pencerita

Pencerita is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to refer to the person who tells a story or narrates events. It derives from the word cerita (story) with the agentive prefix pe-, indicating someone who performs the action. In literature, film, radio, and other narrative media, the pencerita provides the narrative voice and shapes what the audience understands about the plot.

The pencerita may be an internal figure within the story (pencerita orang dalam) or an external observer (pencerita luar). The point of view can vary, including first person, third person, or an omniscient perspective. Narratives may employ multiple pencerita or a frame structure, where a pencerita recounts one or more stories within a larger tale. The reliability of the pencerita can also differ, ranging from fully trustworthy to unreliable.

In traditional oral cultures, pencerita plays a central role in preserving memory, teaching morals, and transmitting cultural values. In contemporary literature and media, the concept continues to be a key consideration for narrative technique and voice. While narator is a commonly used loanword for the narrator in Indonesian, pencerita emphasizes the act of storytelling and the voice through which the story is conveyed.