GOLA GONG: THE WORLD HOME

Gola Gong, Boim Le Bon, Hilman “Lupus” Hariwijaya gave fiction and journalistic workshop at SMAN 2, Lampung, 1993. They were in friendship andarini joined in Gramedia Teenwriters.(1989 – 90). Another author were Zara Zettira, Adra P Daniel, Arini Suryokusumo, Lutfie, Bubin Lantang, Gus tf Sakai, Bahrudin Supardi. Right now Boim is a producer in RCTI (a TV station), Hilman is a scriptwriter in cinema electronic. Hilman’s novel “Lupus” and GG’s novel “Balada si Roy” representatived two difference characters in 80s. Lupus was an easy going, annoying, happy and seemed like a pop corn. Whereas Roy was a wild character, alarmist, radical, a rebel, looked like coffee. Lupus was a popular creative style, Roy refered to rock n’ roll. Hilman said Lupus physically reminded to Roger Taylor (Duran-duran), meanwhile Roy was mixing many characters such Sean Penn, Matt Dilon, Old Shaterhand, Mark Gregory, Ken Wahl, Jim Bowie and Ali Topan. (Translated by Tias Tatanka)

This picture taked in Malacca, Malaysia, 1991. When he journeid around 1991-1992. He bought a bike in Kuala Lumpur, he named “The Master”. He dreamed being Philippe Fogg, one of characters in “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Vern. Gola Gong biked from KL to borderline of Singapore for a month. He slept everywhere, such mosque, shelter bus, home village, grave and once in a while in guest house. He went back KL with taxi, continuing by train to Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Then he biked to Bangkok for a month. Through Hat Yai, Songkla… biking along the South Thailand. Sleeping in several wat and tried to understand Monk’s life. Continue Reading »

Since young Gola Gong liked sport very much. Many achievements he got in badminton sport. In Banten, with one hand he competed with normal badminton players. He got runner up in junior grade badminton competition in 1982. beside that he was entering in main team of Serang Region (1982), B Team in junior high school (SMPN 2 Serang), high school team (SMAN 1 Serang) and as representative from his campuss (Padjadjaran University) in 1985. He followed West Java Junior Badminton Competition (Sukabumi, 1982) and won a representative from Kuningan. Continue Reading »

Oleh: Tias TatankaSampai sekarang, setiap melihat kanak-kanak, pikiran saya dipenuhi pertanyaan “apa yang ada di dalam benaknya?” Pandangan mata mereka begitu polos, cara bicara yang lucu, terkadang mereka melakukan hal sama berulang-ulang, yang menurut orang dewasa “begitu tidak praktis”. Itu menurut orang dewasa, tapi bagi kanak-kanak, perulangan itu amat menyenangkan, karena fitrahnya mereka sedang belajar. Hal terakhir sering kita sepelekan, kita cenderung tidak mau meniru proses ‘belajar’ seorang anak, akibatnya sering terjadi orang dewasa mengulang-ulang kesalahan. Continue Reading »

On 2003 Gola Gong published his novels; Kupu-kupu Pelangi (Rainbow’s Buterfly) by Dar! Mizan, Bandung and Al-Bahri (Asy Syaamil), Aku Seorang Kapiten (I am a Captain, Al-Kautsar). Also he wrote novels with his beloved wife; Tias Tatanka. The novels are “Mimpi Sauni” (Sauni’s Dream) and “Hari-hari Angga” (Angga’s Days). Al Bahri and Balada Si Roy (Ballad of Roy, Gramedia/Beranda Hikmah) are produced as TV Series by Indika Entertainment. Al Bahri presented on TV 7 (now Trans 7). Where as Balada Si Roy is presented in Malaysia as “Campus Idol”. With the money he got, he bought 500 square meters in front of Rumah Dunia’s first step land, so the width became 1000 square meters. That’s why Gola Gong wrote a epigraph : “(1996-2001) My home is the house of the world, being built with the words”. In this picture, Uncle Maryani is putting on the bricks at the new land (2003).

Oleh Tias Tatanka 

Aku sudah bilang ke dia, suamiku yang setengah seniman itu, betapa aku telah nyaman punya sebuah rumah berlantai dua. Halaman depan yang sempit, halaman belakang yang cukup plus ebuah mushola tempat kami mensyukuri nikmat-Nya. Tak begitu luas. Tapi nyaman. Aku jelaskan padanya, rasanya tak perlu lagi mencari tempat jemuran baju, karena di atas, di teras terbuka, dua pembantuku bisa leluasa menjemurnya. Malah seperti panggung, atau sebuah balkon. Lalu sudah ada tangga ulir untuk lalu-lintas jemuran, tak perlu lagi tetes air cucian membasahi tangga kayu di dalam rumah. Continue Reading »

Oleh Gola Gong

Saya pulang ke Serang. Saya ceritakan semuanya pada Bapak dan Emak serta saudara. Saya merasa optimis, tapi Bapak mengingatkan, jangan terlalu banyak berharap, karena kalau tidak kesampaian bisa kecewa. Bapak malah menyarankan agar saya meneruskan kuliah lagi. “Kalau perlu kuliah di Serang saja, di Untirta!” Continue Reading »

Oleh Gola Gong

Saya memutuskan jadi penulis sebetulnya karena perlakuan diskriminasi pemerintah waktu itu. Tangan kiri saya diamputasi sebatas sikut pada tahun 1971, karena terjatuh dari pohon. Cerita tentang ini ada di buku saya; MENGGENGGAM DUNIA (DAR! MIZAN, 2006) yang sejak Desember 2004 dimuat bersambung di “Cermin” majalah MATABACA. Continue Reading »

Oleh Gola Gong

Sekitar Oktober tahun 1987, saya baru pulang dari travelling Indonesia. Dari Tenggarong, ketika hendak menyusuri sungai Kayahan, Samarinda, saya mendapat kabar Emak sakit. Saya harus pulang. Saya sebetulnya sedang berniat menyusuri sungai Kahayan, jadi suku Dayak, hal yang pernah dilakukan oleh Daniel Chaniago. wartawan majalah Kartini, era 80-an. Juga saya ingin sekali mengalami secara emosi, apa-apa yang pernah ditulis Korrie Layun Rampan di cerpen-cerpennya yang berlatarkan bumi Kalimantan. Continue Reading »