Born in England, as a young man Duncan Graham and his wife
Ann drove an old jeep through Europe and Asia heading for
New Zealand. The jeep crashed in India. Almost broke they
were befriended by the Salvation Army. ‘One day you’ll
have money and pay us back,’ said the Major, but refused
to give a bill or deadline. With that moral obligation getting
a job was critical. They caught a boat to Fremantle, found
work, paid the Salvos and became Australians. Duncan started
writing while at university. As a journalist, he’s won
a Walkley Award, Australia’s equivalent of the Pulitzer
Prize, two Human Rights Commission Awards, as well as several
other prizes for journalism, mainly feature writing.
Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like?
English, private school, bookish, lower middle-class. I learned
Latin and nothing about the world outside Europe. But I did
discover the magic power of words and a lust for knowledge.
What are your educational/professional credentials?
M. Phil, Graduate Diploma in Intercultural Studies, BA. I’ve
been a journalist and academic most of my working life.
Have you traveled much in your life?
About half the countries in Europe, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan,
India, and much of S.E. Asia.
How did you get started writing?
I wrote about the road journey to Australia but couldn’t
find a publisher. Realized my writing skills were deficient
and despite my many experiences I was still immature. The
breakthrough was getting a scholarship to university, then
getting a job on a newspaper. This led to TV and radio reporting.
Have you published any books. If so, what were they about?
Five, all non-fiction. Three are about Aboriginal issues –
deaths in custody, contact history and reconciliation. Two
are on Indonesia. The People Next Door was published by the
University of Western Australia Press. Another on religion
in Indonesia is with an Indonesian publisher.
How did you ever wind up in Indonesia?
In the 1970s when Gough Whitlam, the then Prime Minister,
positioned Australia in SE Asia (we’d previously been
located in mid-Atlantic and have recently returned), I thought
it my responsibility to know more about our “new”
neighbors. So I started backpacking. I was occasionally invited
into people’s homes in Malaysia and Thailand, seldom
in Laos, never in Singapore, and almost continuously in Indonesia.
With that sort of welcome, who could resist?
What is it about the country that attracts you the most?
Its complexity and capacity to startle with its resilience.
What’s the most unforgettable place you’ve ever
visited in Indonesia?
The Pulau Galang refugee camp (now closed) and beggars’
kampongs in Surabaya.
What it is about Indonesia that distresses and alarms you
the most?
Rape of the environment and exploitation of the poor and vulnerable.
What motivates you to write about Indonesia?
The desire to describe and interpret this extraordinary country
to others in a way that will stimulate inquiry and lead to
understanding.
What story are you the most proud of or you feel did the most
good to bring about positive change?
A magazine feature on poor fishermen from South Sulawesi caught
poaching in Australian waters for trochus – a shellfish
similar to mother-of-pearl. This was some years ago, before
the Bali bombs. I traced them back to their village and tried
to explain their viewpoint. The story prompted discussion
on policy and seemed to soften some of the Australian hostility.
Sadly that anger has returned and the compassion has evaporated.
While I’m responding to these questions I’ve just
received an email from someone who read one of my stories
and wants to make a Rp50 million donation to the poor.
Has any of your social commentaries ever got you in trouble
with “the authorities”?
Belum! My biggest problems are with fearful bule who reckon
they’ll lose their plum jobs and privileged lifestyles
if all is revealed.
Why did you finally settle upon Surabaya as a place to live
and work?
It chose me. I got some government grants to check on the
Indonesian media through the Sister-State agreement between
East Java and Western Australia. These led to enduring friendships.
What hopes do you hold out for Indonesia’s future?
Easier to predict than the next tsunami. This is a nation
dancing with democracy on the lip of the caldera. That’s
why this is such a fascinating country.
Conversely, what fills you with foreboding when you consider
present-day Indonesia?
The absence of hope among so many young people.
What can we do, as individual bule, to enable us to be better
received and accepted by Indonesians? What social graces and
attitudes are indispensable in this country?
Be open and friendly, respectful and polite. Take your time.
Be interested in everyone. Speak softly, move slowly. We don’t
have a good reputation. We’re expected to be arrogant,
paternalistic and offensive – unreconstructed colonialists.
Too many are, especially in Kuta. Turn around people’s
expectations by trying to see the world through their culture,
backgrounds and experiences.
Read more of Duncan Graham’s highly readable reflections
and postulations on his website Indonesia Now (indonesianow.blogspot.com).
For anyone interested in being considered for Siapa, please
contact : <pakbill2003@yahoo.com>
