Shahnon Ahmad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dato' Haji
Shahnon Ahmad
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Shahnon Ahmad in 2012, with his wife Wan Fatimah looking on in the background
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| Native name |
شاهنون أحمد
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| Born | January 13, 1933 Banggol-Derdap, Sik, Kedah, Malaysia |
| Died | December 26, 2017 (aged 84) KPJ Hospital, Kajang. Selangor, Malaysia |
| Occupation | Prose writer, essayist |
| Language | Malay |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Citizenship | Malaysia |
| Alma mater | Australian National University |
| Period | 1968–1971 |
| Years active | 1950s–2017 |
| Notable awards | Mastera Laureate (2010, 2011) |
Dato' Haji Shahnon bin Ahmad (January 13, 1933 – December 26, 2017) was a famous Malaysian writer. He was known as a National Laureate, which is a very high honor for writers in Malaysia. He also served as a Member of Parliament, helping to make laws for his country. In 1982, he received the National Literary Award for his amazing writing. He was also a Professor Emeritus at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, meaning he was a respected former professor.
Contents
About Shahnon Ahmad
Early Life and Education
Shahnon Ahmad was born on January 13, 1933. He was the youngest child in a farming family. His birthplace was Banggol-Derdap, a small village in Sik, Kedah. His father, Ahmad Abu Bakar, was from Medan, and his mother, Kelsum Mohd Saman, had roots in Pattani, Thailand.
Shahnon and one of his siblings were lucky to attend Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Alor Setar. This was possible because their father received financial help for his work during World War II. After finishing school in 1954, Shahnon started working as a teacher in Kuala Terengganu. He also served in the army for about a year, from 1955 to 1956. He continued teaching in different schools until 1967.
From 1968 to 1971, Shahnon studied at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. This was an important step in his education.
Teaching and Politics
After graduating from Australia, Shahnon taught at the Sultan Idris Education University in Tanjung Malim, Perak. He stayed there until 1975. Later, he joined the University of Science, Malaysia in Penang. He became a literature professor there in 1982 and continued his work until his passing.
Shahnon was also involved in politics. He was a member of the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, which was an opposition political party. In the 1999 Malaysian general election, he ran for a seat in Parliament for the Sik area and won! However, he did not run in the 2004 Malaysian general election.
Literary Works
Shahnon Ahmad started writing in the 1950s. He first wrote short stories. In 1965, he published his first novel, Rentong, which means "Till Ashes." This story was about people in a Malay village and showed different ways they dealt with life.
He wrote many other important novels. One of his most famous books is Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan ("No Harvest but a Thorn"), published in 1966. It tells the story of a farming family struggling against nature to survive. Another well-known novel is Srengenge (1973), which won the Malaysian Novel of the Year award in 1974. This book is about a village reformer who faces challenges from old traditions.
Shahnon also wrote Seluang Menodak Baung (1978), which means "How the smalls defeated an elephant." This novel explores how farmers become aware of their rights when fighting for land. His books are known for showing real-life situations and having a great writing style. He also wrote a trilogy called "Lamunan Puitis" ("Poetic Thinking") in 2003.
Besides novels, Shahnon wrote short stories, plays, and essays. His collection of stories, "Anjing-anjing" ("Dogs"), was published in 1964.
Book to Screen Adaptations
Some of Shahnon Ahmad's works have been turned into films. His novel Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan was made into a Malaysian film in 1983. It was also adapted into a Cambodian film called Rice People in 1994. In May 2017, his novel Srengenge was made into a television film by Radio Televisyen Malaysia.
Passing Away
Shahnon Ahmad passed away on December 26, 2017, at 8 a.m. He was 84 years old. He died from pneumonia at KPJ Hospital in Kajang, Selangor. He left behind his wife, Wan Fatimah, four children, 14 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was buried the next day at the Bandar Baru Bangi Muslim Cemetery.
Awards and Honors
Shahnon Ahmad received many awards for his contributions to literature:
- Literary Prize of Malaysia (1972)
- Award "The Champion of Literature" (1976)
- Order of Loyalty to the Royal House of Kedah from the Sultan of Kedah in 1980, which gave him the title "Datuk"
- State Literary Prize and the important title "National Laureate" (1982)
- ASEAN Literary Prize (1990)
- Mastera Literary Award (2010, 2011)
