User:WL6 Shaily/Agam Wispi

Agam Wispi, the poet, was born in Pangkalan Susu, North Sumatra in 1930. He was influenced by his father who led Gezaksa, a popular theater troupe during his time. Agam began his writing career at the Kerakyatan daily news-paper in Medan, and later moved on to become a journalist and cultural editor. His first poem, "Stained Freedom", was published in Kerakyatan, but could not be traced later. Another of his poems on Bakbo Bay, Vietnam, was translated and published in a Vietnamese literary magazine, which made him visit the country on invitation. During the later years of his career, Agam was influenced by the progressive ideas of the People's Cultural Organization, the Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat or LEKRA, of which he became a formal member and manager subsequently. He also got the opportunity to meet Ho Chi Min, which ultimately led him to political refuge and compelled him to leave Indonesia.

When the September 30 movement (G30S) splintered, Agam Wispi was in Beijing attending celebrations of the Proclamation of the People’s Republic October 1, 1965. On that day, Agam heard of the bloody incident that had occurred in Jakarta the previous night. As a LEKRA member, Agam had no choice but to remain in Vietnam. Along with other LEKRA members who were attending Asia Africa Writer’s Conference, Agam Wispi was interned for five years in Nanking. His works from this period were compiled as Catatan Nanking.

Agam Wispi works include, among others “Repolusi”, “Dera dan Deru” (1957), “Demokrasi”,  the poetry compilation Sahabat  (1959), and a one-act drama, “Gerbong”  (1958). Several of Agam’s poems were collected in the LEKRA works Dinasti 650 Juta (1961)  and Yang Tak Terbungkamkan  (1961). Since his exile in 1965, Agam Wispi has published several volumes of poetry, including Exile, Orang-orang yang Dilupakan and Kronologi in Memoriam. The collection Pulang was written when he was allowed to return to Indonesia in 1996.

The tragedy of 1965 separated Agam from his wife and five children, who have continued to live in Jakarta during his exile. Now at over seventy years of age, Agam lives in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, having become a Dutch citizen. Despite carrying a Dutch passport, Agam Wispi confesses that he is still an Indonesian.

RELATED WORKS

Pulang(Coming Home)Directed by Moh. Rivai Riza and John McGlynn,24 minutesThe poet Agam Wispi (1930-2003) has lived in exile since the abortive Communist coup. In 1996, this former LEKRA writer returned to Indonesia for the first time since 1965. Pulang (Coming Home)

Directed by Moh. Rivai Riza and John McGlynn

24 minutes

The poet Agam Wispi (1930-2003) has lived in exile since the abortive Communist coup. In 1996, this former LEKRA writer returned to Indonesia for the first time since 1965.

In September 1965 he was in Beijing when he learned of the alleged abortive coup. Unable to return to Indonesia he then lived in China, East Germany, and, finally, the Netherlands, where he died in 2003. He is the author of several collections of poetry.