T

he word “quit” is not available in the life dictionary of veteran artist, storyteller and puppeteer Suyadi.

The man, popularly known as Pak Raden – taken from the name of a legendary character he created for the hit TV series Si Unyil – may have grown old, frail and pale, but he is no quitter. He will celebrate his 80th birthday in November but nothing seems to slow him down, even though it takes some effort for him to walk.

The Jakarta Post met the puppet master in his small den in a packed residential area of Petamburan, West Jakarta. There was no trace of his popularity or any opulence in the two-bedroom house of the artist that has contributed greatly in pioneering the first children’s TV show in the country.

The dwelling was quite a mess that morning. Sheets of paper and books were everywhere, covering two large desks that occupied the already cramped living room. An old, dark brown cupboard and an antique television set only added to the possibly gloomy atmosphere of the room. But it was saved by the bright colors of dozens of paintings lining the walls.

Suyadi got a phone call and from the back he looked smaller than on TV. He then excused himself to prepare for the interview. Even though the distance to the room was less than five meters, it was some effort for the man to get there. He has been suffering from an acute degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) that requires him to use a cane to walk.

Ten minutes later he returned with a fresher face and a clean shirt. But the image remained in stark contrast to Pak Raden’s gallant character.

“I don’t have much time for the interview. I have to get dressed for another appointment with a TV station,” the man warned at the beginning of the interview.

Suyadi has made his return to TV, but not as the grumpy, short-tempered Pak Raden but as a citizen who demands royalties for his puppet creations in the hit series that ran for more than 600 episodes from 1979 to 1991.

His schedule has been overloaded lately with TV interviews, as the case received much publicity from the media. However, not many know that the man has been struggling to obtain royalties from the State Film Production Company (PFN) for years. The case was finally brought to light with the help of fans and supporters.

“I was alone back then but I have many friends now. I garnered support from Si Unyil fans. They were Indonesian children and some of them have become lawyers,” he said, grinning.

Suyadi, however, hopes the prolonged conflict will end in a win-win solution.

“I don’t want to have conflicts with PFN, because they were the ones who gave me the chance and made me a  household name,” the fine arts graduate from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) said.

Apart from being busy with the case, Suyadi said he was occupied with painting.

“If I don’t paint, I don’t live,” the artist, who has had to eke out a living from his paintings and storytelling jobs, explains.

The good news is that the man is preparing three big exhibitions in Jakarta this year. Old age and his current physical condition are no barrier to him continuing to make art even though the man could not deny that being a septuagenarian has taken its toll on his working speed.

The man has been consistently working at art from the time he was young until the present.

Suyadi remembered he was still a baby when he started demonstrating his talent as a painter.

“When I started crawling and was able to hold chalk, floors and walls were filled with my scribbles,” he said.

In elementary school when his father, a deputy regent in East Java, asked about his son’s aspirations, young Suyadi answered bravely that he wanted to become just like the successful American animator Walt Disney.

The man let his son chase his dreams with the condition that he had to finish school.

And Suyadi obeyed his father, later flying to as far as France to pursue studies in animation after graduating from ITB.

During his three-year stay in Paris, he had the chance to work at two animation studios, and wanted to stay, but Indonesia called.

Not long after his return, PFN asked him to join a production team to create the first children’s series in Indonesia.

The first order was to create an animation series, but the limited human resources and raw materials forced Suyadi and fellow director Kurnain Suhardiman to come up with a new plan, a puppet show, a proposal that received a positive response from the government.

The series was a huge success. Children loved it, but the creators feared the audience might get bored with the story as there was no conflict.

Then Suyadi, as the art director in the show, suggested an antagonistic role through the Pak Raden character.

“The character has all the bad personalities of humans. At first, we were a bit confused in naming the character fearing that it might offend so I gave him a Javanese name, because I know Javanese people are very forgiving,” he said with a laugh, adding that the character somehow reminded him of his father’s retired bureaucrat friends.

As no dubbers could fit into the Pak Raden character, the director ordered Suyadi to fill in with Pak Raden’s voice and the production team loved it. Suyadi was then appointed to become the voice and later on the face of the charismatic figure, making people identify him with the character.

With the success and the fame he received from the series, Suyadi felt he had achieved his goal to be like his childhood idol Walt Disney.

“Maybe I am not as successful as he was, but I believe we are on the same track in dedicating our lives to children,” remarked the man.

But even though he has already achieved his dream, he still feels incomplete.

“I still need to create more art,” the man, who also writes children’s books, said

Hearing such words from the 79-year-old is truly inspiring and touching. Suyadi has consistently shown his dedication to the art world for years despite the lack of government appreciation.

Through his art, Suyadi has contributed to Indonesian children and their childhoods, just like Disney did for kids around the world.

But, while the late Disney enjoyed a happy life through the royalties he received from his work, Suyadi remains struggling to survive in his tiny home, still hoping to have a happy ending of his own.