Winners of ‘Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa’ Literary Award Announced
Jakarta. Author Dorothea Rosa Herliany and poet Joko Pinurbo were named winners of the annual Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa literary award during a ceremony on Thursday night at Plaza Senayan shopping mall in Central Jakarta.
In the prose category, Rosa bagged an award for her 2015 novel “Isinga: Roman Papua.”
Joko, meanwhile, won the poetry category with his 2014 anthology "Surat Kopi" ("Coffee Letter").
Each winner competed in a competitive category full of illustrious names. Damhuri Muhammad, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Sapardi Djoko Damono and Eka Kurniawan were named as finalists in the prose category, while Afrizal Malna, Esha Tegar Putra, Triyanto Triwikromo and M. Aan Mansyur became the nominees in the poetry category.
According to Kompas newspaper, the panel of judges — led by Dewi Candraningrum — considered both winners as the best among other nominees due to the aesthetic and ethical aspects of their works.
Rosa’s winning novel, published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama, focuses on the lives of traditional Papuan tribes and the pull of modernization they are facing. In order to paint a realistic picture, the author went on a research trip to Papua herself.
“Through this novel, I want people to understand what is happening in Papua through a literary work,” she said, as quoted by Kompas. “I want this novel to reach as many readers as possible.”
Rosa previously won an award at the same event in 2006 for her poetry book, “Santa Rosa.”
Meanwhile, Joko’s “Surat Kopi” is a compilation of his poetry works from 2011 to 2014 — most characterized by his evocative wordplay and romanticism. In 2005, he won the same award for his poetry anthology, “Kekasihku” (“My Lover”).
This year marked the 15th edition of Kusala Sastra Khatulistiwa, previously known as Khatulistiwa Literary Award.
Founded by author and film director Richard Oh and the then-chief executive of Plaza Senayan, Takeshi Ichiki, the award was initiated to celebrate the leading writers in the Indonesian literary scene — providing them not only with recognition from the local literary community, but also funding for their craft.
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