Stories by an Indonesian in Australia &
an Australian in Indonesia.
WRITERS: Jan Cornall and Triyanto Triwikromo
BACKGROUND
Indonesian short story writer, Triyanto Triwikromo, and Australian writer/performer Jan Cornall, first met at Darwin’s Wordstorm Festival in 2005.This project is the result of a collaborative friendship evolving over a number of years while visiting one another’s countries to take part in festivals and arts projects including Utan Kayu Biennale, Ubud Writers Festival and Gang Festival (Sydney).
THE BOOK
Triyanto and Jan are in the process of completing seven short stories each, inspired by real people and places observed in each other’s countries for the collection Seven Husbands and The Secret Prophet.
PUBLICATION
Rather than publishing bilingually in one volume, which often limits the readership rather than increasing it, we are looking at publishing an Indonesian language version as well as an English version.
TRANSLATION
We are currently seeking funding for translation into English and Bahasa Indonesia.
OUTLINE - Seven Husbands and The Secret Prophet.
Triyanto Triwikromo
HIS SHORT STORIES
1. THE PROPHET’S BOWL DELIRIUM
Greg lives in Sydney. He has a mental disorder. He thinks he is being followed by the Green Devil. He wants to save Australian activists who are being sucked into the vending machine – a prison created by those who dislike the activists and rebels who defend humanitarianism and the Aborigines.
2. NATASJA KOROLENKO’S CIRCUS OF FIRE
A lesbian love affair between Virginia Grey and Natasja Korolenko, is complicated by Russian agents and ghosts haunting the figure of Christ at the house of a crazy artist in Bondi Junction.
3. A PAIR OF SNAKES AT THE PURPLE CROSS
A pair of lovers (also lesbian), await the arrival of the messiah launched from the silver sky boat over Coogee Beach. The tale is linked to the apparition of the Virgin Mary at the beach side reserve that draws hundreds of followers.
4. THREE ANGELS IN VENESSA’S EAR
A son is under arrest by the Australian Government on suspicion of being a terrorist. His mother who lives in Redfern, has an enhanced ability in hearing. This is how she finds out the fate of her son in prison.
5. THE CLOSED DOOR OF ABU BAKAR KELLY
An old man from Flores dies in his housing commission flat. His death is only discovered four days later when his neighbours notice black crows encircling the door. The old man leaves behind thirteen letters about relations during his life with Aborigines and petty criminals of Redfern.
6. THE QUIET ROAD OF WONG KANG SENG
A teenage gigolo works the beat every night on The Wall, servicing well-to-do men to realize his dream of returning home to Niu Che Sui (Singapore’s Chinatown). His friendship with another gigolo (an Aboriginal political activist, Wiradjuri) helps Seng to discover the beauty of life in the midst of suffering as a money machine for pimps.
7. JULIA’S TWILIGHT HOUSE
This is the story of Julia, a beautiful Sydney music producer, who separated from her partner of many years Tashi Nawang, (the Tibetan musician she produced). Julia, a victim of the fluid model of “marriage” in Australia, does not receive anything because her partner (now passed away) legally married another woman.
Jan Cornall
HER SHORT STORIES
1. SEVEN HUSBANDS
A woman in the village of Babanan in the district of Tabanan has seven husbands (not all at one time). One by one she rejects them, not for their ordinary looks but because they are bad lovers. That is until she meets husband Number Seven.
2. CLOSE TO HEAVEN
Shy Celina was born in a Jakarta high rise and has promised her dying parents she will never go ‘down below’. Keeping her promise isn’t easy until she transforms her penthouse into a high altitude forest for rare birds. When the press want to hail her as an eco hero, she chooses to join the birds.
3. THE GIRL WITH A SUITCASE
A girl rides her leathery dreams and goes becak gliding through the streets of Yogyakarta. Taking over the peddling she arrives at the Water Castle with gifts for the Sultans thirty-nine wives who bathe together in a blue pool, waiting to be chosen as ‘wife for the day’.
