Talking Indonesia

Indonesian literature in translation In recent years the international profile of Indonesian literature has been given a substantial boost. Indonesian authors and their work was highlighted at major book fairs in Europe and given a special place within the cultural and commercial programs at these events, and also backed by funding from the Ministry for Education and Culture and the Agency for Creative Economy (Bekraf). It was hoped that an international boon for Indonesian literature would follow. Indeed, in the past decade the names of Indonesian writers such as Ayu Utami and Eka Kurniawan have joined those of Pramoedya Ananta Toer and Rendra as being recognised and read by readers all over the world. Undeniably, the publication of work in English translation is imperative in order to achieve such a global readership. In early March, Tiffany Tsao’s translation of Budi Darma’s 'People from Bloomington' (Orang-Orang Bloomington) won the prestigious PEN Translation Prize, potentially marking another signif