International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Page 133

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES
SPRING 2016
these artists. During a poetry reading in 1978, Suharto’s military agents threw ammonia
bombs on to the stage where he was presenting and arrested him. He was imprisoned for
nine months without any charge and was not permitted to give public performances for
another seven years. However, this experience prompted him to write more poetry. One
poem, ‘Paman Doblang’ (Uncle Doblang,) inspired by his experience in jail, was set to music
by the Indonesian rock band KantataTakwa (Prijosusilo, 2009).35
Rendra’s courage to express opposition to the politics of his era was extensively
admired and he survived when the other political activists did not.
Rendra’s poetry voices political truths
In the mid-1960s, after four years study of acting in New York, Rendra returned with a new
and far more direct style of writing. It was blunt, even considered blasphemous, as can be
seen in his poem Nyanyian Angsaor Swan Song. His sharp and candid words were flung
against the politics of his homeland and struck like a slap.
By the 1970s, Rendra was prolific and explosive in his output of poetry and theatre.
This creativity was integral to his political activism against the dictatorship and was voiced
loudly until 1978, when he was imprisoned (Lane 2010).
Rendra’s poem, Nyanyian Duniawi (A Wordly Song from Blues Untuk Bonnie 1974)
speaks of economic class differences, hunger, misery, passion and insurrection against the
established norms (Rendra in Aveling p.42, 1974). He uses the metaphor of a
‘gadisitukucumbu di kebun manga’ (I make love to a maiden in the mango garden) to depict
the sweet attraction of a better option. This maiden represents the desire of the people to
oppose their degraded lives,
‘Her heart is wild and fiery’

(Aveling. 1974. p.43)

and passion to tackle that which is oppressing her p eople.
‘trampling hunger and thirst underfoot,’

(Ibid.)

This was deeply attractive to a populous hurting severely amid political catastrophe.
‘In our misery we reach out
In the dark and the shadows
(the passion of our rebellion roars).’

(ibid.)

The poet rejoices in her existence and commitment,
‘And her fierce laughter
Makes my heart glad.’ (ibid.)

35

For further reading on the Guided Democracy era see Max Lane. . ‘Mass Mobilisation In Indonesian Politics,
1960 to 2001: towards a class analysis’ A doctoral thesis, University of Wollongong, 2009

133 | P a g e