NTHABISENG'S FIRST DAY AT CAMPUS

BY T M THIBA

During her upbringing she was so soft and smooth like velvet. Her manners were so delectable like the mixture of fruits that gallop down the throat without upsetting the stomach. As everybody knows, it takes the whole community to raise a child and charity begins at home. With no doubt the community participated in her upbringing very well and she also listened and showed some veneration to the words of her parents, teachers from her all school levels and towards the community elders. Not specifically the greys but also her peers, sisters and brothers and everyone in the street. That‘s what elders say, if a child listens to her parents she will grow very well with good manners and behaviour and show respect to everyone, young or old. I’m not toadying her; I’m just divulging what I know about her!

Her name is Nthabiseng, meaning makes me happy. But at home we call her Nthabi in short. The last chapter of our mother’s baby’s ideal. She has done very well at her school level. She was always studying very hard like any child determined to pass and show a good result from primary school till high school. Most teachers favoured her. Do you know why they favoured her? She had good manners, well behaving and delivering a good work in her school work and dresses a proper uniform. She was not the tip top of the school that scoops any awards presented at the school. There were those tip tops at her school. 

During her last lap at high school, this is matric in 2012. She got involved in the study group were they have spent plenty of time studying, practising, revising and involved in some dispute of ideas regarding their school works or what they have studied. And since from her schooling inception, she never fails classes because she worked hard to pass all of them, simply because she knew that hard work pays. Exams time arrived like criminals and those who did not study well, were scratching their heads for answers but unfortunately, for every game or fight you have to prepare yourself for everything that could come your way. And fortunately for her, she benefit from the group study she was involved in and time spent in there didn’t go dawn as a vain. She got results in the year 2013 January and got university entrance, and nominated as one of the best leaners from the district schools. And she won her self a goodies sponsored by local municipality and certificates of good achievements in some subjects.

Former South African President; Nelson Mandela said ‘Education is the powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. That is a flawless truth. It wasn’t palpable that Nthabi will scoop those awards and pass her matric class with her pass rate she got. Education was always important to her and she works hard for it. She was already accepted at the reputable university in the Free State Province. Clock tick and ticks like a bomb for the school reopening. And the time to take her to Bloemfontein arrived and it was during the week. We defeat birds and woke up before them to pack her stuff in the car. All along she was excited about the fact that she will start a new life at the varsity and meet new friends. In that morning she was so sad like someone she loves had last straw of his/her life. 

Tears dressed her eyes. The mother is the always one to feel the pain first before anyone could when their child is sick or not happy. Mother felt that sting when she saw her little one’s marbles cascading water of the feeling that she will stay alone in the bizarre place and leave her loved ones behind. She never stays alone before that is the reason why she was soaking tears. It was little throbbing to see her in that condition. But anyway, we get into the road to head Bloem, it was me and her and her luggage. A trip of four hours and when arrived at the campus. We took out her belongings and comes a time for me to bit a goodbye to her. I can reminisce the time and place vividly. It was noon and the sun was left with only three hours to be hugged by ground.

 I remember leaving her alone standing; and she looked at me with frayed heart, with no friends. She has to start a life in a new and eccentric place. She felt like she was a lion in a desert. My heart snivelled blood to left her alone. Remember I’m a tiger and tigers don’t cry. I shocked my agony and swallow it though it was not easy to go down. She survived a day, a week, and three months before head to home for the holidays of the first quarter. Her heart and love was always back at home longing for home and dearly ones. 

When she arrived at home for the holidays, she broke into tears when she saw our mother and father and my brothers daughter. She cried out loud and makes them sad. But they consoled her till she show a beam in her face again. She loves to be home in our company. But as time elapsed she grew in strength and no longer weeping when we leave her in the campus and when she comes home for holidays. She is a big girl now and just left with six months to crown her first degree and planning to obtain the next one with no pause or getting a job.

·         Mr Thiba, poet, essayist and fiction writer, lives in Kimberley, South Africa

GLIMPSES INTO AFRICAN LITERATURE

“This book brings together shorter essays on a variety of South African, and African writers.  The writers focused on include Njabulo Ndebele, Mbulelo Mzamane, Flaxman Qoopane, Don Mattera, Grace Ogot, Okot p'bitek, Assia Djebar, I. Soqaga, Amos Tutuola, Asare Konadu, Ayi Kwei Armah, Pule Lebuso, Mariama Ba, O Bolaji, Camara Laye, Peter Abrahams, among others.

The editor,  Mr Soqaga is an award-winning essayist, literary critic, Pan-Africanist and sports enthusiast. He has already published three books, including the much-discussed work, Promoting Quintessential African Writing. Mr Soqaga lives in Mangaung, Free State."

