I am currently putting together some material ahead of the publication of my novel next year ... scary how things work in publishing, how you have to start planning for a book a year or so before it is published. I thought I would treat you, my dear blog readers, to a taste of my coming novel, give you a taster, a teaser as it were. So I am pleased to unveil to my dear blog readers the first two sentences of my forthcoming novel, The Book of Memory. As part of my commitment to being a Real Genuine Authentic African Writer, I have chosen to give these sentences to you in the Real Genuine Authentic African language of Shona. And if you don't understand it, well, that could well mean you are not as Real and Genuine an Authentic African as me.
And here it is:
Nyaya yawanditi ndikunyorere pasi haina kutanga nekupondwa kwaLloyd Henderson kwete, asi kuti yakatanga mumwe musi muna Kukadzi, pandaiva kamwana kemakore pfumbamwe, zuva richirova nhongonya yangu nemaronda aiva kumeso kwangu, baba namai vangu ndokunditengesera kune mumwewo mutorwa. Ndinoti zvangu ndibaba namai vangu vakadaro, as chokwadi ndechekuti vaiva mai vangu chete.
UPDATE:
Thanks for the comments below, you guys, I am very sorry indeed for those of you who do not understand Shona, but authenticity is the most important thing that an African writer has to offer ... more important than wit and humour, compassion and kindness, a strong moral vision and wisdom and humanity and all that, more important than compelling characters that you discuss for days, more important than style that makes you gasp ... no, no, none of that matters because to be an African writer is to be proud to be an African Writer and it is all About the Positive Image of Africa and so on. The authentic, positive image. So that's me from now on, Really Genuinely and Authentically and Most Positively African:) And if the meaning of my authentic positive African words is lost to you, too bad, as long as I am authentic:):):) And positive!!
10 comments:
that's so unfair. I'm a genuine African. I'm just not Zimbabwean!
C
Lol lol lol,now that is wickedly funny,first of all,two sentences are too much pain,they are like a drop-just a drop-of water to a parched man!Nevertheless,a drop is better than none,so I was looking forward to those two sentences-only to find they are in a language I do not understand! Ooh! Ah,but all is not lost.I happen to be lucky enough to have Shona friends-I will decipher these sentences,and get my drop! Lol
Don't punish the wise for the sins of the stupid. And yes, that's an African Proverb. I think. Lol.
This is an interesting depiction of the impracticability of tearing ourselves from our 'colonial languages' at this point in time,even in the name of 'authenticity'.Do you think that had the course of history been different,one or several of 'us' Africans would have been able to dominate the rest of Africa and thus render our languages dominant?..Enough rambling,ahem..I have deciphered the material..if it's not against the author's intent and purposes,I can play the role of translator...
From the update on this post,I don't think there will be any translation!Please renounce your African authenticity,to think we may never be able to understand 'The Book of Memory'! (You aren't planning on publishing it in Shona are you?)lol.This tickles.I can read some light-hearted mockery and humour in this post.I hope those who are ever serious and quick to take offence do not give themselves heart attacks over this post!lol
Another African proverb;
''Before shooting, one must aim''...
Otherwise we'll all be caught by the stray bullets aimed at the stupid.
Anonymous,please elaborate on that second proverb-I am trying to understand it but I'm afraid the meaning elludes me!lol,perhaps if you used your authentic African language i might be able to understand it better.As it is I am trying to decipher it but it elludes my authenticity lol...
Genuine
Authentic
Positive
Purposeful
African
Humourist
Haba Petina. Kilode? gbogbo wa ko la gbo ede to lo yen o. LOL!
lollll @ roger. don't let them win, petinah. i'm afraid you're starting to pay them more attention than they're worth. and to make matters worse, the sarcasm's probably lost on them because they're so idiotic.
keep calm and carry on :-)
@ novuyo: took me a second to wrap my head around it as well, but it's really quite simple: aim at the right people or risk injuring innocent bystanders who have nothing to do with the war you're fighting. in that regard, it's very similar to the first anonymous's comment/proverb.
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