Istuti Sardjoko: Writing up a passion for Javanese literature

Simon Sudarman ,  CONTRIBUTOR ,  YOGYAKARTA   |  Fri, 04/03/2009 9:40 AM  |  People

JP/SIMON SUDARMAN

Writer Istuti Sardjoko has been immersed in her passion for Javanese literature for most of her creative years and, at the age of 69, sees no reason to slow down.

“My passion for writing and my concern about young people’s eagerness to learn Javanese culture are my strongest assets,” says Istuti, known popularly by the pen name Nini Klenyem.

From her home in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Istuti revealed that her Javanese literary work, particularly her short stories and poetry, is without any formal concept.

Since starting to write in 1986, Istuti has churned out hundreds of short stories and poems.
Her works have been published in a range of publications, including Javanese magazines such as Djoko Lodang, Sempulur, Nilakandhi and Mekarsari in Yogyakarta, Panyebar Semangat, Jaya Baya in Surabaya, East Java, and Damar Jati in Jakarta.

Thanks to broadcasting, her work has also reached a much wider audience, being aired weekly on radio stations such as RRI Nusantara Yogyakarta and private station Konco Tani, also in Yogyakarta.

Being a writer, let alone one of Javanese books, Istuti is quick to point out, is a far from lucrative business and does little to provide a comfortable lifestyle.

Nevertheless Istuti, who has nine children and 12 grandchildren, recognizes that she has moved so far into the world of literature that she has reached the point of no return.

Whenever the inspiration to write is upon her, she says, she does it promptly, regardless of the time and place – in the kitchen or bedroom, in the morning, afternoon or evening.

Her burning commitment and desire to keep on learning about Javanese literature means she continues to broaden her horizons.

She has also been encouraging young Indonesians to write and delve into Javanese culture through Sanggar Sastra Jawa Yogyakarta (SSJY), an association of writers and observers of Javanese literature, where she also shares her experiences with her peers.

Along with fellow novelists, she frequently gives lectures and classes in writing short stories and poetry.

Since the 1990s, Istuti has been taking part in conferences and gatherings of Javanese literary authors from various regions in Java, such as Banyuwangi, Ponorogo, Malang, Kediri, Lamongan in East Java and Semarang in Central Java.

Unlike most modern writers, who cannot live without their laptops or the Internet, Istuti still does it the old way.

She always carries with her a notebook and a pen because she does all her work in longhand, instead of relying on a typewriter or computer.

“I am used to jotting down my stories, so after I finish them I send them first to computer typists. They’re familiar with my handwriting,” she adds with a smile.

Hundreds of her works are now recorded on CDs, sitting neatly alongside her hardcopy files.
She hopes that in the future she will be able to gather together all her work and have it published in book form.

She knows it is a tough dream. The several publishers she approached, she admits, had to gently turn down her proposal. She understands well their reasons, given the small number of people who love Javanese stories.

With passion burning as brightly as hers, that will never be enough to make her stop.
“I’m planning to publish all my works myself,” she says.

“They say one title costs around Rp 6 to 7 million, and my stories will come in several volumes.”

It is a dream she holds onto fiercely.

“I don’t have that much money now,” she says, “but I’m sure some day I’ll be able to realize my plan. I wish to leave something useful as something to remember me by.”

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