Merari Siregar

Who was Merari Siregar?

Merari Siregar was an Indonesian writer and also the author of the first novel written in Indonesian.

He completed his studies at a Kweekschool and in 1923 received a diploma as Handelscorrespondent Bond 'Federal Trade Correspondent' in Jakarta. He taught in Medan, North Sumatra, and then worked in a public hospital in Jakarta, after that he started to move again, this time to Madura. He wrote Si Jamin dan Si Johan which was an adaptation of Jan Smees by the Dutch author Justus Van Maurik. In Cerita tentang Busuk dan Wanginya Kota Betawi, he wrote about the "rot" and "perfume" of Batavia. He is especially known for Azab dan Sengsara from 1920 about the problems of a forced marriage.