This Earth of Mankind
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Core Metadata
Title: This Earth of Mankind
Creator: Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Local Name: Bumi Manusia
Countries: Indonesia
Date Created: 1980 (first published)
Date Acquired: 1980
Description: The first novel in the Buru Quartet, written while the author was imprisoned on Buru Island. It tells the coming-of-age story of Minke, a Javanese student in colonial Indonesia, who navigates race, class, and colonial oppression. Considered one of Indonesia’s greatest modern novels.
Language: Indonesian (translated into English, Dutch, German, Japanese, Thai, etc.)
Type: Historical Fiction / Postcolonial Literature
Format: Print (Book), eBook
Identifier: ISBN 9799731205 (Indonesian edition); ISBN 0140256350 (Penguin English edition
Rights: © Pramoedya Ananta Toer
License: Library lending / publisher distribution
Link source: Click
Libraries Metadata
Author: Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Publisher: Hasta Mitra (Indonesia, 1980); Penguin Books (English, 1990s)
Publication Date: 1980 (ID), 1990 (EN)
Edition: First edition (Indonesian), first English translation by Max Lane
ISBN/ISSN: 9799731205 (ID), 0140256350 (EN)
Call Number: PL5089.P7 B8613 1990
Table of Contents: Divided into narrative chapters following Minke, Nyai Ontosoroh, and colonial society
Genre: Historical Fiction / Indonesian Literature
Catalog URL: National Library of Indonesia
Preservation Metadata
Preservation Status: Preserved in National Library of Indonesia, international university libraries
Preservation History: First published clandestinely in 1980 (Hasta Mitra); later officially published and translated widely
Retention Policy: Long-term archival preservation
Archival Location: National Library of Indonesia, major ASEAN and Western libraries
Backup Status: Digital archives and translations available
Relational Metadata
Parent Collection: Buru Quartet
Sub Collections: Southeast Asian Postcolonial Fiction
Related Items: 1.Child of All Nations (Anak Semua Bangsa, 1980) 2.Footsteps (Jejak Langkah, 1985) 3.House of Glass (Rumah Kaca, 1988)
Accessibility Metadata
Accessibility Features: Available in eBook and large print editions
Accessibility Compliance: Screen-reader compatible editions available internationally
Legal Metadata
Copyright Status: In copyright
Copyright Holder: Estate of Pramoedya Ananta Toer / Hasta Mitra
License Terms: Standard publishing rights
Jurisdiction: Indonesia
Cultural Metadata
Cultural Significance: One of the most influential Indonesian novels of the 20th century. Written in prison, it symbolizes resistance to authoritarianism and colonial oppression.
Cultural Context: Depicts late 19th-century Java under Dutch colonial rule; critiques racism, classism, and colonial hierarchies.
Usage Metadata
Access Statistics: Widely studied and circulated in ASEAN and global libraries; banned in Indonesia under Suharto, later reinstated
Citation Information: Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Bumi Manusia (This Earth of Mankind). Jakarta: Hasta Mitra, 1980. English trans. Penguin, 1990. ISBN 0140256350.
User Feedback: Highly acclaimed for narrative power and historical insight; seen as Indonesia’s literary masterpiece
Educational Metadata
Educational Use: Commonly taught in Indonesian literature, postcolonial studies, and Southeast Asian history courses
Curriculum Alignment: World Literature, Postcolonial Studies, Asian History
Learning Objectives: 1.Understand colonial society in Java through literature 2.Analyze postcolonial themes in Southeast Asian writing 3.Explore resistance narratives and cultural identity
GEO Spatial Metadata
Location: Java, Indonesia (setting)
Countries: Indonesia
Technical Metadata
File Format: Print, eBook (PDF/EPUB)
Bitrate: Codec / File Size: Varies for digital editions
Temporal Metadata
Date Range: Late 19th century (Dutch colonial era in Java)
Event Date: 1980 (publication in Indonesian); 1990s (English publication)