Jejak Langkah-Pramudya Ananta Toer

 Jejak Langkah, merupakan judul ketiga dari tetralogi pulau buru. Buku ini menceritakan perjalanan Minke dalam menyelesaikan sekolahnya di sekolah kedokteran STOVIA di Batavia. Pada masa inilah, rasa kebangsaan Minke muncul. Dia banyak berinteraksi dengan tokoh-tokoh nasional saat itu, misalnya dr Wahidin, dr Sutomo & RA Kartini. Minke juga berkenalan dan akhirnya menikah dengan Ang San Mei, wanita tionghoa yang merupakan aktivis pergerakan revolusi China yang melarikan diri ke Hindia Belanda. Namun pernikahan ini tidak berumur lama karena Ang San Mei akhirnya meninggal. Karena merawat Mei ini, Minke dikeluarkan dari STOVIA dan harus membayar biaya sekolah selama ini. Dengan bantuan dari Nyai Ontosoroh, Minke dapat menyelesaikan masalah dan mulai menjajagi untuk mendirikan organisasi. Walaupun belum sesuai harapan, organisasi itu bisa berdiri.
Buku ini menceritakan detil tentang sepak terjang Minke dalam berorganisasi maupun menjadi penulis bahkan sampai memiliki surat kabar sendiri. Juga pernikahan selanjutnya dengan Princess dari kerajaan di Maluku yang juga berpendidikan tinggi sehingga bisa bahu membahu dengan Minke dalam mengurusi surat kabarnya. Karena suatu kesalahan dalam menulis yang dilakukan oleh anak buahnya, Minke akhirnya ditangkap polisi dan diasingkan ke luar Jawa. Membaca buku ketiga ini benar-benar membangkitkan perasaan nasionalisme yaitu rasa cinta tanah air yang tumbuh dari pemahaman yang mendalam dari penjelasan Pramudya yang detil dalam buku ini. Sekali lagi, cara bertutur Pramudya yang sungguh sangat luar biasa, lebih mudah di mengerti daripada buku-buku sejarah di  sekolah.

READ MORE »

The "Turun Mandi" ceremony in Minangkabau

The ceremony of "Turun Mandi" (which literally means: Going down to bathe) is one tradition that still carried by some of Minangkabau traditional society till now. This is a form of initiation ceremonies of a child, where he introduced into the world outside the home.

In general, according to the customs of traditional communities, the baby child does not come out of his house before he held the "Turun Mandi" ceremony. The word "down" is closely related to forms of Minangkabau traditional house called Rumah Gadang, which is usually elevated. Implementation of the "Turun Mandi" ceremony time is usually determined based on the age of the babies who will be involved in the ceremony. Usually at the age of three months. However, sometimes the execution time of this ceremony is also determined based on the readiness and the agreement of family members.

On the "Turun Mandi" tradition, babies who are involved at, will be bathed by 'bako' (fathers family) of the baby, few strands of the babies hair is cut, then he will be also introduced to the taste of white rice, salt, sugar, and chili. Those things, just posted on his lips, so he could savor the flavor of spices and rice to be eaten later when adult.

Furthermore, for the Minangkabau people, this traditions also interpreted as a ceremony to introduce to a child about the real life, about a world that filled with different tastes and situations. Bitter, sweet, salty, spicy, is a symbol of reality in life that will be met.

There are also many of Minangkabau society member who believe that through "Turun Mandi" ceremony, the reality of life is being implanted into the babies subconscious, so he/she was ready to accept the reality of life and react sensibly early on when he had become an adult human.

READ MORE »

"Anak Semua Bangsa" (Child of All Nations)

"Anak Semua Bangsa" (Child of All Nations) is the title of the second book of the Buru tetralogy thats works by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. In this book, Pramoedya Ananta Toer told about a turning point in the life of Minke. As a continuation of "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), this book starting with stories about the ailing Annelis that trip to Holland. Powerless against her deep grief, and suffering caused by illness, Annelis eventually died. This news of Annelis death received by Minke and Nyai Ontosoroh. Minke in the midst of grief trying to be strong and continue writing.

Minke then acquainted with Kommer, an anti-colonialism journalist who is his friend Jean Marais, satirical Minke who always write in Dutch and English. In fact, Minke's mother desire for Minke tried to write in the Java language, while Minke's else friends wants him to write in Malay. But Minke refused on the grounds that Malay language newspaper only reading by people with low education. According to that, Minke thought that his writings will be more meaningful if it is written in Dutch.

