INDONESIAraya - notes & essay

I N D O

N

E

S

I

A raya

tanah airku, kalau sampai waktuku (maybe YES maybe NO)

Roy Voragen

A. abandonemen abatoar abdikasi abdomen abduksi aberasi abnormal abolisi abonemen aborsi abreviasi abrikos absen absenteisme abses absolusi absolut absorben absorpsi abstensi abstrak absurd adaptabel adaptasi adaptif adempauze adhesi administrasi admiral admisi adopsi adrenalin adsorpsi advertensi advokasi advoksat advokat afdeling afdruk afek afeksi afidavit afinitas afirmasi agen agenda agensi agitasi agitator aglomerasi agnostik agraris agregat agresi agresor akademi akademikus akapela aki aklamasi aklimasi akomodasi akreditasi akrobat akronim akselerasi akselerator aksen aksentuasi akseptabel akseptasi akses aksesori aksi aksidental akta aktif aktiva aktivator aktivisme aktivitas aktor aktris aktual aktualisasi aktuaris akulturasi akumulasi akumulatif akumulator akun akuntabilitas akuntan akuntansi akurasi akurat akustik alarm album alergi almanak alokasi altruisme

amandel amatir ambasade ambisius ambivalen ambulans amendemen amnesti amplifikasi amplop amputasi amtenar amunisi anakronisme anal analisis anestesiolog animo anotasi ansambel antagonis antiklimaks anus aparat apartheid apatis apel aplikasi apotek aransemen arbitrase arestasi argumentasi aristokrasi arogansi aroma arsenal arsip artikulasi artileri artistik asbak asbes aseksual asertif aset asimilasi asisten asortimen asosiasi aspiran asumsi asuransi atensi atraksi atributif audiensi audit autentikasi automatis automotif autopsi

B. bagasi bakteri bal balkon ban banal bandit bangkrut bank bankir barbarisme barbeku barikade basemen basis batalion baterai bebi beha beken beker bel belasting bensin berani bestek besuk beton bibliografi bibliotek biodiesel biografi bioskop bir biro birokrasi bis biseksual blokade blokir bloknot bludrek blunder boikot boks bolpoin bom

bombastis bon bonafid bonus bor bordil bordir brankas brigade brosur brutal buldoser bumper bursa bus

C. cek

D. dansa deaktivasi deaneksasi debit debitor dedikasi deduksi deeskalasi defensi definisi definitif defisit deflasi defleksi deformasi defragmentasi degenerasi degradasi deklamasi deklarasi deklasifikasi dekolonisasi dekonstruksi dekorasi dekreolisasi dekriminalisasi delegasi delegitimasi delikat delima demarkasi demiliterisasi demisioner demobilisasi demografi demokrasi demonopolisasi demonstrasi demoralisasi demosi denasionalisasi deontologi departemen departementalisasi depo depolarisasi depolitisasi deportasi deposisi deposit depot depresi deregulasi derivasi desakralisasi desegregasi desentralisasi desertir disorientasi destruksi deteksi detensi devaluasi devisa dialek

dialektis didaktis diet dikotomi diktator dilema dimensi dinamis dinamit diplomasi direktorat direktris direktur disiden disinformasi disiplin diskoneksi diskotek diskredit diskrepansi diskriminasi diskualifikasi diskusi disonansi disorganisasi disposisi distribusi distrik diversifikasi dividen divisi dokter doktorandus dokumen dokumentasi domestikasi dominansi dominasi donasi donatur dorman dosen dosis drama dramatis drastis dualisme duane duplikat durasi

E.

edisi edukasi efek efektivitas efisien egois egoistis eigendom eklektis ekonomi eks eksaminasi eksekusi eksentrik eksklusif ekskomunikasi ekspansi ekspektasi eksper eksperimen eksplisit eksplorasi eksplosif eksponen eksposisi ekspresif ekstra ekstrem ekstrover elaborasi elastik elegansi elektrik elektrokusi elemen eliksir eliminasi elitis emansipasi emigrasi eminensi emosi empati energi enkripsi epik episode eridikasi ereksi erotika erotis erupsi esensi eskapisme

esoteris etalase etiket etnosentrisme eufemisme evakuasi eviden

F. fabel faksimile faktor faktur falsifikasi fanatik fantasi fantastis fase fasis fatal favorit feodalistis filosof final fiskus flegmatis fleksibilitas fluktuasi fokus fonetis format foto fotokopi fragmen fraktur frekuensi friksi frontal frustrasi fundamen fungsional futuristis

