# Marga T

Marga Tjoa (27 January 1943 – 17 August 2023) was an Indonesian popular romance and children's literature writer better known by the pen name Marga T. One of Indonesia's most prolific writers, she first became well known in 1971 for her serial Karmila which was published as a book in 1973 and later made into a film. As of 2006, she had published 38 novels.

## Biography

Marga Tjoa was born Tjoa Liang Tjoe (Chinese: 蔡良珠; Hokkien: Chhoà Liâng-chu) to a Catholic Chinese Indonesian (peranakan) family in Jakarta in 1943. She started writing young and by age 21, had published her first short story, "Room 27" (Indonesian: Kamar 27). It was followed by her first book in 1969, a children's story titled My Home is My Castle (Indonesian: Rumahku adalah Istanaku). During this time she was also educated as a physician at Trisakti University.
Tjoa became famous after first novel, Karmila, was published in 1971. In 1972 she followed Karmila's success with The Storm Will Surely Pass (Indonesian: Badai Pasti Berlalu), which was serialized in Kompas between 5 June and 2 September 1972, with a novelized version being published in 1974. Both novels were adapted into movies, with Badai Pasti Berlalu going on to win four Citra awards. This early success convinced her to continue writing.
During the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Tjoa published more popular novels, including An Illusion (Indonesian: Sebuah Ilusi), The Red Saga (Indonesian: Saga Merah), and Doctor Sabara's Secret (Indonesian: Rahasia Dokter Sabara). She also published some collections of short stories, including Love Song (Indonesian: Lagu Cinta) and Monik.
In 2004, Tjoa published A Bud of Hope (Indonesian: Sekuntum Nozomi) to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the 1998 Jakarta Riots. It deals with the violence and rape of Chinese women during the riots.
As of 2006, Tjoa has written 80 short stories, 50 pieces of children's literature, and 38 novels.
Tjoa lived in Central Jakarta. She died on 17 August 2023, at the age of 79.

## Chinese-Indonesian identity

Tjoa was seen as trying to distance herself from her Chinese-Indonesian background during a period of legislation regarding Chinese culture in Indonesia, as evidenced by her use of a neutral pen name and a general disregard for Chinese culture and problems in her literary works. Her diction is also described as "identical to that of indigenous writers." As a result, many readers do not realize that Tjoa was Chinese-Indonesian.

## Selected works

Her works include:
| Year | Title | Title in English | Notes |
| 1969 | Rumahku adalah Istanaku | My Home is my Castle | First novel |
| 1971 | Karmila | Karmila | |
| 1974 | Badai Pasti Berlalu | The Storm Will Surely Pass | Originally published as a serial in Kompas in 1972 |
| 1976 | Gema Sebuah Hati | A Heart's Echo | |
| 1976 | Bukan Impian Semusim | Not a Seasonal Dream | |
| 1977 | Sepotong Hati Tua | A Sliver of an Old Heart | |
| 1979 | Lagu Cinta | Love Song | A collection of short stories |
| 1982 | Monik | Monik | A collection of short stories |
| 1982 | Sebuah Ilusi | An Illusion | |
| 1984 | Fatamorgana | Fatamorgana | |
| 1984 | Saga Merah | Red Saga | |
| 1984 | Rahasia Dokter Sabara | Doctor Sabara's Secret | |
| 1984 | Bukit Gundaling | Gundaling Hill | |
| 1986 | Ketika Lonceng Berdentang: cerita misteri | When the Bell Tolls: A Mystery | |
| 1987 | Saskia | Saskia | Part one of a trilogy |
| 1987 | Untukmu Nana | For You, Nana | |
| 1987 | Setangkai Edelweiss | A Stalk of Edelweiss | A sequel to Gema Sebuah Hati |
| 1987 | Sembilu Bermata Dua | The Two-Bladed Knife | |
| 1987 | Kishi | Kishi | Part two of a trilogy |
| 1987 | Batas Masa Silam: Balada Sungai Musi | The Edge of the Past: A Balad for the Musi River | |
| 1987 | Oteba | Oteba | The final book in a trilogy |
| 1987 | Ranjau-ranjau Cinta | Love's Traps | |
| 1988 | Tesa | Tesa | |
| 1988 | Di Hatimu Aku Berlabuh | In Your Heart, I Am Anchored | |
| 1988 | Sekali dalam 100 Tahun | Once in 100 Years | A collection of satires |
| 1990 | Istana di Kaki Langit | The Palace at the Sky's Feet | |
| 1991 | Namamu Terukir di Hatiku | Your Name is Carved in My Heart | |
| 1991 | Sonata Masa Lalu | A Sonnet to the Past | |
| 1992 | Berkerudung Awan Mendung | Veiled in Grey Skies | |
| 1992 | Seribu Tahun Kumenanti | I Will Wait for a Thousand Years | |
| 1992 | Rintihan Pilu Kalbuku | My Heart's Melancholic Moan | |
| 1994 | Sepagi Itu Kita Berpisah | We Separated that Early | |
| 1995 | Dikejar Bayang-Bayang | Chased by Shadows | |
| 1995 | Melodi Sebuah Rosetta | A Rosetta's Melody | |
| 1999 | Matahari Tengah Malam | The Midnight Sun | |
| 1998 | Didera Sesal dan Duka | Scourged by Regrets and Grief | |
| 1998 | Dicabik Benci dan Cinta | Torn Between Love and Hate | |
| 1999 | Amulet dari Nubia | The Amulet from Nubia | |
| 2001 | Dipalu Kecewa dan Putus Asa | Hammered by Disappointment and Despair | |
| 2003 | Dibakar Malu dan Rindu | Burned by Shame and Longing | |
| 2002–2006 | Sekuntum Nozomi | A Bud of Hope | Four works |