Lesik Kati Ara


Lesik Kati Ara – an Indonesian poet, better known by the name of LK Ara.

Brief biography and creativity

He graduated from the secondary school of The Taman Siswa system in Takengon and the Department of Journalism Studies at the University of North Sumatra. In 1959–1962, he worked as a teacher in Jakarta, in 1962–1963 – in the office of the Prime Minister, in 1962–1985 at the publishing house "Balai Pustaka", was a correspondent of several newspapers in Medan. He collected also folklore.
He is the author of 35 poetry collections, compiler of two anthologies of poems by Aceh poets.
In his poems, along with a description of the nature of his native place, a great attention is given to the difficult life of peasants, especially of collectors of the coffee beans which is a local speciality of the area. He often recites his poems at the various meetings of poets both at home and in other countries. April 6, 2018, he participated in the meeting of the President of Indonesia Joko Widodo with a group of Indonesian writers in the State Palace in Jakarta.

Awards