My Harimau King: When Indonesian tiger folklore mixed with life in Western Sydney
SBS Indonesian
18/06/2025 10:18 Annie McCann, a Western Sydneysider of Indonesian heritage, started out as a fan of fiction works. After trying her hand at writing her own stories, she is now launching her teenage adventure fiction novel starring a character representing her own identity: A Muslim Sundanese who grew up in Western Sydney. McCann's first ever novel, which falls under fantasy adventure, is titled My Harimau King. Its story line has strong ties with the legend of Prabu Raja Siliwangi, who is known to take on the form of a tiger at times.
The novel contains multiple elements, including myths and legends hailing from Indonesia and West Java in Particular, such as objects with supernatural powers and the babi ngepet demon-swine creature. However, the main character is depicted as having a very strong Muslim identity.
While Annie has always been well-acquainted with her Indonesian side, she was, after all, raised in Australia. Therefore, writing a story rich with reference to West Javanese traditions presented its own challenges, such as the use of multiple languages and the representation of folklores, including that of Prabu Raja Siliwangi. In her writing process, she was often assisted by family members and her travels to historical sites in West Java.
Aside from being rich in its reference to Indonesian cultures, My Harimau King also depicts scenes that are familiar to young people living in Sydney, particularly its western part, such as munching on camel burgers and struggling through Australian schools' exam periods.
Melati Lum (L) and Annie McCann. Credit: Supplied/Melati Lum Melati Lim, the owner of Melby Rose Publishing, under which My Harimau King is released, lauds the novel for its inclusion of Indonesian elements, which are rare in books targeting middle-grade readers. Listen to the full podcast. Listen to SBS Indonesian on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 3pm. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram , and don't miss our podcasts.
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