Sariamin Ismail was born in Talu, West Pasaman

West Pasaman

West Pasaman is a regency of West Sumatra, Indonesia.-Mount Talamau:Talamau Peak can be accessed from Bundaran Simpang Empat Pasaman vice versa in two or three days trip and located at Jorong Pinagar Nagari Aur Kuning, Pasaman District, West Pasaman Regency...

, West Sumatra

West Sumatra

West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...

. She was a prominent Indonesian writer, who began writing at age 16. She wrote for some news paper including Pujangga Baru, Panji Pustaka, Asyara, Sunting Melayu, and Bintang Hindia. She was head of Jong Islamieten Bond, Bukit Tinggi

Bukit Tinggi

Places called Bukit Tinggi are:* Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia* Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia* Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia...

 (1928–1930). In 1934, she was editor of Suara Kaum Ibu a news paper from Sumatera in Padang Panjang

Padang Panjang

Padang Panjang is located in the cool highlands of West Sumatra, inland from the provincial capital Padang. It sits on a plateau beneath the volcanoes Mount Marapi and Mount Singgalang. It has an area of 23 km² and a population of over 40,000...

. In 1947, she was selected as the regional parliament member for Riau province.

List of works

• Kalau Tak Untung (1933) Indonesia’s first novel by a woman author.
• Pengaruh Keadaan (1937)
• Puisi Baru - poetry collection (1946)
• Rangkaian Sastra (1952)
• Seserpih Pinang Sepucuk Sirih - poetry collection(1979)
• Panca Juara (1981)
• Nakhoda Lancang (1982)
• Cerita Kak Murai, Kembali ke Pangkuan Ayah (1986)
• Ungu : Antologi Puisi Wanita Penyair Indonesia (1990)