Taufiq Ismail | |
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Taufiq Ismail |
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Born | 25 June 1935 Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia |
Nationality | Indonesia |
Ethnicity | Minang |
Genres | Poetry |
Literary movement | Angkatan '66 |
Notable award(s) | Anugerah Seni, Pemerintah RI. (1970) |
Spouse(s) | Esiyati Ismail (née Yatim) |
Taufiq Ismail is an Indonesian poet and author, devout Muslim, and a committed activist.[1] Ismail figured prominently in Indonesian literature of the post-Sukarno period and is considered one of the pioneers of the "Generation of '66".[2] He completed his education at the University of Indonesia. Before becoming active as a writer, he taught at the Institut Pertanian Bogor. In 1963, he signed the "Cultural Manifesto"; a document that opposed linking art to politics. This cost him his teaching position at the Institut.
Ismail wrote many poems, of which the best-known are Malu (Aku) Jadi Orang Indonesia, Tirani dan Benteng, Tirani, Benteng, Buku Tamu Musim Perjuangan, Sajak Ladang Jagung, Kenalkan, Saya Hewan, Puisi-puisi Langit, Prahara Budaya : Kilas Balik Ofensif Lekra, Ketika Kata Ketika Warna and Seulawah-Antologi Sastra Aceh. Bored with his serious style, in 1970 he began writing poems mixed with humor. He has won many awards, including the "Cultural Visit Award" from the Australian government (1977) and the S.E.A. Write Award (1994).
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Taufiq Ismail was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, June 25, 1935). He grew up from teacher and journalist family. He wanted to become writer since he was on High School. His reading hobby was more and more satisfied, when Taufiq became the librarian in Pelajar Islam Indonesia Pekalongan's library. While maintaining the library, he was freely reading the works of Chairil Anwar, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, until William Saroyan and Karl May. He not only read books about literature but also the books about history, politics, and religion. [3]
He then attended High School in Pekalongan, Central Java and then he also attended Whitefish Bay High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was able to school in Whitefish Bay because the scholarship of student exchange from American Field Service International. There he read the works of Robert Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, and Walt Whitman. He also liked Ernest Hemingway novel, The Old Man and the Sea.[3]
Originally Taufiq used to work as veterinarian and husbandry expert because he wanted to have a farm business in order to support his literary ideals, however he failed to have a farm business which he had planned in an island in Strait of Malacca.
Ismail was a joint editor of Horison, a literary magazine, along with Ds. Muljanto, Zaini, Su Hok Djin, and Goenawan Mohamad. Horison was started in July 1966 by Mochtar Lubis and HB Jassin as a successor to Sastra.[4] He remains active writing for the magazine as a senior editor. [5] He was a prominent member of the Jakarta Arts Council (Dewan Kesenian Jakarta)and was head of the Jakarta Arts Education Institute (Lembaga Pendidikan Kesenian Jakarta) from 1973 to 1978. [2]
Taufiq Ismail married Esiyati Ismail (née Yatim) at 1971, they have one son Abraham "Bram" Ismail.