It has been almost one month since I posted anything in this space. The process of creating is ongoing, but the discipline of putting something up seems to come and go. In the back of my mind there are these 'voices' uttering little things like... "Why do you put yourself under such pressure to try and write each day?" or "Your writing makes me sad" or "When do you finish the book?"
All of these comments matter, but this week I had the chance to see and and listen to one of our continents' legends of the pen... in his words... "I am not a man for these gadgets" in reference to tablets and e-books... so it made me wonder how does he write? This man who recalls learning to read and write "on a black slate with white chalk" Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. I heard the sadness in his voice when he responded to the passing of Chinua Achebe on Friday 22 March 2013.
He talked about his life as a writer, his works, the essence and need to preserve our native tongues and more so... I once again understood the importance of continuing to reaffirm our relationships with our ancestors. The craft of telling stories and the sacrifices we make when fighting for liberation and then to continue our battles to enjoy our freedoms.
I will continue to strive and be good in my craft. Understanding that my voice will be sad, happy, elated, scared, lost, wondering and most of all nurturing love.
I was lucky to have the front row seat at a seminar in Uppsala with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Binyavanga Wainaina on Friday March 22, 2013 at 3 p.m.
24 March 2013.