G. galeri gang garansi garasi garnisun gas genealogi generalisasi generasi geografi geologi geosentris gerontokrasi gigantis orden gradual grafis gramatika granat grasi gratis grup gubernur

H. haatzaai hagiografi halte halusinasi haring harmoni hart hedonisme hegemonisme helm heroisme hierarki higienis hiperbolis hiperinflasi hiperkoreksi hiperseksual hipersensitif hipotek hipotetis histeris historis

hobi holistis homofobia horizon horizontal humanisme humoristis

I. ide idealisme identifikasi identis ideologis idiot ikonis ilusi imbesil imigran imigrasi imitasi impase imperfek imperialisme implantasi implemen implikasi implisit impor impoten impresi imprimatur improvisasi impulsif imun indehoi indekos indeks indikasi individualis indoktrinasi industri inefisiensi infantri infantilisasi infeksi infiltrasi inflasi informasi inheren inisiasi injeksi inklusif inkompeten inkonsistensi inlander inovasiinsiden inspeksi inspirasi instalasi instansi institusi instruksi instrumen integrasi inteligensi intensi interaksi interesan interkontinental internalisasi internasional interogasi interpretasi interupsi intervens intim intimidasi intoleran introduksi introspeksi introver intuisi invasi inventaris investasi isolasi isu

J. jaket jas jenderal jurnalis

K. kabel kabinet kadaver kade kado kalender kalk kalkulasi kamar kamera kamerad kanal kanibal kanker kantor kapasitas kapital kapsalon kapsel kapster kapten karakter karburator kardinal karikatur karnaval karpet kartel kas kaset kastrasi katalogus katastrofe kavling kelas kelder kenop kersen klak-klik klakson klappertaart klarifikasi klik klise klitoris kloset knalpot koalisi kode koherensi kolaborasi koleksi kolektif kolektor kolonel koloni kolonisasi kolusi komandemen kombinasi komedi komentator komisaris komite kompeni kompetensi kompetisi komplimen komposisi komunikatif konferensi konflik konfrontasi konkret konsekuensi konsensual konsensus konsentrasi konsep konservatisme koneksi konsistensi konsolidasi konstipasi konstruksi konsulat konsultan konsumen kontan kontrak kontribusi konversasi kooperasi koordinasi kop kopi kopling kopor koprol kor koreksi korespondensi koridor korps korsleting korting korupsi kos kosan kost krans kreatif

kredit kreolisasi kriminalisasi krisis kritik krusial kulkas kulturisasi kumulasi kupon kurs kursus

L. labil lakonik las legal lagalisasi legasi legendaris legitimasi legiun lem lensa lesnar letargi leveransir likuidasi limitasi lipstik liris listrik litani litigasi logis loket lori los losmen

M. maksimal manifestasi manipulasi mantel manufakturing manuskrip manuver margin marginalisasi marinade masinis masker masturbasi materai materi material materialis materialisme materialistis materiel meander medikasi melankolis meneer menit merek mesin metaforis metamorfosis metode metodis migrasi militansi militer militeristis minimalisasi miskonsepsi miskoordinasi misterius mitigasi mobil mobilisasi mode modernisasi modernitas modifikasi momen mondialisasi monster montase montir monumen mooi mop moralisme mosi motivasi motor multikrisis multikulturalisme

N. narasi narkosis narsisisme nasionalisasi nasionalistis navigasi negatif neokolonialisme neoliberalisme neologisme nepotisme nihilisme nomor nonagresi nonaktif nonformalnonintervensi nonkonvensional nonkooperatif nonsens nonstandar nontradisional nonverbal normal normalisasi normatif nostalgia nota notabene notaris notasi notifikasi notulen nudisme nutrisi

O.

objek objektif observasi obsesi obstruksi oferte oktroi okupansi oli oligarki om oma onderneming onderok ongkos opa openkap operasi opname oponen oportunis oposisi optimal optimisme orasi orde order ordonansi organisasi organisme orgasme orgel orientasi orisinalitas orkes ornamen ortodoksi oto otomatis otonomi otoritatif ovasi overaktif overpopulasi oversimplifikasi overste

P. pabrik pagina pakansi paket panekuk panik pantalon parade paradoksal paraf paralel parasitisme parket parkir parlemen parodi parokialisme partai partikularisme partisi partisipan partisipatoris pas paser pasif pasifikasi pasifisme paspor patologis paviliun pedagogis pek pel peleton pels pena penetrasi penis pensil pensiun perban perfeksionisme perforasi periferi periodik perkedel permisif pernis perpetuasi persekusi perspepsi persis persisten persneling person personel perspektivisme pes pesimistis petisi piket pil pispot plafon plagiarisme plakat plaksegel pleonasme plester ploi pluralisme plutokrasi polarisasi polder polemik polifoni polis polisi polisinal politik politisasi populisme pornografi porsi portir pos posisi positif postur pot potensi potret pragmatis preferensi preman prematur presentasi presiden presisi prestasi prima privilege problematik produksi provokasi provos proyek psikopat puding puisi pulpen