* From the blurb

Breakdown of this work

INTRODUCTION – By Soqaga

AMOS TUTUOLA – Quintessential African Writer By Soqaga

QOOPANE…and thorny issues in South African Writing

By Soqaga

NJABULO NDEBELE’s The Cry of Winnie Mandela   by I. M. Soqaga

 African Renaissance Anti-Clockwise (Book)   by Soqaga

GRACE OGOT’s Land Without Thunder a review by Soqaga

THE LITERARY WORK OF OKOT P’BITEK  By Soqaga

REMEMBERING AND CELEBRATING MBULELO MZAMANE By O Bolaji

PETER ABRAHAMS - What an inspiration! By Bolaji

ASARE KONADU's A WOMAN IN HER PRIME review by Bolaji

In Search of a Plethora of Critics...By O Bolaji

ASSIA DJEBAR DIES By R Mokoena

 CAMARA LAYE (1928 - 1980) by R Mokoena

  

OLA ROTIMI AND THE WORLD OF THEATRE by L Giwa

SOQAGA Book Review by L Giwa

 

THE LABOURS OF AUTHORS, EDITORS…by L Giwa 

     DON MATTERA HONOURED courtesy of Mpikeleni Duma

‘EROTIC WRITER’ MBELLA SONNE DIPOKO By T Ebounge

THE SIXTH ANNUAL NORTHERN CAPE WRITERS FESTIVAL (2015) By T M Thiba

  

‘Transferential displacement' in O Bolaji's Far up! Far out! Far more! By T M Thiba 

THE LABOURS OF AUTHORS, EDITORS...

By Leke Giwa  

The world of writing, typing, editing books has been going on for a long time, even in Africa - though of course the western world started centuries ago.  

 But the basics are still the same. I am fascinated with what T.S Elliot (pix below) said about the "labours" of the author - "The larger part of the labour of an author in composing his work is critical labour; the labour of sifting, combining, constructing, expunging, correcting, testing, (this is a) frightful toil...".  

For me this is an attitude that reveals a serious approach to writing, even before editors or specialized readers come in. It is an open secret that many writers, especially academics, are often unhappy with the input of editors in their work; with the inevitable enforced changes and seeming disruptions.

In the African context, a Western editor from a different background might completely change or even remove certain idioms and proverbs written by the African author, which might make such a writer shudder; make him/her believe that the work has been violated and undermined. 

Apparently Africa's most famous novel, Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, was lucky enough to have had a broad-minded, sympathetic editor originally. Hence presumably the bulk of special ideas, conversations, syntax, of the society were left as originally written by the author - for the world to appreciate.  

I have heard it suggested that with the best editors, the original author would hardly notice how much hard work has gone into making his work much better - the author would still feel that the book is his/hers.

Such editors would largely concentrate on grammar, spelling, punctuation - for example we "pensmiths" might not know it everytime, but depending on the context of whatever we write there are tremendous differences when we write/spell similar-sounding words like "thought/taught" "quiet/quite" "though/thou" "renown" "renowned" amongst hundreds of other common words and phrases. The professional editor will easily correct such mistakes.

Publishers are aware that a perfectly written and delivered manuscript - no matter how superb the author is - is more or less impossible; hence the importance of editors to make the work better, and even guide the writer.        

If Amos Tutuola's The Palmwine Drinkard had been comprehensively edited, even re-written to fit in with the style of the western world, it would have lost its identity completely as an African story or novel. (Yet some African writers try to write to please western audiences, and end up as losers in the end). 

T.S Elliot, one of the shining lights of western literature is in essence very right - the author must do all they can to produce a near-perfect work; that would not need too much editorial work or revision by others.    

By the same token, in the African context, such a literary work even after the input of others, should still have a convincing African atmosphere that should nonetheless appeal to the universal general reader...

Multi-talented SKIET in the media...

VICTOR THORPE (Nigerian author)

Victor Thorpe wrote and published a series of brilliant, well-plotted African thrillers. The inherent, spontaneous humour running through these works always stand out, almost undermining the sophisticated language, and polished erudition embedded in these enduring novels. Thorpe's books include The Worshippers, The Instrument, and Stone of Vengeance.

ISIDORE OKPEWHO...

Author Okpewho "...succeeded in portraying characters whose individual identities are distinct from those of the communities"

THE VICTIMS. "For the first time in African literature, the theme of polygamy has been raised to the grandeur of tragedy" (excluding the supernatural)

SURVIVE THE PEACE - By Cyprian Ekwensi

"While some black men begin to rule they become too greedy. They eat and fill their stomachs and the stomachs of their brothers. This is not enough for them. They continue till their throats are filled. And that too is not enough. They have food in their stomachs and in their throats and they go on till their mouths are full and then proceed to fill their bags. But no one else outside their families and their tribe must partake of this food. This is what brings the trouble in Africa. So, I want to rule, so as to have my share. You want to rule to have your share. Then we start killing ourselves..."

Pa Ukoha in Cyprian Ekwensi's Survive the peace