IN MEMORY OF THE INDONESIAN POET RENDRA

Rendra (Willibrordus Surendra Rendra, Wahyu Suleiman Rendra, 1935-2009) - the most famous Indonesian poet of our time, playwright, actor and director. His poetry-from lyrics to ballads and pamphlets-was sensitive to the essence of the human state of mind and social phenomena. He left behind a well-deserved memory and accurate topical socially significant poems, the relevance of which, unfortunately, does not decrease with time.

Rendra in his poems criticizes the authorities, bureaucracy, globalization, opposes the omnipotence of the market, social discrimination, the transformation of traditions, and the destruction of education.

  
  
  
 Inhaling the smoke of a fragrant cigar, 
 I introduced the great country, 
 My people are many millions, noble. 
 And above - the rich, they are so interesting 
 Urinate on people and on me. 
 Inhaling air covered in deodorant, 
 I see so many unemployed people, 
 Scientists who forgot about talent, 
 Agree to any options, 
 To feed the family. 
 Our women who are pregnant suffer. 
 Pensioners are waiting in line. 
 And somewhere above, technocrats are the bosses 
 Technology solves these issues. 
 Think of the people, technocrat. 
 And the mountains rise up to the sky, 
 In which the sunset blooms festively. 
 But I see how they hide absurdly 
 Protests that don't know where to get out, 
 Pour out in a protesting alarm. 
 
  
  
 

("Poems from a cigar")

  
  
  
 Don't tell me you're rich about your country, 
 That a person lives in it for good, 
 If the neighbor's clothes are patched, 
 Hunger torments my swollen stomach. 
 Let the president take off his tie at the meeting, 
 Let him see how poor the people are. 
 Get the army out of the bludgeon fight! 
 Don't beat up the student family! 
 Poor people live by the roadside, 
 Their house is a ditch, their bed is grass, 
 Half-dressed and all barefoot. 
 Only suffering. Where are their rights? 
  
  
 

("Poor people")

Rendra calls on poetry to take a civil position, to defend the freedom of thought and expression of will:

  
  
  
 Why keep silent in a depressed, confused way? 
 I want to talk freely, 
 Speak openly and respond freely. 
 But everywhere people are oppressed by fear. 
  
  
 

("I'm writing this pamphlet") The poet believes that an active opposition is needed to fight for democracy:

  
  
  
 I'm telling you no, 
 I'm telling you yes. 
 And conscience will give the answer, 
 She's always right. 
 Without opposition 
 You won't find the truth. 
 Without opposition 
 Lies will get into you. 
  
  
 

("The Right of the Opposition")

Rendra reads poems in front of students, in which she asks young people "adult" questions:

  
  
  
 ..More and more peasants
are losing their land, getting poorer. 
  
  
 

  
  
  
 Benefit in a new pocket, 
 Someone else gets richer. 
 ...They study science here. 
 The ones that bring freedom? 
 Or the oppression of the torment? 
 Who is it to please?.. 
  
  
 

Rendra was harassed, banned from speaking publicly, and even imprisoned for his uncompromising civic stance and criticism of the authorities.

  
  
  
 The iron cage. Eagle. 
 He can't become a parrot. 
 He has acquired the sky forever,
And in the cage he only suffers. 
  
  
 

("Eagle")

After his release, Rendra, who was banned from speaking publicly by the authorities, appeared in several films, but did not stop writing poetry. During the period of popular protests against the dictatorial regime of Suharto, his "May Poems of 1998"are published:

  
  
  
 May. Riots are rampant both on the right and on the left. 
 Corpses, blood on the asphalt in the dirt and dust. 
 Everyone is at the mercy of a wave of boundless anger. 
 Fears rose again from the garbage of life. 
 Where is peace, where is the protection of trust, rights? 
 The world is in chaos, madness is rampant in us. 
 A rotten ditch for the peace of life. 
 Just a latrine right now. 
 Dirty air all around, and it's not nature's fault. 
 The sharp smell of blood - even if you don't breathe at all. 
 The authorities again trampled on the freedom of the people. 
 Brazen robbery, theft, and robberies are everywhere. 
  
  
 

In May 1998, the poet addressed the representatives of the parliament with no less harsh verses:

  
  
  
 We eat rotten roots,
And you are in warehouses with wheat. 
 We are crammed together like burrows,
and you are housed in palaces... 
 The law is addressed only to us, 
 It's not written, you know. 
 We are all like the streams of a river, 
 You are the stones of the harsh line. 
 But it was always known, 
 That the stones will be destroyed by water. 
  
  
 

("Poems of a hot man")

Before the beginning of the new millennium, the poet gives a critical assessment of the situation in Indonesian society:

  
  
  
 ...I bear witness with my verse, 
 The people of the country did not get freedom, 
 He lives without a license, and he doesn't know them. 
 The people are free from rights, without care. 
 And how free will our people be 
 With the bureaucratic apparatus of power? 
 Officials-grabbers are a despicable rabble 
 The soul of the people is torn and torn apart. 
 And the parties believe that the people 
 It only serves the party's interests, 
 And the party leads the masses noisily 
 As an instrument of social processes. 
  
  
 

(End-of-the-Century Testimonies)

Until the end of his life, Rendra remained true to the civic position of a fighter for truth and justice, revealing in his works negative phenomena, illegal actions of the authorities that infringe on the rights of the people, criticizing corrupt officials, embezzlers.

At the end of 2009, Indonesia hosted the Rendra Memorial Evenings, the pride of Indonesian culture. A "Monologue" about the poet performed by his drut poet Putu Vijay was performed in 14 major cities, plays performed by the theater created by Rendra were staged, films in which he starred were shown, his poems were read, including from the very stage in Jakarta, where he repeatedly performed himself. Suggestions were made to approve Rendra's birthday - November 7-as the Day of National Culture.

Last October, Rendra's memorial evening was held in Moscow at the Center for Oriental Literature. His poems were recited, including translations into Russian. Professor V. Sikorsky recalled his meetings with Rendra, who in 1957 participated in the International Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow. The Indonesian poet reflected his impressions of Moscow in several poems: "Moskva River", "Sretensky Boulevard", etc.

According to Aji Surya, an adviser to the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow, Rendra in Indonesia, like Pushkin in Russia, "both proclaimed the truth without fear of prison, they are both respected by all segments of society, both friends and opponents."

Rendra's poetry is known and revered in many countries. His works have been translated and are now available in English, Japanese, German, French, Dutch, Hindi, and Russian.

Translated poems from Indonesian by Yu. I. NOSKOV

Permanent link to this publication: