Hawzah News Agency- A landmark literary event celebrating the voices of Indonesian women poets has underscored the deep cultural bonds between Iran and Indonesia while highlighting the transformative role of women in shaping contemporary Eastern literature.
The launch ceremony for "Empat Musim Mengasuh Waktu" ("Four Seasons in Nurturing Time"), an anthology featuring the works of four Indonesian women poets, was held at the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural complex in Jakarta, drawing a distinguished gathering of poets, writers, and cultural figures.
The event, organized in collaboration with the Kopi collective, featured special addresses by Taufiq Ismail, Indonesia's eminent national poet, and Yahya Jahangiri, Cultural Counselor of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Indonesia. Numerous literary, academic, and artistic figures also spoke on poetry and the experiences of women poets, reciting selections of their works.
Poetry: A Shared Language Between Iran and the World
In his address, Jahangiri highlighted the exalted status of poetry in Iranian culture and civilization, pointing to the deep connection between Iran's martyred Leader, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the literary arts.
"Alongside his religious, social, and political standing, he maintained a profound engagement with poetry and literature and consistently supported poets and the literary movement," Jahangiri said.
He noted that Iran has long been one of the world's great cradles of poetry and literature, adding that the late Leader's special attention to poets and cultural figures has fostered significant growth and transformation in contemporary Iranian poetry.
Jahangiri also recited one of the martyred Leader's poems for the audience, offering a rare glimpse into the spiritual and literary dimensions of his legacy.
From Parvin E'tesami to a New Generation of Iranian Women Poets
The Iranian cultural envoy paid tribute to Parvin E'tesami, the celebrated Iranian poet whose work remains an enduring pillar of Persian literature, while acknowledging the remarkable flourishing of women's poetry in Iran since the Islamic Revolution.
"Iranian women poets have, over recent decades, expanded the scope and diversity of Persian literature, narrating human, familial, social, and spiritual experiences from a distinctly different perspective," he said.
Jahangiri emphasized that women are no longer merely subjects of literary narrative.
"Today's women have themselves become narrators of the world, rereading and recreating the world through the lens of feminine experience," he declared.
The World Through the Eyes of Eastern Women
Addressing the anthology's significance, Jahangiri said the diversity of voices and experiences represented by the four Indonesian poets constitutes one of the work's defining strengths.
"Each of the poets in this collection speaks from a different geography, experience, and background, offering independent narratives of nature, family, time, life, society, and the feminine experience," he said. "This diversity demonstrates that Indonesian literature can be a distinct and influential voice in contemporary world literature."
He stressed that the world today must not be narrated through a single voice.
"For many years, the dominant narrative of humanity, womanhood, family, nature, and society has been presented primarily from a Western perspective," Jahangiri said. "The literary activism of Eastern poets and writers can create the conditions for an 'Eastern narrative' to be heard globally."
He added that the world needs the voice of the East and the voice of women equally.
"The active presence of Indonesian women poets is an example of this new narrative taking shape — a narrative in which women are present not on the margins but as creators of meaning and narrators of the world around them," he stated.
Four Voices, Four Experiences
"Empat Musim Mengasuh Waktu" brings together the works of four Indonesian women poets, its title itself evoking a poetic and contemplative sensibility.
A defining feature of the anthology is its polyphonic character. The four poets do not attempt to represent a single, unified "female voice." Rather, each speaks from her own experience, geography, cultural background, and poetic sensitivity.
The collection resists offering a fixed definition of "the Indonesian woman," instead affirming that Indonesian women can — and do — enter the literary arena with diverse and even contrasting voices.
Helvy Tiana Rosa: From Poetry to Literary Movement-Building
Among the anthology's contributors, Helvy Tiana Rosa stands as one of Indonesia's most prominent literary figures, whose influence extends well beyond poetry and writing.
She has played a pivotal role in shaping literary movements and nurturing a new generation of writers, serving as a co-founder of the "Pen Circle of Indonesia" — an organization instrumental in training and networking young Indonesian writers.
Rosa has worked across poetry, fiction, drama, and essays, with several of her works translated into other languages. In 2026, she also co-founded the "Indonesian Women Poets Association," reflecting her commitment to expanding the presence and activism of women poets in Indonesia's literary landscape.
Fatin Hamama: Bridging Poetry and Spirituality
Fatin Hamama, another contributor to the collection, represents a distinctly spiritual and religious dimension among the anthology's voices.
Born in Padang Panjang, she pursued part of her studies at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Her presence in the collection highlights yet another facet of the cultural and intellectual diversity among Indonesian women poets.
Deknong Kemalawati: The Voice of Aceh
Deknong Kemalawati is a significant literary figure from Aceh who, alongside her poetic work, has a record of cultural and social activism and has managed artistic institutions in the region.
Her contribution links the voice of Aceh to the rich tapestry of experiences represented in the anthology — a voice emerging from the distinctive geography and cultural heritage of this region of the Indonesian archipelago.
Launching a Polyphonic Narrative
During the ceremony, several Indonesian women poets recited their works and shared their experiences of literary creation, discussing the anthology's formation and the importance of women's presence in Indonesia's literary sphere.
The event concluded with the official unveiling of "Four Seasons in Nurturing Time" in the presence of Taufiq Ismail, Yahya Jahangiri, the contributing poets, and an array of cultural and literary dignitaries.
Beyond introducing the works of four Indonesian women poets, the ceremony represented a cultural dialogue between the literary traditions of Iran and Indonesia — a dialogue in which poetry, as a language transcending geographical borders, demonstrated its capacity to bring together the diverse narratives of the East and to place women's experiences and perspectives at the heart of global cultural conversation.
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