Minke then accompanied Nyai Ontosoroh vacationing in Sidoarjo sugar cane plantations. Here, Minke are faced with two choices, between admiration for the civilization of Europe and opened his eyes to the reality of his own nation. Minke then met with Khouw Ah Soe, an activist movement. Introduction with this youth Chinese, as well as Nyai Ontosoroh advices, began make Minke open his mind about the resurrection of a nation. Minke consciousness and awakened, that he was the son of his people (Malays) and must do something for the human beings around him, his own people.

Minke start making posts with a new perspective, and hope this paper will be able to affect the consciousness of the reader. But apparently the publishers rejected the writings. Minke then continue her schooling to Stovia. On the way to Batavia, Minke met a Dutch author, from whom then Minke increasingly aware that what kind of mafia related to sugar, and realized why his writing was rejected. In his mind and heart, now growing awareness, that what she learned at school, totally different from what is met in reality.

READ MORE »

"Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind)

Buru tetralogy, written by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, consists of four books that tell the life of a character named Minke. Many reader believe that Minke is the name that Pramoedya Ananta Toer created to replace the name of Raden Mas Adhi Tirto Soerjo, a figur that served for the Indonesian national resurgence, but not recorded in history.

The first book of the Buru tetralogy is "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind). In "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), Pramoedya Ananta Toer told about a teenager named Minke who was studying in Surabaya HBS. Viewed from this fact, then Minke actually are natives of the lucky ones, cause not anyone can just attend HBS. HBS average student is the son of Dutch officials or Peranakan (Indo). But because her father had a position in colonial goverment, Minke can HBS school.


Minke falls in love with a girl named Annelis, a dutch descent, beautiful like an angel. Their romance began to cause problems for the life of Minke. Annelis who are descendants of Nyai Ontosoroh and a dutch husband named Robert Mellema. But eventually Minke and Annelis could marry a Muslim. This marriage is not recognized by Government of the Netherlands. And since the struggle of Nyai with the legacy son of Robert Mellema, Annelis forced to part with Minke to be brought to the Netherlands.

Nyai Ontosoroh, Annelis mother, described by Pramoedya Ananta Toer as an indigenous and smart women. Being a mistress of Robert Mellema, she can learn and read books of her husband. Thus, Nyai Ontosoroh become modern-minded and independent women. Minke know Nyai Ontosoroh, through Annelis. Know the Nyai affect the lives and the way of thinking of Minke further. Minke grown as a man with much personally-minded and forward.

Thus a glimpse of the "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), the first book of the Buru tetralogy, works of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Through a compelling language, Pramoedya describes the atmosphere of Indonesia in the early of 19th century, when this nation (Indonesia) began to recognize themselves, and build awareness about the equal rights of all humans.

READ MORE »

Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Indonesian Heroes of Humanity

Pramoedya Ananta Toer, the man who was born in Blora, Central Java in 1925 is one of Indonesia's controversial writers, as well as difficult to beat. Raised in a modest family, with a father who worked as a teacher and food sellers mother, Pramoedya Ananta Toer grown into one of the most respected writer not only by his friends but also by enemies.

Pramoedya Ananta Toer was educated at the Radio Vocational School in Surabaya and then worked as a typist for the Japanese newspaper in Jakarta during the Japanese occupation in Indonesia. After the proclamation of Indonesian independence, Pramoedya follows a military group in Java.

Throughout his life, Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote dozens of short stories and novels. In his works, Pram (as he is called) are often cast a criticism to the government. That choice makes him was sentenced to jail as political prisoners many times, both in the colonial period (3 years), Soekarno Regime (1 year), as well as in the Soeharto era (14 years).

As an Indonesian writer, Pramoedya Ananta Toer classified as one of the left authors because of his involvement with Lekra (Institute of Folk Culture), one of the left-wing organizations in Indonesia. It also makes him sentenced without court in the reign of Suharto. Pramoedya Ananta Toer then sent to Nusakambangan, and finally exiled to Buru Island in eastern Indonesia.

On this Buru island, Pramoedya Ananta Toer write his monumental work known as the Buru tetralogy, consisting of: "Bumi Manusia" (Earth of Mankind,1980); "Anak Semua Bangsa" (Child of All Nations,1981); "Jejak Langkah" (Trails,1985); and
"Rumah Kaca" (Glass House,1988). Through the Buru tetralogy and his other works, Pramoedya Ananta Toer prove to his friends and enemies, that he was a writer with humanity and Indonesian-ness concern. That's what makes the name of Pramoedya Ananta Toer become one of the important milestones in the history and maps of Indonesian literature .

READ MORE »