Antara/Wahyu Putro

Jakarta may not be the most comfortable city to live in, but the Big Durian, with its endless complexities, attracts a various and vibrant stream of figures: not only those looking to earn a living and make their way in life, but also artists and writers who paint the city in their works. Here we look at five literary works that peel the cores and shores of the city.

Aku ingin Menemanimu
by Acep Zamzam Noer

Aku Ingin Menemanimu (I want to accompany you) by talented poet Acep Zamzam Noer recounts the everyday banalities of Jakarta’s denizens with a flourish of romanticism.

The 20-line poem focuses on the daily journeys most working- and middle-class Jakartans endure between the city center and their homes on the outskirts.

It describes vividly the chaos of the city’s transportation system, which forces commuters into gruelling journeys using various modes.

The protagonist takes a city bus before shifting to a Metromini that grinds through the congestion, followed by a motorcycle taxi to reach the final destination — a rented house.

Aku Berkisar Antara Mereka
by Chairil Anwar

Although renowned poet Chairil Anwar does not mention Jakarta explicitly in his poem Aku Berkisar Antara Mereka (I evolve around them), the work strongly hints at the capital.

The poem mentions cinemas that screen American films and new songs played in dance clubs.

The reference to the Bioskop Capitol is an allusion to one of the oldest cinemas in the city, the Metropole in Menteng, Central Jakarta, which used to be called the Bioscoop Metropool.

Other elements of the city mentioned include “gathering in bus stations, we wait for the trams”.

The poem, written in 1949, a few months before Chairil died at the age of 26, brims with desperation and pessimism.

Opera Jakarta
by Titi Nginung

Opera Jakarta (Jakarta Opera) is the work of noted writer Arswendo Atmowiloto under the pseudonym Titi Nginung.

The work was initially published as a serial in Kompas daily.

The work tells the love story of Yoko and Rum, whose relationship is encumbered by the pair’s respective families, ex-lovers and friends.

The strength of the story lies in its depiction of everyday worries and sadness; the characters are common people, not the usual heroes of film and TV.

The work bridges the high art of literature and the realism of popular culture, and was made into a film by Sjuman Djaya in 1985, starring Ray Sahetapy, Zoraya Perucha and Deddy Mizwar.

JP/Wendra Ajistyatama

Ciliwung Yang Manis
by WS Rendra

Ciliwung Yang Manis (The sweet Ciliwung River) was written by famous poet and artist WS Rendra in 1955.

The poem personifies the river, which flows through the capital. Lines like “Ciliwung mengalir dan menyindir gedung gedung tua Jakarta” (The Ciliwung flows and teases the old buildings of Jakarta) shows how the river historically served as a center of activity, with buildings erected on its banks.

The poem also depicts the gloom of modernity. “Jakarta is lethargic in its bland noise, in wondering hungry faces,” is a nod to issues such as enduring poverty and uninspiring development.

The river is also depicted as a friend of the poor. River banks are a popular space for many residents, especially the poor, to build settlements.

Cerita Dari Jakarta
by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Although many of the stories written by Nobel laureate nominee Pramoedya Ananta Toer are set in Surabaya, East Java, and Buru Island, where he was imprisoned, the novelist also wrote this capital work.

Cerita Dari Jakarta (Tales from Jakarta) is a collection of thirteen short stories written between 1948 and 1956.

According to goodreads.com, the stories “not only give the readers a taste of Pramoedya’s early writings, but also lead them on a tragic tour through mid-century Jakarta with her downtrodden residents as their guides”.