Sariamin Ismail On Google Doodle: Indonesia's First Female Novelist Who Vocally Rejects Polygamy

Google Doodle Illustration (Source: Google)

JAKARTA - If you open Google's main page today, you will be greeted with a Google Doodle featuring an illustration of the author Sariamin Ismail who is writing in the middle of Google's writing.

Today is Sariamin Ismail's 112th birthday. Quoting Wikipedia, Saturday, July 31, Sariamin Ismail born in Talu, Talamau, West Pasaman, West Sumatra, July 31, 1909 is an Indonesian writer who is listed as the first female novelist in Indonesia.

He often uses the pseudonyms Selasih and Seleguri, or a combination of the two names Selasih Seleguri. His first novel, If Not Lucky, was published by Balai Pustaka in 1934.

Apart from writing, Sariamin is known to actively participate in organizational activities. From 1928 and 1930, he chaired the women's section of the Muslim youth association Jong Islamieten Bond for the Bukittinggi area.

In Padangpanjang, Sariamin heads the SKIS branch and writes for Soeara Kaoem Iboe Soematra magazine, a magazine run by women. In addition, she divides her time to teach at the private Diniyah School and becomes a permanent caregiver for the "Mimbar Putri" at the Equation Daily.

Vocals reject polygamy

Towards the end of the 1930s, he became a fairly vocal journalist and writer for the women's magazine Soeara Kaoem Iboe Soematra. He condemned polygamy and emphasized the importance of nuclear family relations in Minangkabau through Soeara Kaoem Iboe Soematra.

In the Equation Daily, Sariamin criticized the unfairness of salary regulations for female employees, especially female teachers. She published her first novel, Kalo Tak Untung in 1933, which made her the first female novelist in Indonesian history.

Published by the government-owned Balai Pustaka, it is said that the inspiration for this novel is some real events in his life, namely his fiancé who married another woman, and the story of two little friends who fell in love but couldn't be together. He re-published a novel in 1937 entitled Because of the Circumstances.

With his move to Kuantan since 1941, Sariamin rose to become a member of the regional parliament for Riau Province after being elected in 1947. He continued to write for the rest of his life. The writer died in Pekanbaru, Riau, December 15, 1995 at the age of 86 years.