Traversing the Heritage of Two Worlds: A Chinese-Indonesian Cultural Fantasy That Captivates the Younger Generation
April 15, 2025
PR SURABAYA – Immortalising the fruits of thought and artistic talent in a blend of acculturation, creating a novel.
This is another side of culture that can be visualised in a more engaging, exciting, and generationally relevant way.
A new novel, entitled “Waste of Two Worlds,” depicts the life of a character living amidst the diversity of Chinese-Indonesian culture, particularly the Lontong Cap Go Meh tradition.
This authentic work is beautifully crafted by Dr Shienny Megawati Sutanto, a lecturer in Visual Communication Design at Ciputra University Surabaya.
Interestingly, this novel is not just a written work, but also part of her doctoral dissertation, which she began in 2022.
In “Waste of Two Worlds,” Shienny invites readers into a fantasy world rich in elements of Chinese Peranakan culture.
She revealed that the storyline was heavily inspired by her childhood, growing up near the Hok An Kiong Temple in Surabaya.
“I used to often accompany my mother to the An Kiong Temple, and then I used that for the main characters and the setting,” said Shienny, Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
In addition to writing the novel, titled Warisan Dua Dunia (Two World Heritage), she also features 18 illustrations, all of which she drew herself.
“There are depictions of the 12 zodiac signs and the architecture of the temple in Warisan Dua Budaya (Two World Heritage),” she explained.
Shienny admitted that the illustrations were Shienny’s biggest challenge in completing Warisan Dua Dunia.
It wasn’t just about beautiful paintings, but also about how to harmonise cultural elements with the storyline presented in the novel.
“The biggest challenge in creating this novel was how to make the cultural elements feel integrated into the story,” Shienny said.
“And this was one of the difficulties I faced,” she continued.
Unlike her previous fiction novels, in her novel, “Warega Dua Dunia,” Shienny stated that writing about culture requires time and in-depth research, so that readers can enjoy it without feeling patronised.
“So, through fantasy stories, I want culture to be accessible to the younger generation,” Shienny hopes.
The release of “Warega Dua Dunia” is a gift to the current generation, enabling them to better understand Chinese-Indonesian culture through media that resonates with today’s world.***