Love, loss, and a search for identity

The ‘Allure Of The Otherworldly’ panel featured writers (from left) Eka, Harris and Hurley, and moderator Khoo Sim Eng. Photos: Singapore Writers Festival

If the literature we read is a reflection of the times we live in, then those of us in the South-East Asian region seem to be doing a fair amount of soul-searching about identity – at least, if our literary festivals are any indication.

The recently-held Ubud Writers And Readers Festival in Bali chose to dwell on the theme “Tat Tvam Asi: I Am You, You Are Me”. Meanwhile, the upcoming George Town Literary Festival in Malaysia is themed “Hiraeth”, a Welsh word that means “the longing for a homeland that is no longer there”.