Q. ///

R. radikalisasi rak rapor ras rasionalisasi rasisme rayon reaksi reaksioner realisme redaksi referensi refleksi regional register registrasi reglementer regresif regulasi rekening reklamasi reklame reklasering relasi relatif relativisme relevansi rem remburs rendemen renovasi rentenir repatriasi repertoar repetisi replik reportase representatif republik reputasi resep resepsi resesi residen residif resimen resolusi resonansi respek respons restoran restorasi retrospeksi reuni revaluasi revolusi revolver rileks riol riset risiko rit ritmis rival rok romantis royemen rutinitas

S. sabel sablon sabotase sadel sadistis sadomasokis saldo salon sandal sanitasi sanksi sarkasme satiris saus sauvinistis segel segmen sein sekrup seksisme seksmaniak sekte seleksi selip semen sen senil sensitif sensualisme sentimen sentral separatisme

seprai serbet seremoni seri serius sersan sertifikasi servis set setoking sifilis signifikan simbolis simetris simfoni simpati simpel sindrom sinergi sinis sinkron sinyal sirene sirop sistem situasi skandal skema skeptis sketsa skor skors skripsi skuadron slagorde slof smokel snobisme sofa solidaritas solis solven sortir sosial sosiopat spanduk spaning spanraam spektakel spekuk spekulasi spesial spil spion spons spontan stabil staf standar stasiun statis status steker stempel stensil steril stigma stiker stimulasi strategis streng struktur studen studi subjek sublim subordinasi subsidi subtil sukses sumir sup supel surogat

T.

tablet takal taktik talen talk tang tank tante tarcis tarif tas tautologi teater teken teknik teknokrat teknologi teks tekstil tekstur tel telat telepon tema tempo tendensius teori terapi teras teritorial term teroris tes tesis tester tik tiket tip titel tol toleransi tos total totaliterisme totemisme tradisi tradisional tragedi tragis traktasi traktir traktor transfer

transisi transparansi transpor trayek trem tren tropis truk tsar tur turbulen turis tuter tuts

U. uberseksual uniform unik uniseks urgensi utopis

V. vagina vak vakansi vakatur vakbon vaksinasi validasi vandalisme varian variasi vas ventilasi verbalisasi verboden verifikasi verkoper vermak vernis verset versi vertikal veter veto vibrasi vibrator virilis vitalitas vla vlek vokabuler vulgarisme

W. wafel wagon wanprestasi watermark waterpas wesel westernisasi wol wortel

X. ///

Y. ///

Z. zending zonder

INDONESIAraya is a poem about language, power, violence, cake, sex and money.

For this poem I collected Dutch-sounding and -looking words from the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (edisi 4). Yes, I went through the dictionary from cover to cover.

Note that not all words will be familiar to Indonesian readers – ‘adempauze’ is a good example, how did that word end up in the Indonesian

dictionary

(but

not

in

the

vocabulary of Indonesians)?

I am not claiming that all words collected are in fact Dutch in origin. Even so, the bucket doesn’t stop there. Many Dutch words are Germanic and Latin in origin. Moreover, because I use English as my primary

language for daily use, oftentimes I was confused whether a word was Dutch or English in origin (when in doubt‌). And I am most definitely not claiming that the collected words are Dutch owned and need to be repatriated to the Master.

I am not interested in origin stories. What happens

after

Genesis

matters.

Words

contain many worlds. Worlds colliding. A creolization perhaps.

I am interested in how words migrate, change outlook, use and thus meaning.

The subtitle of this poem refers to three different

sources:

Indonesia’s

national

anthem, a nationalistic poem by Chairil Anwar

and a commercial of an Indonesian brand of cigarettes.

Do I, a descendant of the colonial Master, have the right to (re-)appropriate Dutchsounding and -looking words? I live in Indonesia but I am not from this earth, to paraphrase Pramoedya. Am I (re-)colonizing the subaltern voice? A re-territorialization of sorts?

I live in between languages, in between translations, slips of the tongue and mundane misunderstandings.

