This essay examines the tragi-comical fictional episodes and accompanying cartoons, Ah... tenane (Oh... really), in the local newspaper, SOLOPOS. The daily lives of the fictional characters in these episodes were played out against a background of the violent mass student demonstrations and the May 1998 riots in Solo, Central Java. Within the newspaper, the characters provide a face to the crowd and give a voice to the silent majority. Their role is reminiscent of that played by the punakawan, or clowns in traditional wayang puppet theatre, who provide relief from the main narrative, fooling around while their masters are serious. This essay compares these fictional episodes both to wayang and to comic strips in other Indonesian newspapers, commenting on the changing identities of the characters, the depiction of race and gender and the interaction of fact and fiction.
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SOLOPOS (1998f) `Dapat Enam Sepatu Baru, Ternyata Kiri Semua' ('Gets Six New Shoes, it Turns Out They are All Left [Shoes]') , 18 May: 1, 11 (mul).
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SOLOPOS (1998g) `Dinamika Gelombang Reformasi' ('The Dynamics of the Wave of Reform') , 21 May: 8 (back page).
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SOLOPOS (1998j) `Tiwas di Puncak Tugu, Kamera Ketinggalan' ('Disaster on the Top of the Tugu, Camera Missing') , 23 May: 1, 11 (rif).
34.
SOLOPOS (1998k) `Ngambek, Ngumpet di Genteng, Dikira Penjarah' ('Unwilling to Work, Hiding on the Rooftiles, Considered a Looter') , 26 May: 1, 11 (yok/nil).
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SOLOPOS (1998l) `Kerugian akibat Kerusuhan Solo capai Rp 457 miliar' ('The Damage as a Result of the Solo Riots Reaches Rp 457 billion') , 3 June: 3 .
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SOLOPOS (1998m) `Mayat di Magetan itu Ternyata Gilang' ('The Corpse in Magetan Turns out to be Gilang') , 4 June: 12 .
37.
SOLOPOS (1998n) `Dikira Hilang Ternyata Camping' ('Thought Missing, Turns out to be Camping') , 9 June: 1, 9 (st7).
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SOLOPOS (1998o) `Posko Advokasi Korban Aksi Reformasi Yaphi: “Agenda Kami Masih Sangat Banyak...” ` ('Advocacy Post for the Victims of the Reform Action, Yaphi: “We still have Much on our Agenda” `) , 9 June: 5 .
39.
SOLOPOS (2001a) `Awaass... Jon Koplo jadi Jon Zorro?' ('Watch out... Jon Koplo has become Jon Zorro?') , 2 June, http://www.solopos.co.id (M. Shodikun).
40.
SOLOPOS (2001b) `Eit... tet... tet... Urange kok Mencolot' ('Oh no... the Prawn is Leaping') , 30 July, http://www.solopos.co.id (Sudarmi).
41.
SOLOPOS (2002) `Cinta Koplo Diputus Klepon' ('Koplo's Love is Broken by a Steamed Rice Cake') , 23 January, http://www.solopos.co.id (Wawan).
