Faisal Oddang, A Tale of Human Tragedy

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Faisal Oddang.

Faisal Oddang speaks Bugis every day. Until he reached high school, he did not speak Indonesian fluently. However, on Friday, 28 June 2019, the 54th anniversary of Kompas, his short story was one of the works awarded the Kompas Best Short Story 2018.

The writer and novelist from Wajo, South Sulawesi, turns Indonesian into a fresh, original and enjoyable language. Faisal Oddang’s short story "Kapotjes dan Batu yang Terapung" (Condoms and the Floating Stone), according to the jury, successfully and creative presented Indonesian as a fresh language. The writer, who stammered as a child, was skilled in developing a distinctive Indonesian language with a rich, original vocabulary.

Oddang’s short story, along with "Aroma Doa Bilal Jawad" by Raudal Tanjung Banua, were named the best short stories published in Kompas in 2018. Both were awarded to special trophies created by master sculptor Nyoman Nuarta.

Even more special was that this was Oddang’s second Kompas short story award. In 2014, Oddang won the same award for "Di Tubuh Tarra, Dalam Rahim Pohon" (In Tarra\'s Body, In the Tree’s Womb). “Tarra” was his first short story to be published in Kompas’ Sunday edition. Since then, his career has taken off and opened many doors. In the same year, Oddang also won the 2014 ASEAN Young Writers Award from the Thai government.

During the 2014 Jakarta Arts Council Novel Competition, Oddang\'s novel, Puya ke Puya (Puya to Puya) won fourth place, and Tempo magazine named it the best novel and its author “outstanding person in prose” in 2015.

My aunt, Ms. Giang, who worked at a junior high school library in Wajo, used to bring home works of literature

The year before he graduated university in 2017, Oddang took a writer\'s residency program in the Netherlands with the support of the National Book Committee. He was also invited to attend the 2018 International Writing Program in Iowa, the United States. That same year, he received grants from Robert Bosch Stiftung and Literarisches Colloquium Berlin.

Avid reader

Oddang had never imagined he would attain any of these achievements. When he was a child, he avidly read many books. "My aunt, Ms. Giang, who worked at a junior high school library in Wajo, used to bring home works of literature,” he recalled.

“I often asked her to bring [home] literary works to read, such as the works of Balai Pustaka writers like Marah Rusli and Tulis Sutan Sati," Oddang said at the Kompas Short Story 2018 award ceremony at Bentara Budaya Jakarta.

Oddang liked reading literature in elementary and junior high. "Because we lived in a village, there was no other [form of] entertainment. The lights were turned off early, there was no activity, so books

became the alternative for me," he said. He had always liked stories because his father told him bedtime stories. "I think all writers have a similar experience," he said.

When he attended SMA Majauleng 1 (now SMA Wajo 2), Oddang became a little distant from books. He took part in several extracurricular activities at the senior high school, such as basketball, futsal and soccer. "I imagined myself becoming an athlete, but I did not. When I was in grade 12, I rarely took part in extracurricular activities because I was preparing to take the senior high school final exam. I started writing short stories and poems," he said.

I was happy that my short story was published, even though when I read it again, it was not very good, really.

Oddang’s first short story was published on 12 February 2012 in the local newspaper, Harian Fajar. The story told of teen love and was published ahead of Valentine\'s Day on 14 February. "I was happy that my short story was published, even though when I read it again, it was not very good, really," he said.

Since then, the world of writing became enjoyable for Oddang. "Many people praised, appreciated me because I was a still a high school student. Older people didn’t have the heart to criticize [me] because it would discourage me, so they praised [me]. In fact, in my opinion, my first short story was bad," he said, chuckling.

Because he was frequently writing short stories and poems, Oddang decided to enrol in the Indonesian Literature Department at Hasanuddin University, Makassar. It was the first time he was away from home, leaving his family and village.

"I had never left Wajo [before]. University was the first time I went to another city," he said. On campus, Oddang learned from the environment and was among peers who often discussed literary works. Every day, he learned about a new title. He also read more and more books and met many people who liked to read. "My environment kept me writing," he said.

Writing better

When his works became known, Oddang tried to improve his writing. "I write, people read and respond. Some responded nicely, some responded [negatively]. Some criticized or praised my work on their blogs. This gave me a reason to write better," he said.

Oddang\'s stories are mostly set in South Sulawesi. "Even though I never forced myself to write about a certain theme, many of my stories were about South Sulawesi. I’m only responding to things that are happening around me," he said.

Although he is still based in the region, Oddang has a broad perspective. His experience in the United States boosted his interests. "I learned a variety of perspectives in how to view literature, diverse ideas on how people write in every country," he said.

Apparently not. I was only responding to the stories that I heard.

Oddang once believed that he was representing marginalized people in his short story, "Condoms and the Floating Stone". "Apparently not. I was only responding to the stories that I heard," he said.

"I feel I speak for them [through my writing]. I heard stories from my grandmother about how women in our area smeared themselves with charcoal so that they would not be taken to the [Japanese military’s] barracks. My story is about human tragedy, the domination of powerful people over the powerless," said Oddang.

While the tale he tells in his short story has been deemed explosive, with detailed descriptions about the violence, Oddang said he was not angry when he wrote it. "The problem is, I lived with this story. There was no attempt to side with the victim. However, [the story] is an attempt to look back on events with a new way of thinking or looking," he said.

For Oddang, violence has existed since the word became known. In violence, only the places and actors are different. "Condoms and the Floating Stone" takes place in the past. "We see that violence has always existed in various shapes and forms," he said.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Faisal Oddang, one of the winners of the Kompas Best Short Story 2018 award.

Faisal Oddang

Born: Wajo, South Sulawesi, 18 September 1994

Education: Indonesian Literature, Hasanuddin University, Makassar

Bibliography:

- Rain & Tears (Novel, 2014)

- “Di Tubuh Tarra, Dalam Rahim Pohon” (Kompas Best Short Story 2014)

- Puya ke Puya (Novel, 2015)

- Pertanyaan Kepada Kenangan (Novel, 2016)

- “Manurung” (Poem, 2017)

- Perkabungan untuk Cinta (Poetry anthology, 2017)

- Tiba Sebelum Berangkat (Novel, 2018)

- Sawerigading Datang dari Laut (Short story anthology, 2019)

Awards:

- Kompas Best Short Story 2014

- Kompas Best Short Story 2018