Words, their use and their meaning, no longer come natural to me. After having been away for so long from being intimately in touch with my mother(‘s) language, i.e. Dutch, language

– and meaning – no longer feels ordinary (I moved to Indonesia in 2003). And my English and Indonesian are broken languages (my Indonesian more so). I think, speak and write in deliciously delirious tongues…

I bracket meaning and normativity (and originality,

inspiration,

authenticity

and

emotions) to playfully explore the materiality of

the

polymorphous

manifestations

of

language to make signs stutter. For this, I consider signs literally as things instead of referring to things and/or meaning to make visible the strangeness and contingency of everyday language.

The queerness, the strangeness of language: not only because a tree is named a ‘boom’ in one language and ‘pohon’ in another, or that

the tree doesn’t care how it is called (‘a tree by any other name…’), or that the same word can have different uses in different languages or even within a language, or that words migrate and change color, but also because language – whilst created by us – plays powerful tricks on us.

Language plays tricks on our senses. For example,

to

paraphrase

Nietzsche,

we

postulate a singular ‘I’ so that the predicate ‘to speak’ has a subject, which doesn’t mean, though, that the subject comes prior to speech acts but that the multiplicity of the subject is performed through speech acts.

Moreover, each speech act performs many acts at once – ‘I am multitudes,’ writes the poet

Walk

paraphrasing

Whitman.

Another

Wittgenstein,

example, confusion,

philosophical and otherwise, arises because we regard the verbs ‘to love’, ‘to eat’ and ‘to be’ as of the same species.

Language is public, i.e. it’s an open source collection

of

signs

exchanged

between

bodies: marriage vows, an opening statement in court, a proposition, a hungry yawn, a questioning eyebrow, a flirtatious wink, a malicious middle finger… When the word becomes flesh…

We can modify and re-distribute (parts of) language. But we don’t we have equal access to do so. Yet, language is always already open to be hacked. Fluid – without teleology.

Language is a social space, albeit an unstable space where we speak in tongues.

And the language of the body – gestures as a somaesthetic form of everyday translation (‘soma’ is Greek for body) – fills up the gaps between the words we utter.

Like any social space, language is humanmade

and,

nonetheless,

constraints

us.

Language is more than syntax. Socio-cultural codes are embedded within the structure of language and, thus, emotions, thought and speech are ideologically colored (heteronormative, racialised and gendered).

And just maybe, we much rather enjoy believing in the existence of unicorns. We wish to believe that things have meaning independent of us. Or, perhaps worse, that meaning is always already embedded in words. It’s magic! The futility of it all: we have

a primal need to ‘discover’ meaning here, there and everywhere.

A Borgesian labyrinth of mirrors, on the other hand, multiplies the possibilities of signs to stutter into polymorphous manifestations and for (creative) misunderstandings between bodies and spaces to occur. A labyrinth of other spaces. A labyrinth of other bodies. A labyrinth of other voices…

By hacking the Indonesian dictionary, I attempt to destabilize coherent language from which further possibilities might arise by future hacks (all my poems are copy left: “No civil or moral rights are asserted in respect of this literary artifact. We encourage you to make use of your inalienable right to copy,

share, modify and, most of all, to improve this work of fiction.”).

Technically, my mode of writing in this particular poem is called exophonic, i.e. using words from a language that isn’t one’s mother tongue (‘exo’ is Greek for strange, alien).

Words have changed bodies and have become Indonesian. However, words do not have passports. Words do not need visas to travel. Moreover, words are not copyrighted.

Roy Voragen is a Bandung-based poet and curator (Heerlen, the Netherlands, 1974; https://issuu.com/royvoragen). He moved to Indonesia after receiving masters in philosophy and political science from the University of Amsterdam in 2003. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in philosophy and political science at universities in Bandung and Jakarta between 2003 and 2010. Since 2010, he works as a curator and writer. He has curated, organized and participated in projects, talks and seminars in Bandung, where he resides, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Singapore, Manila and Hong Kong. Beside his curatorial practice, he writes and publishes poetry.

Some of his published poetry: #superduperdecorativeart manifesto (Langgeng Art Foundation, 2016); Aleph’s permutations (published at the occasion of Syaiful Garibaldi’s solo exhibition Quiescent, ROH Projects, 2016; http://bit.ly/23lcyjl); Your Lips Stutter (Gauss, 2016; http://bit.ly/2psCn46); K.: DOWN DOWN DOWN the rabbit hole (published at the occasion of Cinanti Astria Johansjah’s solo exhibition at ROH Projects, 2017; goo.gl/eDrhFJ ); Futile Erasure (published by P and not P, 2017); and Primal #m74207281 (a long-durational and still ongoing poem; a preview was published

by SOd Press in 2016; http://bit.ly/2g9ipIU).