected works

Prose Kereta Api yang Berangkat di Pagi Hari (The Train that Leaves Early in the Morning; 1964; novel) Pasar (Market; 1972; novel) Khotbah Atas Bukit (Sermon on the Hill; 1976; novel) Dilarang Mencintai Bunga-Bunga (Don't Love Flowers; 1992; collection of short stories) Hampir Sebuah Subversi (Almost a Subversion; 1999; collection of short stories) Mantra Penjinak Ular (Mantra of the Snake Charmer; 2000; novel) Wasripin dan Satinah (Wasripin and Satinah; 2003; novel)

Poetry Suluk Awang-Uwung (1975) Isyarat (Signs; 1976) Makrifat Daun, Daun Makrifat (Faith in Leaves, Leaves of Faith ; 1995)

Dramas Rumput-Rumput Danau Bento (The Weeds of Lake Bento; 1968) Tidak Ada Waktu Bagi Nyonya Fatma, Barda, dan Cartas (There's No Time for Misses Fatma, Barda, and Cartas; 1972) Topeng Kayu (Wooden Mask; 1973)

Non-fiction Dinamika Sejarah Umat Islam (Dynamics of Muslim History; 1985) Budaya dan Masyarakat (Culture and Society; 1987) Paradigma Islam: Interpretasi untuk Aksi (Islamic Paradigms: Interpretations for Action; 1991) Demokrasi dan Budaya Birokrasi (Democracy and the Culture of Bureaucracy; 1994) Identitas Politik Umat Islam (Political Identities of Muslims; 1997) Pengantar Ilmu Sejarah (Introduction to History; 2001) Muslim Tanpa Masjid (Muslims Without a Mosque; 2001) Selamat Tinggal Mitos, Selamat Datang Realitas (Goodbye Myths, Hello Reality; 2002) Radikalisasi Petani: Esai-Esai Sejarah Kuntowijoyo (Radicalization of Farmers: Kuntowijoyo's Historical Essays; 2002) Raja, Priayi, dan Kawula: Surakarta 1900–1915 (Kings, Priyayi, and Kawula: Surakarta 1900–1915; 2004) Peran Bourjuasi dalam Transformasi Eropa (Role of the Bourgeois in the Transformation of Europe; 2005)