Aprila RA Wayar: Papua’s first woman novelist

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | People | Thu, November 28 2013, 1:08 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/28/aprilia-ra-wayar-papua-s-first-woman-novelist.html#sthash.NZ55l29D.dpuf

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | People | Thu, November 28 2013, 1:08 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/28/aprilia-ra-wayar-papua-s-first-woman-novelist.html#sthash.NZ55l29D.dpuf

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | People | Thu, November 28 2013, 1:08 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/28/aprilia-ra-wayar-papua-s-first-woman-novelist.html#sthash.NZ55l29D.dpuf

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua | People | Thu, November 28 2013, 1:08 PM - See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/11/28/aprilia-ra-wayar-papua-s-first-woman-novelist.html#sthash.NZ55l29D.dpuf


There are a number of women writers from Papua but there’s only one woman novelist, Aprila RA Wayar. Her two novels portray women who are denied their rights and yet continue their persistent struggles for their causes.

The novels, Mawar Hitam tanpa Akar (Rootless Black Roses), published in 2007 and reprinted in 2013, and Dua Perempuan (Two Women), released in 2013, actually have universal themes.

But as the stories are set against Papuan backgrounds, readers can get an idea of the conditions faced by Papuan women through the characters.

“The stories can also be seen as historical accounts of what has happened: women receiving unfair treatment and being deprived of their rights,” Aprila said. The novels mirror other women’s experiences in being subjected to injustice. “They [their stories] may not be officially recorded or widely known; only those who are mistreated are aware of what they have suffered,” she added.

Aprila, who is also a journalist for tabloid Jubi in Jayapura, has long listened to women’s complaints. “Since my college years, my friends have shared their grievances with me, thus inspiring me to write down their experiences instead of gossiping about them. This is also one way of manifesting my affection for those who have revealed their bitter conditions,” she pointed out.

With the lead characters of her novels always struggling to maintain their existence amid adverse circumstances, Aprila indicates, in her introduction to Mawar Hitam tanpa Akar, that this book is dedicated to all Papuans who have been victims of human rights violations. As a women’s rights reformer in Papua, Aprilia has also established herself as the region’s first female novelist.

“At her young age, I hope she will be an inspiration to other Papuan women and even men to produce literary works that can build a new civilization in Papua. This can only be achieved by broadening local people’s horizons through the practice of reading books,” said Benny Giay, general chairman of the Tabernacle Bible Church of Papua, who is himself an author.

According to him, Papua has an oral literary tradition. The emergence of writers from Papua, let alone novelists, constitutes an advance because stories will be told through books rather than just conventionally passed on by word of mouth. “It’s a major advancement, not to mention the role of female novelists,” he added.

Aprila is also seen as the pride of Papuans due to her hard work in preparing the novels. “As a woman I’m proud of Aprila, who has been able to develop her writing potential. What she has produced should inspire other women in Papua to follow in her footsteps,” said Bernarda Meteray, who wrote Nasionalisme Ganda Orang Papua (The Papuans’ Double Nationalism).

Aprila was born in Jayapura on April 15, 1980, and completed her college education in economics at Duta Wacana Christian University, Central Java, in 2006. After attending primary school in Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, and entering junior high school, her family moved to Tasikmalaya, West Java, until she graduated from college.

In 2009, she returned to Papua and joined the tabloid, Jubi.

Aprila never aspired to be a novelist but she was fond of reading as a child. “In Wamena, I was the only primary school student subscribing to Bobo, a children’s magazine, although it frequently arrived late,” she related.

Her reading hobby continued as a college student. “At the university, I used to read dozens of novels every month,” recalled Aprilia, who claimed she had initially wanted to become a physician after reading a novel written by the well-known author Marga T., who was a doctor.

However, she was forced to choose a department that was less expensive because of financial constraints. “It turned out to be costlier to study medicine, and my parents couldn’t afford to pay high tuition fees; so I had joined the economics school. But I continued to read and write stories,” she revealed.

In 2009, Aprila entered a short story-writing contest themed “the love of a mother”, which was organized by Indonesian Muslim students in Egypt. “My short story, which was entitled Bunda Terbaik Mama Tersayang [My Dearest, Most Wonderful Mother], was named one of the best entries and published in a book of contestants’ works,” Aprila said.

In 2012, Aprila was selected to participate in the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali along with 14 other Indonesian novelists on the back of her novel, Mawar Hitam tanpa Akar. The Ubud festival is now considered one of the world’s top six festivals for literature.

Mawar Hitam was chosen by the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2012 and is now in the process of being translated into English. “Hopefully at the next festival, this novel will be ready to be presented in its English version,’’ she anticipated.

Her two novels do not represent the peak of Aprila’s writing career, but they offer her momentum for her upcoming books and in positioning herself as Papua’s foremost woman novelist.

“At present, I’m working on my third novel, entitled Noken [traditional Papuan woven bag],’’ said Aprila, who is a single parent to three children: Resta, 10; Jane, 4, and Darielle, 2.

She attributed her success with her first two novels to her persistent reading and writing. “If you want to write novels, you need to keep reading lots of novels as this practice makes it easier to write,” she concluded.