Review by Ishmael
Mzwandile Soqaga
Book: Free State
Writers Talking
Editor: Molebogeng
Alita Mokhuoa
First published in 2002
When one begins to imagine the idea of ‘black African
literature’ one might tentatively ask oneself: “Does it really exist?” Many times we read and hear how African
history has been fabricated and probably be arrogated for European
civilization. The expression that
writing in black’s man mind only exists when white people arrived in Africa has
been jibed at by emerging African thinkers and intellectuals.
Decades ago one of
the modern black thinkers Marcus Garvey had the question to ask after he came
across a copy of Booker T Washington’s autobiography “Up from Slavery.” He asked… “Where is the black man’s
government? Where is his king and his
kingdom? Where is his president, his
country and his ambassador, his army, his navy, his men of big affairs?” Up from Slavery is the very fine book written
by black intellectual; a thing that was not usual at that time.
However, Africa has plethora of important writers who have
produced excellent African literature that reveals a conspicuous true identity
of the Africa’s art and culture.
Apparently, the whole idea that white people are the catalyst of writing
in Africa has been dramatically refuted.
Primarily, their mission it is argued was to promote white culture
(through colonialism) where literacy was not known among the Africans.
The delusional argument (African literary pundits believe)
is easily adumbrated by Ahmed Baba centuries ago (1556 – 1627). One of the greatest scholars in Africa and he
also studied and taught in Timbuktu. The
present day library at Timbuktu (Mali) is named after him. He himself had a personal library of 1.600
volumes. Patently, Africans can say
proudly that indeed African literature does really exist. Other notable African writers for example are
Leopold Senghor, Patrice Lumumba, Chinweizu Ibekwe, Obi B Egbuna, Kwame Toure
to name but few.
After I completed to read and re-read the book Free State Writers Talking put together
by a female author Alita Molebogeng Mokhuoa I was absolutely fascinated. Alita Mokhuoa has done a great wonderful
thing to write such a mind-blowing book; the book encompasses extraordinary
interviews with Free State black writers.
Her questions to the writers are appealing and arresting. Here are some outstanding interviews by Alita
Molebogeng Mokhuoa with Free State Writers:
----
Alitta: Mr Bolaji, you have stated publicly that your
latest work Thought on Free State Writing probably gave you more satisfaction
than your fiction. Many of your readers
might be horrified to hear this: Many do
not particularly like “essays”…
Bolaji: People will always say one thing or the other
anyway. I’ll like to see black readers
appreciating essays. Not all readers
love fiction you know. Some of them
prefer to read something aesthetically, intellectually challenging or
pleasing. I’ve wanted to do (write) this
book for a long time so I am pleased. As
Britain’s Julie Burchill say: “I am an
essayist, and essayist sit in their rooms and write profound thoughts”!
----
Alitta: When did you think you could be a writer?
Lebuso: It started just a few years ago. I read a few books, mainly Bolaji’s many
times, exchange ideas and books with Qoopane… then African Renaissance has
always fascinated me. People who should
know better seemed confused so I decided to highlight the real “Africanism” the
way I felt it should be. I was born and
shall die in Africa I do not want to see our culture going down the drain. I love my culture and I don’t believe it
should be “modernized”. Children should
be brought up the right way.
----
Alitta: How and when did you start writing?
Thabo Mafike: I discovered that I was writing a lot,
obsessively by the time I was in the secondary school. Nobody really encouraged me, even my teacher
laughed at me. It seems cruel,
then. I plodded on learning from the
books I was reading myself. Over the
years I added more and more pages to my major work. Tjhe bo Bophelo. I wrote and wrote, learning a lot in the
process, thinking, creating till I passed over 20 years of age.
----
Alitta: You are a fine poet…
Mohanoe: For me poetry is non fiction, feelings. I can realize myself in poetry. You realize feelings are universal,
permanent; poetry is always relevant.
Wally Serote is a great poet who has done a lot for
literature. His style is good though
some of his poems seem to be too long. I
prefer short poetry. Dambudzo Marechera
was a genius with his poetry. The poetry
of our Job Mzamo is revelatory.
Skilful. His choice of
words. Lebohang Thaisi is promising, the
talent is there.
----
Alitta: How did you start writing, and what are your
future literary plans? How did you
published your first book?
Mzamo: My inspiration firstly comes from the Bible,
I love the proverbs of King Solomon. But
my main, if not chief inspiration is “Frustration”. You can imagine how frustrating it is to roam
the streets without a job, and the next thing they want experienced people with
a std. 8 or matric certificate, so I turned to writing poetry out of
desperation. My other inspiration is my
ex-girlfriend Boetie.
----
Alitta: Is it true that we blacks do not read much?
Nthejane: Many of us we are guilty of this. Many do try to read but they are just getting
used to this. It seems our ladies read
much better particularly magazines and the like. I remember Achebe fascinated me when I was
younger and of course Mr Bolaji; who by local standards is a great, great black
writer. We had very few books we could
relate to children. It is shocking that
many of us know very little about great writers from this country. Like Peter Abrahams, Zakes Mda, Mphahlele,
Richard Rive etc; not to talk of the white writers like Gordimer! People like Ntate Qoopane are opening our
eyes now… I understand young writer
Lebohang Thaisi reads in an incredible way considering his Township
background. I for example am so busy
that I just can not read much; it is frustrating.
----
Alitta: Sir, one is well aware of your commitment to
writing. How important are writers?
Qoopane: Writers are very important and feared in
Africa; they are visionaries, even the conscience of (their) societies. Writers have perception, mission and vision
and it is difficult to bribe the very good ones!
----
Alitta: How did it all start for you as a writer?
Thaisi: As a boy of around 14 I read Achebe’s Things
Fall Apart and it had a great impact on me; I could relate to the people, the
village, headmen, the proverbs etc. Then
I read Aluko’s “Wrong ones in the Dock” and it increased my awareness of the
Yoruba people. I even began to think I
was Yoruba! That’s the great thing about
literature. ..
Ben Okri is a great writer, his style is engaging; you are
consumed; feel part of everything.
Es’kia Mphahlele – one of the pioneers of black African literature. I love his Down Second Avenue, an absorbing
of our African women…
Literature is a wonderful gift, you always learn something,
assorted characters become “your friends” Mentally you develop a lot. Whatever your colour. Look at Alrina le Roux (Free State Libraries)
who has read many African books, she does not look down on black people… Mrs.
Schimper too... great people all…
----
Grippingly, Alita Mokhuoa in Free State Writers Talking, has done a very impressive work to
produce such humongous, inspiring book. Although
published over a decade ago, it is one of the few exhilarating books that are
produced by black female writers.
Definitely I am greatly pleased with how she chose questions for
interviews with Free State writers.
There is nothing more exciting than when African writers share their
profound experiences and remarkable understanding about literature.
