Now in its third year, our exchange program with the Bali Emerging Writers’ Festival sees two Australian writers go to Bali and two Indonesian writers come to Melbourne for our Festival. There are many lessons to be learnt, relationships to forge and cultural ties to be strengthened. Australian writer, Lou Heinrich (Adelaide) and Omar Sakr (Sydney) are both over there at the moment, and joining us in Melbourne in May will be Ni Made Purmada Sari and Aan Mansyur. Here’s a short Q&A with Ni Made Purmada Sari.
Tell us about your writing style. What are your influences, passions and the messages that you try to convey in your work?
The poems I write are a reflection on my experiences. So far, these haven’t centred on any particular themes, varying from women, culture, identity and social constructions. Two strong influencers in my work, though, is ‘time’ and ‘death’, which always come back to me in the writing process. I think this is because they are the close friends of all living beings. Everyday we are asked: what time is it? Do we have enough time? And where time shapes the paths of our lives, so too does death try to sneak in.
What are some of the challenges you face in the writing process, and what tips would you give to aspiring writers to overcome these?
The truth is that my attention is often distracted when I write; a phone call, social media, anything else that pops up. So, I often try to write before I go to bed – the moments where my mind is calm, undisturbed by other activities. However intense writing makes me sleepless (laugh).
To get new ideas, I like to walk around Jakarta, where I live. I try new public transport, sit at the bus stop, watch people pass by. This way, I can see many new and unexpected sides of life. I also realise that the city is human; multi-layered and complex.
What are you most looking forward to in your exchange at the Emerging WritersFestival Australia?
To meeting authors and exchanging ideas of course. I’m sure they will help me to understand the present culture of Australian society. This will be my first time in Australia, and I’m so excited to see what daily lives look like, which I’m sure is different to Indonesia. Understanding new cultures has always been something that interests me, so I’m really grateful to the BEWF and EWF in helping me to do this.
Do you have any favorite Australian or International author(s)?
Too many names. It’s difficult for me to list them down, but I’ll try… Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Yasunari Kawabata, and Kenzaburo Oe.
What have you been reading lately?
Lately I started re-reading old Indonesian literary works, circa 1960s and 1980s. I recently finished reading Harimau! Harimau! by Mochtar Lubis and Anak Bajang Menggiring Angin by Sindhunata. I was very surprised that, decades later, these works are still very interesting, touching and relevant to read! Theme, style and even the sense of the language hits the bull’s-eye compared to some popular authors nowadays.
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I’m trying to write a novel. It’s actually almost 80% complete, what’s left is the editing process, which as it turns out takes up most of my concentration. The novel tells the story of a young boy who is asked to write the biography of an elderly Bali artist. Their dialogue reflects the relationship between the older generation and the younger generation in Bali, the island’s past, and the memories of local people.
This year’s Bali Emerging Writers’ Festival runs from Apr 24 – Apr 26.