4. READING THE SIGNS
Charlotte and Fardjar, members of The Society for Religious Pluralism, are opposite in every way. She is Buddhist, he is Muslim, she is tall, he is short, he is fat, she is skinny. So why don’t they heed the signs that appear in front of them everywhere they go - beware, danger, stop, look out?
5. SEA MASSAGE
Wayan, a Lovina masseuse, makes a living massaging tourists in her shack by the beach. The tourists tell her how they would love to swap places, but Wayan tells them her life is not so simple. Every morning she sends her worries out to sea until one day, the sea takes all her problems away.
6. THE DUCHESS OF THE SOUTH SEAS
The Duchess of Pareng Endong sits naked in a smouldering garbage box near Parangtritus beach, with everything she needs - warmth, food, clothing. At night in the coconut grove when men take advantage of her she prays for them in Bahasa Berlanda. When a Dutch TV crew want to tell her story she disappears. Luckily they find a replacement.
7. THE HOUSE OF A THOUSAND DOORS
A grand old Dutch building in Semarang has a colourful history and attracts ghosts from all over Java – famous, infamous and recently deceased. Open any door for a shocking surprise. Roll up! walk up! step inside, if you dare, – come after dark, come at moonlight , but don’t go down the left corridor , I repeat, don’t go down the left!.
TRIYANTO TRIWIKROMO
Triyanto Triwikromo is widely published, award winning short story writer in Indonesia. His anthologies are: Rezim Seks (Sex Regime), 1987; Ragaula (2002). Sayap Anjing (Wings of Dog) Short Stories, Penerbit Buku Kompas, 2003; Anak-anak Mengasah Pisau (Children Sharpening the Knives) published in two languages (English and Indonesian) by Masscom Media in 2003; Malam Sepasang Lampion,(A Night of Chinese Lanterns), by Penerbit Buku Kompas,2004; Ular Di Mangkuk Nabi 2009 (Snake In The Prophets Bowl)by Gramedia Pustaka Utama. His stories have also been published in the leading Indonesian newspaper Kompas and he has been nominated for Kompas awards in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. In 2009 he received the Pusat Bahasa of Letters Award for Ular di Mangkuk Nabi in 2015 the Tokoh Seni Pilihan Tempo award after writing Kematian Kecil Kartosoewirjo. His works, including A Conspiracy of God-killers (2015), The Serpent in The Holy Grail (2015), and Upside-Down Heaven (2015), were showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair.Triyanto is the chief cultural editor for Suara Merdeka, East Java’s major newspaper. He also teaches creative writing at Diponegoro University, Semarang.
JAN CORNALL
Jan Cornall has written 15 produced plays and musicals, a feature film, a published novel and several albums of songs. Her novel Take Me To Paradise (Saritaksu Editions) is set in Indonesia’s Bali, and jazz poetry CD, Singing Srengenge were launched at the Ubud Writers and Readers festival in 2006. Her collection of poems and stories, Archipelagogo, illustrated by Indonesian artist Jumaadi was published in 2013 and was penned during a decade of travel in Indonesia. Jan’s stories and articles have been published in the Jakarta Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Adelaide Advertiser, Realtime Arts magazine Urthona Magazine, Gang re:Publik and ArtsHub.com.
Jan has edited a number of books including On Nothing, Sitok Srengenge, Collected Poems (Kata Kita), Gang Re:Publik - Australian Indonesian Creative Adventures (co-editor), Recipes For Everyday Life by Alison Nancye and The Electronic Swagman (Halstead Press) by Raymond Hawkins.
For ten years Jan taught writing at Universities in Sydney (WSE, UTS) and has given master classes at Diponegoro University, Indonesia. She has been a guest writer at numerous festivals in the Asia Pacific region including: Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Hong Kong Inernational Literary Festival, Irrawaddy Literary Festival (Burma), Mountain Echoes Literary Festival (Bhutan), Utan Kayu Bienale (Jakarta), She leads popular workshops and journeys for writers in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
(c) All materials cited here are the copyright of Jan Cornall and Triyanto Triwikromo
an Australian in Indonesia.
