Norman Erikson Pasaribu

Norman Erikson Pasaribu (they/then) is one of the most interesting names of the young generation of the Indonesian literary world; born in 1990, already won first place in the 2015 Jakarta Arts Council Poetry Competition and was shortlisted for the Khatulistiwa Literary Award for Poetry in 2014 and 2016. Although they started their professional career as an accountant – they practiced this profession for six years before turning to writing full-time -they quickly became one of the most internationally recognized writers from Indonesia.

Pasaribu have been awarded both as prose writers, including their short story collection Hanya Kamu yang Tahu Berapa Lama Lagi Aku Harus Menunggu (English title: “Only You Know How Much Longer I Should Wait”), and poetry – fans of Indonesian literature certainly know his volume “Sergius Mencari Bacchus”, that is Sergius Seeks Bacchus. In their texts, Pasaribu touches on queer themes, which distinguishes them from their native culture, where religious traditions related to Islam often exclude the possibility of discussing topics that break social taboos.

In 2022, nominated for the International Booker Prize for Happy Stories, Mostly translated by Tiffany Tsao. In 2024, this collection will be released in Polish by Tajfuny.