Biography of Common People
Human life is so complex, rich and beautiful! A biography is a glimpse of that complexity, richness and beauty.
"Fiction is the best way to tell facts." - Andrea Hirata, author of the novel "Laskar Pelangi"
Human life is so complex, rich and beautiful! A biography is a glimpse of that complexity, richness and beauty.
Biographies are written in a variety of settings. A celebrity in the world of sports or entertainment might immortalize a figure in a biography to tell a story about the ups and downs of their career until they gained success. A businessperson or politician may write an autobiography in order to record the ups and downs of their work in the business and political scene.
There are at least two views regarding biographies. These views put the biography in two different positions. First, a biography or autobiography can be viewed as a kind of "historical narcissism".
It’s the excessive desire to be seen by others as a part of history, so as to not have to place themselves proportionally in historical reality.
This comes from the critical view that sees the biography as a space for narcissism, namely the staging of excessive love for one’s self or for someone else. It’s the excessive desire to be seen by others as a part of history, so as to not have to place themselves proportionally in historical reality.
Second, a biography or autobiography is seen as a "self-reflection". It’s a reflection on what has been done in someone’s life, which serves as a mirror to reflect on others, whether from current or future generations.
Given the fact that the biography is written through one person’s lens, it is surely limited. Because, it is only written from one person\'s point of view.
However, although limited, as a subjective testimony from an actor of history, a biography can become a mirror for interpreting history from another perspective. So, it is a source of inspiration for interpreting oneself in a fragment of a historical narrative in a particular space and time; at least for the actor who wrote the biography or autobiography.
Biography historian Taufik Abdullah once said (2002), "is \'history\' at its most intimate stage, when the pulse of society has been copied into the restlessness, hopes and dreams of its most essential element, namely human being in its solitude?"
So far, biographies and autobiographies commonly written in Indonesia are records of one\'s life in a limited scope; namely, a biography in a narrow sense, with a limited period of time, which is often referred to as a memory of a certain position or duty, within a certain period, of one\'s life.
In certain moments of history, sometimes there is a fight for the narrative about the claims of a historical testimony. It is not surprising that various biographies of figures come with certain claims that they are the most important people or, perhaps, they are the victims of history. Here, the auto (biography) can turn into a battlefield of testimony. Not infrequently does this raise pros and cons among the perpetrators and biographers in the field of testimony.
The battle for the winning narrative in historical testimony is carried out by the elites or those who feel they are the elites, so the control of the flow of history seems to only belong to people with big names. People who, because of their rank or position, are just waiting to be remembered as a hero.
Instead of leaving a noble imprint in office, many of them leave behind a curse that lasts generations.
When elite figures do big things, that\'s normal. If a common person does a big thing, that\'s great! This is because elite figures have greater opportunities and resources. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for elite figures to only take small actions. Instead of leaving a noble imprint in office, many of them leave behind a curse that lasts generations.
However, it should be noted that in the last two decades, there has been growing criticism from historians that history does not only belong to the elites. History is also lived and recorded by common people. History does not only belong to a handful of elites. History also belongs to the little people.
Historical approaches "from within" and "from below", for example, teach us about the history of villages, not just cities; about people\'s history, not just the elite (Adam, 2001).
The awareness of raising the story of the common people has inspired several writers. Andrea Hirata is one example. Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Troop), his main work, is a minibiography about the life story of common people who weave dreams with faith and perseverance.
As Andrea once said, "Fiction is the best way to tell facts." As a semi-fiction biography mixed with elements of a dramatic narrative, Andrea still tries to stick to his initial realities, regarding the traces of his education and friendship.
Laskar Pelangi is a biographical narrative about ideals and dreams illuminated by love and human concern. When he was able to touch the deepest aspects of the human conscience, he too kindled hope and colored the course of history. This is the universal message that is the strength of the novel.
As if it belongs to everyone because it represents the voice of many people and echoes the essential message: the meaning of equality of education for all. Isn\'t inequality in education a problem in temporary Indonesia?
As a story about the lives of grassroots people, Laskar Pelangi tells about the fate of students and teachers. Andrea is able to bring the figure of a teacher, Muslimah to life, portraying her in a simple narrative, sometimes funny and innocent, so that people care about the "second person" (other than parents) who make children build dreams and open horizons in the world.
Whether we realize it or not, after the phenomenal Laskar Pelangi was published and filmed, the story of the grassroots people began to have a place in the hearts of the public. The role of the teacher has been getting more and more attention, even though it is not completely satisfying. The challenge ahead is how to make the story of the grassroots more meaningful.
Farmers, fishers, laborers, small traders, drivers, teachers, forest rangers, environmentalists, scavengers, street children, people with disabilities and marginalized people are still waiting to have their stories told.
The biography of the struggles of grassroots people has become the inner voice of society in an era when the imagination of the masses has become accustomed to the fame of big names and instant things.
IDI SUBANDY IBRAHIM, Researcher of Culture, Media and Communication