The Original Dream

For Maya, history is like a dream, and her dreams are like a history of her life and how it relates to others. Effortlessly defying and calling into question time and space, Maya inhabits fantastical realities filled with shamans, romantic longing, a daughter's struggles, and a flying dragon.

Lyrically flowing between Maya's multiple realities, The Original Dream is the story of a young independent Indonesian woman trying to break free from cultural and social conventions while also searching for her place among family and friends. With guidance from her parents, coworkers, and sister, along with a newborn filled with the wisdom of elders, Maya navigates her perceptions, looking for answers to unknown questions. Whether soaring through the nighttime sky, caring for her nephew, or tending to guests at the hotel where she works, she tries to delineate the difference between dreams and reality and if such a difference even matters.

In 2003, Nukila Amal’s Cala Ibi (The Original Dream) was named one of the top five books of the year by the Khatulistiwa Literary Award. Her collection of short stories, Laluba (2005), was awarded the Best Literary Work by Tempo magazine. Amal also received the Best Short Story Award from Kompas in 2008 for “Smokol.” Her latest work is a children’s book, Mirah Mini: Hidupmu, Keajaibanmu (Mirah Mini: Your Life, Your Miracle, 2013). She has participated in literary festivals worldwide, including the Iowa International Writing Program; has served as a member of the Literary Committee of the Jakarta Arts Council; and has translated numerous poems.