Usman Awang
@ Adi Jaya, Amir, Atma Jiwa, Manis, Pengarang Muda, Rose Murni, Setiabudi, Tongkat Warrant, U.A., Zaini and maybe others.

Born on 12th July 1929, in Kampung Tanjung Lembu, Kuala Sedili, Kota Tinggi, Johor Darul Takzim. He was named Wan Osman Wan Awang but then changed to Usman Awang. His mother, Halimah, passed away when he was a little boy. His father was a fisherman who finds and sells rattan during the monsoon season.

He studied until Standard Six in a Malay school. Poverty destroyed his dreams to further his studies. He loves reading and writing since he was small. He went to schools in Kuala Sedili (1936), Mersing (1937), and Bandar Maharani (1940) until he passed Standard VI.

When the Japanese came to Malaya in 1942, Usman Awang was a farmer then in Segamat. Not long after that, he became the Japanese forced labourer in Singapore for 6 months. He managed to escape and went back to Segamat. Usman Awang used to work as an office boy in Segamat’s Irrigation Office. He then joined the Japanese Police Team (Botai) but after a few weeks of training, the Japanese surrendered.

Usman Awang became a policeman when the British came to rule Malaya again in 1946. He trained in a Johor Bahru base camp before being posted to Melaka. In 1951, he resigned and went to Singapore to find work. He worked in Melayu Raya as a proof reader for 6 months, and then, he became a reporter. Later on, he worked in Mingguan Melayu as an editor.

In 1952, Usman Awang was offered to work in Utusan Melayu as an editor in Utusan Kanak-Kanak. He was then promoted as an editor in Utusan Zaman and then in Mastika magazine. During independence, Utusan Melayu moved to Kuala Lumpur and he followed, still holding the same post. In 1961, he was involved in the strike by Utusan Melayu staff. As a result, he was jobless for a while.

In 1962, Usman Awang worked in Federal Publications for 8 months. Then he was offered a job as an editor in Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka. His first job was Editor for Dewan Bahasa magazine. Then he became the writer for Dewan Masyarakat, Dewan Sastera and Dewan Budaya magazines. At that time, he was holding a post as a Senior Research Officer. Usman then was transferred to the Literary Research and Development Department. From May 1962 onwards, he became the head of that department until he retired in July 1985.

Even though he has retired from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Usman Awang was still active in a few organisations. One of them was Malaysia-Chinese Friendship Association where he became its first President. In 1991, he was appointed as the one of the Board of Directors of Southern College. It was considered as a start in improving the relationship between races in the process of forming a National Unity (Bangsa Malaysia). He held this post until 2001. Other than that, he was also appointed Literature Advisor to Maybank Berhad from 1991 until 2001.

In 1991 too, he was awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Paduka by His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Perak, which carries the title Dato’.

Usman Awang was known for his poems in the Modern Malay literary world. All his poems are still fresh, strong and close to the Malay roots and also aspects of humanities. A few of his poems are very interesting, not only to the common society but also to the school children who will often recite them in every poetry recital event. Some of his famous poems are “Pak Utih” (Father Utih), “Ke Makam Bonda” (To Mother’s Grave), “Nasib Buruh” (Labour), “Bunga Popi” (Poppies), “Gadis di Kuburan” (A Girl at the Graveyard), and “Salam Benua” (Greetings to the Continent).

Usman is one of the Malay poets who successfully uphold the harmonious spirit in the rhythm of his poems. By using common words in his writings, he was sharp in weaving the words until they become beautiful and touching without diminishing the meanings that he wanted to convey. This is one of his specialties. His personality as a friendly and soft spoken person and his sympathy towards the abused and poor, made Usman a people’s poet.

As a renowned poet, he has been invited to visit United State of America, Indonesia, Philipines, China, Russia, and countries in Europe. Many of his poems were translated into English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Thai, Czechoslovakian, Danish, Tamil, Italian, Russian and many more. HE was considered as one with a big heart in the local literary circle who always inspired the nation's culture.

He was appointed as one of the panels in the Literary Gift Award Board and was awarded “Pejuang Sastera” or Literary Warrior by the Prime Minister on the 29th of May, 1976. From 1979 onwards, because of his experiences, and his dedication, he was appointed the secretary to the Panel of National Literary Awards, the highest respected literary body in the country.

In 1982, Usman Awang was honoured the SEA Write Award. On 11th August 1983, Usman was awarded the Honorary Doctorate in Writing from the University of Malaya. He also received the National Literary Award in 1983. The Berita Harian newspaper also awarded him the “Zamalah Sastera” in 1985 for the category of Famous Writer (Veteran). This award gave him some facilities to write and to contribute to the nation’s literature development. In 1995, he received “Anugerah Penyair Johor” (Johore’s Poet Award). Some of his famous works are:

Novel: Tulang-Tulang Berserakan (Scattered Bones)
Short Stories: Untuk Malaya Merdeka, Turunnya Sebuah Bendera, Kami Yang Terlibat, and others.
Drama: Uda and Dara Musical, Degup Jantung, Malam Kemerdekaan, Tamu Bukit Kenny, Matinya Seorang Pahlawan – Jebat, Serunai Malam and others.
Poems: Pak Utih, Ke Makam Bonda, Salam Benua, Gadis di Kuburan, Kekasih, Bunga Popi and others.

Usman Awang has contributed and participated in the nation’s literature activities. He was not only an original author, but initiated and inspired a lot of budding writers. Since 1950s, he was one of the founder of Ikatan Persuratan Melayu Melaka (IPM), secretary of ASAS 50 in Singapore, and the first head of PENA (1962-1965). He was also one of the people who took the initiative to organise Hari Puisi (Poetry Day), Cempaka Berbunga, Malam Gema Puisi, and Genta Rasa at Panggung Anniversary, Manifestasi Dua Seni (Manifestation of Two Arts) and many other activities. The antology of poems, “Keranda 152” (Casket Demonstration 152) and “Telok Gong” was also started by him and some other poets.

Usman Awang’s flair in Modern Malay Literature, especially poems and drama, is loved by young and old alike. Usman Awang’s name is famous to all the researchers and enthusiasts of Malay Literature in every level and background, in and outside the country. His success in defending himself as a poet and a cultural activist who continues to be creative has strengthened the new Malay traditional literature. He was not only a people’s poet but also a popular one and his poems embodies both the traditional and the modern that never fades and can be applied in different time and situation.

On 29th of November 2001, during the month of Ramadhan, he passed away peacefully after years of suffering a heart condition. He was 72 years old.