WRITERS: Jan Cornall and Triyanto Triwikromo
BACKGROUND
Indonesian short story writer, Triyanto Triwikromo, and Australian writer/performer Jan Cornall, first met at Darwin’s Wordstorm Festival in 2005.This project is the result of a collaborative friendship evolving over a number of years while visiting one another’s countries to take part in festivals and arts projects including Utan Kayu Biennale, Ubud Writers Festival and Gang Festival (Sydney).
THE BOOK
Triyanto and Jan are in the process of completing seven short stories each, inspired by real people and places observed in each other’s countries for the collection Seven Husbands and The Secret Prophet.
PUBLICATION
Rather than publishing bilingually in one volume, which often limits the readership rather than increasing it, we are looking at publishing an Indonesian language version as well as an English version.
TRANSLATION
We are currently seeking funding for translation into English and Bahasa Indonesia.
OUTLINE - Seven Husbands and The Secret Prophet.
Triyanto Triwikromo
HIS SHORT STORIES
1. THE PROPHET’S BOWL DELIRIUM
Greg lives in Sydney. He has a mental disorder. He thinks he is being followed by the Green Devil. He wants to save Australian activists who are being sucked into the vending machine – a prison created by those who dislike the activists and rebels who defend humanitarianism and the Aborigines.
2. NATASJA KOROLENKO’S CIRCUS OF FIRE
A lesbian love affair between Virginia Grey and Natasja Korolenko, is complicated by Russian agents and ghosts haunting the figure of Christ at the house of a crazy artist in Bondi Junction.
3. A PAIR OF SNAKES AT THE PURPLE CROSS
A pair of lovers (also lesbian), await the arrival of the messiah launched from the silver sky boat over Coogee Beach. The tale is linked to the apparition of the Virgin Mary at the beach side reserve that draws hundreds of followers.
4. THREE ANGELS IN VENESSA’S EAR
A son is under arrest by the Australian Government on suspicion of being a terrorist. His mother who lives in Redfern, has an enhanced ability in hearing. This is how she finds out the fate of her son in prison.
5. THE CLOSED DOOR OF ABU BAKAR KELLY
An old man from Flores dies in his housing commission flat. His death is only discovered four days later when his neighbours notice black crows encircling the door. The old man leaves behind thirteen letters about relations during his life with Aborigines and petty criminals of Redfern.
6. THE QUIET ROAD OF WONG KANG SENG
A teenage gigolo works the beat every night on The Wall, servicing well-to-do men to realize his dream of returning home to Niu Che Sui (Singapore’s Chinatown). His friendship with another gigolo (an Aboriginal political activist, Wiradjuri) helps Seng to discover the beauty of life in the midst of suffering as a money machine for pimps.
7. JULIA’S TWILIGHT HOUSE
This is the story of Julia, a beautiful Sydney music producer, who separated from her partner of many years Tashi Nawang, (the Tibetan musician she produced). Julia, a victim of the fluid model of “marriage” in Australia, does not receive anything because her partner (now passed away) legally married another woman.
Jan Cornall
HER SHORT STORIES
1. SEVEN HUSBANDS
A woman in the village of Babanan in the district of Tabanan has seven husbands (not all at one time). One by one she rejects them, not for their ordinary looks but because they are bad lovers. That is until she meets husband Number Seven.
2. CLOSE TO HEAVEN
Shy Celina was born in a Jakarta high rise and has promised her dying parents she will never go ‘down below’. Keeping her promise isn’t easy until she transforms her penthouse into a high altitude forest for rare birds. When the press want to hail her as an eco hero, she chooses to join the birds.
3. THE GIRL WITH A SUITCASE
A girl rides her leathery dreams and goes becak gliding through the streets of Yogyakarta. Taking over the peddling she arrives at the Water Castle with gifts for the Sultans thirty-nine wives who bathe together in a blue pool, waiting to be chosen as ‘wife for the day’.
