Indonesians in Focus: Lan Fang

By Barrie | December 5th, 2007 | No Comments

Kalimantan novelist Lan Fang writes about love, the powerlessness of women and the ethnic friction in the country. Her short stories have been appearing in teen magazines since she herself was a teenager, but critics did not turn their attention to her work until several years ago.

Fang, who is Chinese-Indonesian, prefers the term Cina to Tionghoa, feeling Tionghoa has negative political and economic connotations.

“I am much more comfortable with Cina. That is why I have maintained my Chinese name. I feel lucky to be involved with the literary community, where there is no discrimination regarding my name or the shape of my eyes. Among writers, I can be myself, without having to pretend for the sake of political interests,” said Fang, who cites H.C. Andersen, Agatha Christie and Kahlil Gibran as her favorite writers.

Fang writes in the first person, which she says creates a feeling of closeness between her readers and her characters.
Between 1986 and 1988, many of her short stories appeared in teen and women’s magazines like Gadis, Femina and Anita Cemerlang.

Born in Banjarmasin on March 5, 1970, Fang’s novels include Reinkarnasi (Reincarnation, 2003), Pai Yin (2004), Kembang Gunung Purei (Flower of Purei Mountain, 2005) and Wanita Kembang Jepun (Japanese Flower Woman, 2006). Her short story collection is titled Laki-Laki yang Salah (The Wrong Man, 2006).
One of Fang’s novels, Wanita Kembang Jepun, is soon to be made into a movie by PT Elang Perkasa Film.

“I’ve signed the contract. This gives me greater confidence in my work and the desire to share my experiences with younger writers,” she said.

Fang does not write in an easy-to-digest manner, concentrating on issues that others avoid speaking about.

The graduate of Surabaya University said she used sex scenes in her writing as a vehicle for tackling broader social issues.

“Sex is often just an appetizer in writing. But if you mix it with culture, psychology, philosophy or even religion, it becomes the main course. Sex scenes in novels should be about more than a physical act,” said Fang.

Unlike most female writers, who generally do not portray women as the weaker sex, Fang’s characters include women who follow the leadership of their husbands.

Fang said the culture of patriarchy continued to exist in the world partly because it was often left unnamed.

“Literature is a means of portraying reality. Women in rural areas remain in positions where they have little choice but to give way to men.”

Fang said she became very depressed during the New Order regime, when Chinese-Indonesians were not free to express themselves.

“I don’t consider discrimination or racism ‘bad experiences’. In this era of creative freedom there is a chance for ‘cultural revenge’, that’s why I have written so much about the ethnic Chinese,” she said.

Fang said in 1988, when she was finishing high school, her parents still did not have citizenship.

“I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go to university. I wouldn’t be accepted at a state university, and my parents weren’t wealthy enough to send me abroad. One of the university entrance requirements is being an Indonesian citizen,” she said.

When her parents finally became citizens, Fang had no intention of changing her name to one that sounded more Indonesian.

“I thought there was no point. Anyone who met me would know straightaway I was Chinese.”

But there have been suggestions Fang’s books might sell better under a different name.

In 2003, a publisher asked Fang if she would like to use a pseudonym.

“I asked them whether there was a problem with my name. The publisher said there was no problem for them, but they were worried this might create a problem for me. I told them I had been writing since 1986, and my work had been published and even won a number of competitions,” she said.

Fang said growing up in a male-controlled society had not made her feel in any way inferior.

“Though we have not been given full access to economic rights, this has only made us stronger,” said the mother of 9-year-old triplets.

Fang said she stumbled upon her writing career.

“I never dreamed I would be a writer. But I also believe everything happens for a reason. I have no intention of choosing another profession.

“My family has never minded me being a writer. They’re just confused as to why I remain poor when so many people know my work.”

Oyos Saroso H.N.