Cokorda Sawitri. (BP/www.basabali.org)
DENPASAR, BALIPOST.com – Bali has lost a famous writer and cultural figure, Cokorda Sawitri, who is often called Cok Sawitri in everyday life. The poet, born in Sidemen, Karangasem, 1 September 1968, died Thursday (4/4) morning at his home, Jalan Batanghari, Renon, Denpasar.
Dayu Emi, one of Cok Sawitri’s nieces, confirmed the novelist’s passing, Thursday morning. Currently, Cok Sawitri’s body has been buried at his home, in Jro Gede Sidemen, Karangasem.
“This morning, Pole received a telephone call from Pole’s mother, Cok Rupini (Cok Sawitri’s younger sister). Tiang thought Mrs. Cok Sawitri was sick and fainted. But after the pole arrived at Jalan Batanghari, Mrs. Cok could no longer be helped. “The family’s plan is that Mrs. Cok’s body will be kinsaned in geni on April 10 2024. But the final decision is still waiting for Uncle Pole in Germany to arrive,” he said.
However, according to the latest news, Cok Sawitri’s body was cremated on Friday (5/4) in Bebalang, Bangli.
The departure of this prolific writer shocked many people. Poet Warih Wisatsana, for example, admitted that he had lost the figure of Cok Sawitri. He got to know Cok Sawitri when they were both members of the Coffee Drinking Studio. Then they both actively wrote poetry at the Bali Post.
He has even been involved in performing arts initiated by artist Nyoman Erawan: Ruwatan Bumi at Taman Budaya (2000) to Salvation of the Soul, Rites of the Sounds of Words at Antida Denpasar, on March 15 2014. His last meeting was at the Bali Storytelling Festival, December 10 2023.
According to Warih, Cok Sawitri’s works have their own strength. He explores and gives new color to stories, as well as philosophy, along with the values inherited from his ancestors.
Cok Sawitri responds to tradition with deep love and high creativity, in order to achieve novelty that is contextual to the present.
Meanwhile, quoted from various sources, Cok Sawitri is known as a prolific writer – poet, prosaist and playwright. Apart from being an artist, he is also often involved in social movements. Cok Sawitri’s works, in the form of poetry, novels, short stories, drama scripts, are spread in local and national mass media as well as in books published by publishers in Jakarta and Bali.
In the mass media, his works can be found in Bali Post, Bali Echo, Nusa Tenggara, Lalitudes, Jurnal Kalam, Kompas, Gatra, Jurnal Perempuan, The Jakarta Post, Bali Rebound, and others. In the field of social movements, she is the founder and active member of the Mitra Kasih Bali Women’s Forum and the Tulus Ngayah Bali Group. His novels are famous and discussed in many places, including Sutasoma and Sitayana.
Apart from that, his novel which is phenomenal and has become a topic of conversation among literature fans is the Jirah Trilogy, namely Janda dari Jirah, Si Rarung and Manggali Kalki. The novel Janda dari Jirah, has been translated into English with the title ”The Widow of Jirah”.
In 2022, Cok Sawitri received the Bali Jani Nugraha art award from the Bali Provincial Government, and after that he published a book of poetry entitled ”A Year of Death, My Billion Songs Die”, My Apocalypse Within 3 Centimeters” which was published by the Mahima Institute Indonesia.
As a theater actor, Cok Cawitri is skilled at presenting roles. His vocals, technique and soul are so strong. When playing theater, it is not Cok Sawitri who is visible, but the character he plays. Theater play activities have been carried out since childhood.
It all started with Balinese dancing habits, matembang and other traditional arts activities.
Apart from playing theater, Cok Sawitri also writes short stories, poetry and essays. His poetry is also often a mandatory choice in competitions, even fans of musicals also choose his poetry.
Although active in literary arts, Cok Sawitri also has experience in traditional performing arts. He has participated in the Arja dance as Raja Buduh and Limbur (2002-2005), has danced Kakang-kakang in Gambuh (2005-2008), appeared in the art of gegirah (Rangda) 1990-2004 and so on.
Cok Sawitri’s artistic activities are not only domestic, but also abroad. Experience performing abroad, such as India, Singapore, Malaysia and in 2000-2004 teaching for theater at Fine Art Malaysia.
He was also an Indonesian Delegate, Frankfurt Book Fair in 2015, and as an Indonesian Delegate to the Cultural Gathering (Morocco and Tunisia) in 2016, as well as the 2016 Writer’s Residency, US-California. (Subrata/balipost)