4. READING THE SIGNS
Charlotte and Fardjar, members of The Society for Religious Pluralism, are opposite in every way. She is Buddhist, he is Muslim, she is tall, he is short, he is fat, she is skinny. So why don’t they heed the signs that appear in front of them everywhere they go - beware, danger, stop, look out?
5. SEA MASSAGE
Wayan, a Lovina masseuse, makes a living massaging tourists in her shack by the beach. The tourists tell her how they would love to swap places, but Wayan tells them her life is not so simple. Every morning she sends her worries out to sea until one day, the sea takes all her problems away.
6. THE DUCHESS OF THE SOUTH SEAS
The Duchess of Pareng Endong sits naked in a smouldering garbage box near Parangtritus beach, with everything she needs - warmth, food, clothing. At night in the coconut grove when men take advantage of her she prays for them in Bahasa Berlanda. When a Dutch TV crew want to tell her story she disappears. Luckily they find a replacement.
7. THE HOUSE OF A THOUSAND DOORS
A grand old Dutch building in Semarang has a colourful history and attracts ghosts from all over Java – famous, infamous and recently deceased. Open any door for a shocking surprise. Roll up! walk up! step inside, if you dare, – come after dark, come at moonlight , but don’t go down the left corridor , I repeat, don’t go down the left!.
TRIYANTO TRIWIKROMO
Triyanto Triwikromo is widely published, award winning short story writer in Indonesia. His anthologies are: Rezim Seks (Sex Regime), 1987; Ragaula (2002). Sayap Anjing (Wings of Dog) Short Stories, Penerbit Buku Kompas, 2003; Anak-anak Mengasah Pisau (Children Sharpening the Knives) published in two languages (English and Indonesian) by Masscom Media in 2003; Malam Sepasang Lampion,(A Night of Chinese Lanterns), by Penerbit Buku Kompas,2004; Ular Di Mangkuk Nabi 2009 (Snake In The Prophets Bowl)by Gramedia Pustaka Utama. His stories have also been published in the leading Indonesian newspaper Kompas and he has been nominated for Kompas awards in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. In 2009 he received the Pusat Bahasa of Letters Award for Ular di Mangkuk Nabi in 2015 the Tokoh Seni Pilihan Tempo award after writing Kematian Kecil Kartosoewirjo. His works, including A Conspiracy of God-killers (2015), The Serpent in The Holy Grail (2015), and Upside-Down Heaven (2015), were showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair.Triyanto is the chief cultural editor for Suara Merdeka, East Java’s major newspaper. He also teaches creative writing at Diponegoro University, Semarang.
JAN CORNALL
Jan Cornall has written 15 produced plays and musicals, a feature film, a published novel and several albums of songs. Her novel Take Me To Paradise (Saritaksu Editions) is set in Indonesia’s Bali, and jazz poetry CD, Singing Srengenge were launched at the Ubud Writers and Readers festival in 2006. Her collection of poems and stories, Archipelagogo, illustrated by Indonesian artist Jumaadi was published in 2013 and was penned during a decade of travel in Indonesia. Jan’s stories and articles have been published in the Jakarta Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Adelaide Advertiser, Realtime Arts magazine Urthona Magazine, Gang re:Publik and ArtsHub.com.
Jan has edited a number of books including On Nothing, Sitok Srengenge, Collected Poems (Kata Kita), Gang Re:Publik - Australian Indonesian Creative Adventures (co-editor), Recipes For Everyday Life by Alison Nancye and The Electronic Swagman (Halstead Press) by Raymond Hawkins.
For ten years Jan taught writing at Universities in Sydney (WSE, UTS) and has given master classes at Diponegoro University, Indonesia. She has been a guest writer at numerous festivals in the Asia Pacific region including: Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Hong Kong Inernational Literary Festival, Irrawaddy Literary Festival (Burma), Mountain Echoes Literary Festival (Bhutan), Utan Kayu Bienale (Jakarta), She leads popular workshops and journeys for writers in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
(c) All materials cited here are the copyright of Jan Cornall and Triyanto Triwikromo
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