Usman Awang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dato' (Dr.)
Usman Awang
DPMP
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| Native name |
وان عثمان وان اواڠ
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| Born | Wan Osman Wan Awang 12 July 1929 Kuala Sedili, Johor, Malaysia |
| Died | 29 November 2001 (aged 72) Kuala Lumpur |
| Resting place | Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Occupation | poet, short story writer, dramatist |
| Language | Malay |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Citizenship | Malaysia |
| Years active | 1951-2001 |
| Notable awards | S.E.A. Write Award (1982) |
Wan Osman Wan Awang, better known as Usman Awang, was a famous Malaysian writer. He was born on July 12, 1929, and passed away on November 29, 2001. He was a talented poet, writer of short stories, and plays. In 1983, he was given the special title of Malaysian National Laureate, which is a big honor for writers in Malaysia.
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His Early Life
Usman Awang grew up in a poor farming family. He finished primary school up to the 6th grade. During the time when Japan occupied Malaya, he was taken to Singapore. There, he had to work without pay, which is called forced labour.
After the war ended, he joined the police force. He worked as a police officer in Johore and Malacca from 1946 to 1951.
In 1951, he moved to Singapore. He started working at a newspaper called Melayu Raya. First, he checked texts for errors as a proofreader. Then, he became a reporter. Later, he joined another weekly newspaper, Mingguan Melayu. In 1952, a daily newspaper, Utusan Melayu, started printing his first poems and stories.
After Malaya became independent in 1957, Usman Awang moved to Kuala Lumpur. He worked at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, which is a national board that helps develop the Malay language. He worked there until 1985.
Usman Awang passed away from a heart attack on November 29, 2001, in Kuala Lumpur. He was 72 years old. He was buried at Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur.
His Creative Works
In his early writing days, Usman Awang used the pen name "Tongkat Warrant," which means "The Baton." He was one of the people who started a group called "Asas-50." This group believed that literature should be used to help society.
Usman Awang wrote many different things. He published several collections of poems. He also wrote more than twenty plays. He wrote one novel called Tulang-Tulang Berserakan, which means "Scattered Bones." Besides these, he wrote many short stories and articles for newspapers. His writings have been translated into 11 different languages, including English.
His Social Contributions
Usman Awang was very active in helping society. From 1961 to 1965, he was the first Chairman of a literary group called "Pena."
In 1964, he joined other Malaysians to start a protest movement. This movement was called Keranda 152, or "Coffin 152." They protested against any actions that might weaken the Malay language's status as the national language of Malaysia.
In 1986, he helped create the Council for Translation and Creative Works of Malaysia. Today, this organization is known as the Institut Terjemahan Buku Malaysia (the Malaysian Book Translation Institute). He also led the Friendship Society "Malaysia-China" from when it was formed in 1992.
Awards and Honors
Usman Awang received many important awards for his work:
- S.E.A. Write Award (1982)
- State Literary Prize (1983)
- Malaysian National Laureate (1983)
- An Honorary Doctor degree from the University of Malaya
- The title "Dato’" from the Sultan of Perak (1991)
What People Thought of His Work
Usman Awang's writings were full of ideas about kindness and humanity. A well-known Malaysian critic and close friend, Syed Husin Ali, said that Usman was probably the best poet in the Malay language. He was seen as a "people's poet." Even though he wrote about 200 poems, his personality, poetry, and ideas had a very deep and wide influence. Many of his poems are simple, clear, and often romantic and beautiful. He was very skilled at using words to create striking and beautiful phrases.
A Soviet expert on Asian studies, B.B. Parnickel, also praised Usman's writing. He said that Usman used rich and pleasant language. He wrote a lot about his home country, love, and freedom. Parnickel noted that Usman's strong feelings could truly affect his readers in a magical way.
His Legacy
Several places and honors were named after Usman Awang to remember him:
- Sekolah Kebangsaan Dato Usman Awang, a primary school in Kampung Kota Kechil, Kota Tinggi, Johor.
- Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato' Usman Awang, a secondary school in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, Johor.
- Jalan Dato' Usman Awang, a road in Sedili, Johor.
- On May 15, 2014, the Usman Awang Foundation was started in Kuala Lumpur. This foundation gives out an award each year called the National Integration Award, named after him.
- In April 2016, a special stamp and envelope with his picture were released.
See also
In Spanish: Awang Usman para niños
