The Sunday Mail
Beyond the Cover
THE decision to publish some of the stories short-listed for the Caine Prize for African Writers was a blessing to the continent’s literary scene.
These publications have exposed the abundance of talent and creativity Africa has, displaying the cultural richness that characterises this part of the world.
I recently read “African Violet and Other Stories”, a collection of stories selected from the 13th Annual Caine Prize short-list as well as those from the 2012 African Writers Workshop.
The 15 stories in the book are diverse, from the styles to the themes that the authors employ.
With the writers coming from different countries, it was no surprise that each story carried elements that depict the various situations and characteristics from each writer’s motherland, except a few who set their stories in places that are foreign.
For example, Zimbabwean author Melisa Tandiwe Myambo’s “La Salle de Départ” is set in Senegal.
Her story showcases expertise in exploring various cultural traits as she fuses African values with those from the West, displaying how these two sometimes clash.
The story revolves around Fatima’s brother Ibou, who has stayed in the United States for the greater part of his life but has come to Senegal for a short holiday.
Ibou has adopted Americanisms to the extent of forgetting his roots and the role expected of him in the extended family.
What I particularly liked about “La Salle de Départ” is that many people can relate to the theme in an age where mobility between nations is increasing.
Another interesting story, “Moving Forward” by Lauri Kubuitsile from Botswana, explores love and tragedy. The protagonist cannot get his childhood love, Phenyo, out of his head despite the fact that she now has a child with Tops, a commuter omnibus driver.
Set on his 18th birthday, the story moves back and forth between events that have already transpired and the present.
“I put the earphones in and press play and there’s Mmoloki, singing like I could reach out and touch him, his voice so strong and clear. I close my eyes and listen and think about how much I love him. How much I miss him. I decide not to close my heart off today and just let the good memories flow over me,” narrates the protagonist while he is thinking about his late brother.
While this is a short story, the author fit in many issues in so few words, touching on death, love, family, education, early pregnancy and poverty.
There are other stories in the collection that make for interesting reading like Constance Myburgh’s “Hunter Emmanuel”, which takes the reader on many twists and turns as the protagonist investigates the origins of a severed leg found in a tree.
These and other stories deservedly earned their spot in “African Violet and Other Stories”, having been selected from 122 that were in the running.
