WOMEN IN MALAYSIAN LITERATURE AND INTELLECTUALISM
.
Women writers have made important contributions in the development of Malaysian literature and intellectualism. Their emergence and involvement can be traced to the pioneering figures, Ibu Zain, Kamariah Saadon, Jahlelawati and later Adibah Amin, Zaharah Nawawi and Khadijah Hashim, Ibu Zain or Hajah Zainon Sulaiman, (1903-1989) who was a teacher with English education is remembered as an advocater of education for girls through her writings in Majalah Guru or Bulan Melayu, . Bulan Melayu was the first women’s magazine in Malaysia, initiated by Ibu Zain herself and it played an important role in creating awareness amongst women on the importance of education.
Creative writings
in modern fictions began in 1934, with the production of a short story Kesedihan Perkahwinan Paksa (The Misery
of Forced Marriage) by Hafsah, published in a magazine, Pengasuh. Later in the same year, a fiction entitled Waktu Isyak Menangkap Pencuri written by
Siti Nurmah, was published. However, novels written by women writers surfaced
much later, that is, as late as 1941, about 15 years after the first novel
written by a man writer.
Where Poetry is
concerned, Women have been involved in poetry writing since 1930 with the
emergence of a poem in a newspaper Lidah
Benar by Hasnah Brahim, and later,
on May 7, 1936, Zainun Nasir published
her poem entitled "Women Must Wake Up”,
in the magazine Al-Hikmah.
Other names detected before 1940 were Perawan Kampung, Kalthum Awang dan Wok
Jamilah.
The presence of women poets became
more noticeable after 1945 following the end of Japanese occupation. Several
names that appeared were Mariam Abdul Ghani, Fatimah Othman, Wanita Kampung,
Hafsah Perak, Siti Aishah,Kamariah Johor
and Normah Kamarudin. These were followed by names that later became important
in Malaysian literature, Ibu Zain, Salmi Manja and Anis Sabirin.. Poems by
Salmi Manja and Anis Sabirin were
included in an anthology Puisi Melayu Baru (The New Malay Poetry
(1942-1960) compiled by Ali Haji Ahmad, 1966, together with important Malaysian
poets Masuri S.N., Tongkat Warrant, A.Samad Said, Noor S.I., M.Ghazali,
A.S.Amin, Kassim Ahmad, Suhaimi Haji Muhammad, Nahmar Jamil and Jihati
Abadi.
Some
of the early literary works by women writers in Malaysia, introduced new ideas
to the society, particularly in the efforts to elevate women’s status. There
were fictions about forced and unhappy marriages in which, the writer suggested
a smart way out of unhappiness without
rebelling or breaching social values and norms. The narrative strategies
organized by the writer suggest that the woman can achieve her freedom through
means which do not contradict the religious values, customs and norms of her
society.
Such
features were more prevalent in post-independence literatures, in novels such
as Seroja Masih Di Kolam (1968) by
Adibah Amin, and Badai Semalam (1968)
by Khadijah Hashim. For example, Badai
Semalam related the struggle and perseverance of a woman to realize her
dream of continuing her studies to university level. Through this novel, the
writer brought to the fore the image of a woman of the new generation who is
modern in her thinking, ambitious, and willing to work hard to realize her
dreams.
Based
on the early novels it can be seen that women writers’ depictions of women were
not too drastically different from those of male writers. Although women were
depicted as highly educated and career-driven, after marriage these women were
still expected to play the five main roles as specified in the Panca Darma
Wanita. However, the women writers in the early 1930s attempted to apply
specific features in highlighting real-life experiences of women, i.e., in
displaying the emotions of joys and sorrows, and in expressing their desires
and dislikes. However, these specific features were not outstanding enough and
were still peripheral in nature compared to the other aspects of convention
which had greater control over writing styles. The features that were more
noticeable in these novels were the experiences of the women whose lives are
subjected to the customs and values which confine and oppress them. The writers
showed that generally women at that time were still not free to realize their
own dreams and visions as they were still bound by their domestic roles, the
influence of men and societal values.
Hence, although the writers tried to voice their demands for the rights
and status of women, their voice and bravery at that time were still drowned by
the dominance of patriarchy.
It is therefore evident that women
writers in Malaysia have endeavored to express their experiences in the effort
to elevate the status and prestige of women. At the same time, repeated
attempts were made by these women writers to deviate from the male dominant
system. For this purpose, they revealed a unique way of narrating by not
adhering to the conventional writing styles, specifically the ones practiced by
men writers. As such, women writers at this stage exhibited attempts to
dismantle the narrating style through the presentation of women’s experiences
as well as through a different usage of language.
POETRY
More names appeared in
the mid-sixties. They were Maimoonah
Haji Omar, Rahimah M.Y, Noraini Shahrin, Azizah Shahrin, Halimah Haji Ahmad,
Aina M, Maznah Ali who became regular contributor in weekly newspapers such as Utusan Zaman,
Mingguan Malaysia and Berita Minggu and monthly magazines Mastika and Dewan Masyarakat .
But the work of women
poets were generally not given due attention and criticism. There were hardly
any write up, review or essay that examines their work in literary magazines or
academic journals.
Public opinion about the
inferiority of women writer's works began to change in the early 1970s. This
change was brought about by the
Malaysian Literary Prize established in
1971. The literary world seemed surprised when
several women writers appear as
winners. And this proved that women work should not be underestimated.
In 1982, Dewan Bahasa dan
Pustaka (DBP) credits by issuing a special collection of poems poetess.
Anthology is defined as Kembang Melati.
Compiled by Suhaimi Haji Muhammad and
Pyan Hussein. It includes works of seven poetess Salmi Manja, Anis Sabirin, Maimoonah Haji
Omar, Zurinah Hassan, Muhammad Nor Aini Muhammad, Siti Zainon Ismail and
Zaihasra. Kembang Melati is the only anthology of women poetry. Jasmine flower
is the only poetess poetry ever published by DBP. After that the group
published Mustika Diri (DBP, 1994) compiled by
Ahmad Kamal Abdullah and Siti Asiah Murad.
Siti
Aishah Murad story. However Mustika Self
is not limited to poetry. It involves writing in all genres namely poetry,
short stories, plays and literary essays. Poet of women and the number of the
poems contained in Mustika Self is Habsah Hassan (6), Hasnah Ibrahim, (3),
Khadijah Hashim, (1), Mahaya Mohd Yassin (10), Maimon Rahman (2), Mariam Omar
(3 ), Maznah Ali (4), Norzeha Kasbi (6), Radziah M.Zin (3), conflicts Jamil
(3), Rogayah A.Hamid (2), Sairah Haji Antin (2), Salmi Manja (3), Susan Ismail
(2), Siti Zainon Ismail (2), Siti Zaleha M.Hashim (5), Sitti's Haji Abd
Muttalib (20, Zaiton Ajamain (6), zakiah Maritime (2), Zanariah Wan Abdul
Rahmadn (2), Zurinah Hassan (5).
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