Goenawan Mohamad

Goenawan Mohamad
Born	Goenawan Susatyo 29 July 1941 Batang, Central Java, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia)
Occupation	poet, essayst, playwright, director. =
Spouse(s)	Widarti Gunawan
Children	Hidayat Jati, Paramita
Religious belief(s)	Islam
Notable credit(s)	'Catatan Pinggir', "Komunitas Salihara'.

Goenawan Mohamad (born 29 July 1941) is a renowned Indonesian poet and man of letters.

Goenawan Mohamad was born in Batang, Central Java. His early writings include Potret Seorang Penyair Muda Sebagai Si Malin Kundang (The Portrait of A Young Poet as Malin Kundang) (1972) and Seks, Sastra, Kita (Sex, Literature, Us) (1980),'"Kesusastraan dan Kekuasaan' (LIterature and Power) (1993)'Setelah Revolusi Tak Ada Lagi (Once the Revolution No Longer Exists) (2001), Kata, Waktu (Word, Time) (2001), 'Eksotopi' (Exotopia) (2003), 'Tuhan dan Hal-hal Yang Tak Selesai' (God and other Unfinished Things) (2007).

For his 70th birthday several of his works are published: 'Marxisme, Seni, dan Pembebasan' (Marxism, the Arts, Emancipation) (2011), 'Indonesia/Proses' (Indonesia/Process) (2011), "Puisi dan Antipuisi' (Poetry and Antipoetry) (2011), 'Di Sekitar Sajak' (On Poems) (2011), 'Tokoh + Pokok' (Persons + Issues) (2011), 'Teks dan Iman' (Texts and Faith)(2011), 'Debu, Duka, Dst: Sebuah Pertimabngan anti-theodise' (Ash, Grief, Etc.: A consideration against theodice)' (2011), 'Ruang dan Kekuasaan' (On Space and Power)', (2011), 'Rupa' (Images), (2011). 'Pagi dan Hal-hal Yang dipungut Kembali' (Morning and Things Retrieved) (2011).

His latest books of poetry is 'Don Quixote' (2011)and '70 Puisi' (70 Poems). His plays are published in 'Tan Malaka dan Tiga Lakon lain' (

He is the founder and editor of Tempo ("Time") magazine in Indonesia, which was twice forcibly closed by the Suharto's New Order administration because of its vocal criticism of the authoritarian regime.^[1] In 1999, Mohamad was named International Editor of the Year by World Press Review magazine. In 1998, he was one of four winners of the CPJ International Press Freedom Awards and in 2006 he received the prestigious Dan David Prize award.

As a writer, Goenawan Mohamad was well-known for his weekly column in Tempo, "Catatan Pinggir" (Sidelines), which is mainly commentary and critique on current affairs and the media 'headlines'. He expressed criticism of one-dimensional, narrow-minded viewpoints and thoughts in Sidelines, which have been compiled into six books. In Sidelines, Mohamad never ended with a definitive conclusion, but always with either questions or open-ended comments intended to encourage readers to continue thinking.

Mohamad was one of the founders of the Lontar Foundation and is on the international advisory board of the human rights group ARTICLE 19.

Sources

• Mohamad, Goenawan. CATATAN PINGGIR 1. Jakarta: Graffiti. 1982
• Mohamad, Goenawan. CATATAN PINGGIR 5. jakarta: Graffiti. 2001
• Mohammad wins Editor of the Year award - IFEX

Notes

1. ^ culturebase.net article on Goenawan Mohamad

External links

• Tempo magazine
• Goenawan Mohamad's website
• Dan David Prize laureate 2006

Indonesia portal

Persondata
Name	Mohamad, Goenawan
Alternative names
Short description	Contemporary Indonesian journalist, editor and poet
Date of birth	July 29, 1941
Place of birth	Batang, Central Java, Indonesia
Date of death
Place of death