Fools, Thieves, and Other Dreamers: Stories from Francophone Africa PDF
Preview Fools, Thieves, and Other Dreamers: Stories from Francophone Africa
GRAD 840.8 F686 tU58 fools, Thieves and other D reamers Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Fools, Thieoes and other Dreamers Stories from Francophone Africa Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Published by Weaver Press, Box 1922, Avondale, Harare. 2001 This collection © Weaver Press, Harare. 2001 Each story © the author. 2001 Translations © The Dept of Modem Languages, University of Zimbabwe ‘The Fools’ Gallery’ by Abdourahman Ali Waberi is taken from Le Fays Sans Ombre and ‘Small Hells on Street Comers’ by Florent Couao-Zotti is taken from L’homme dit Fbu et le Mauims Foi des Hommes. Both short story collections were published by Le Serpent k Plumes, Paris; in 1994 and 2000 respectively. We are grateful to them for giving us permission to translate and publish these two stories. The initiative for this collection and the support of this publication came from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of France, Harare. Typeset by Inkspots Pvt Ltd, Harare. Cover Design: Inkspots Pvt Ltd, Harare. Printed in Zimbabwe by: MG Printers, Ruwa. All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise - without the express written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 0-7974-2306-0 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN qtA (c> oco5\ o Y f (c O^r A bdourahm an Ali W abcri was bom in 1965 in Djibouti. In 1985 he left the Horn of Africa to pursue his studies in France, where he now lives, working as a teacher, journalist, essayist, poet, writer, and literary consultant in African and Black literatures for the French publishing house, Le Serpent k Humes. In 1994, he published his first volume of award-winning short stories, Le Fbys Sans Ombre (Land without Shadows) from which ‘The Fools’ Gallery’ is taken. In 1996, the Association of French-speaking Writers awarded him the Grand Prix Litt£raire d’Afrique Noir for his second collection of stories, Cahier Nomade (Notebook of a Nomad). His first novel, Balbal (Paris 1997) concluded his trilogy on the theme of his native country. His work of fiction Moisson de Cranes (Harvest of Skulls) (Paris 2000) is part of the project: Rwanda: ficrire par Devoir de M^moire, initiat ed by Fest’Africa. Florent Couoa-Zotti was bom in Benin in 1964. He lives and teach es in Cotonou, the city’s downtown life is the inspiration for most of his short stories. His first novel, Notre Run de Chaque Nuit (Our Nightly Bread) was published in 1998. It was followed in 2000 by his first volume of short stories, LHornme dit Fou and la Mauvaise Foi des Hommes (The So-called Fool and the Dishonesty of Mankind) from which ‘Small Hells on Street Comers’ has been taken. Couoa- Zotti is also the author of several plays. Seydi Sow is a prolific young author from Senegal who has been publishing novels and short stories since 1997. His novel Las Reine des Sorders (The Queen of the Wizards) won him the Grand Prix of the President of the Republic for Arts and Literature. His fable, Au Fond d'ttn Puits (From the Depths of a Well) is one of his most recent works and is first published in this collection. Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ‘|4& > Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN The Translation Project 2001 In 2001, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) has Francophone Africa as its featured territory, and Senegal as its coun try of emphasis. When representatives of the French Embassy and the ZIBF first met to discuss the fair’s focus, the main question was: how can an interest in Francophone literature be developed and sus tained in an Anglophone environment? By way of reply, it was suggested that selected stories from Francophone authors be translated into English and published in Zimbabwe. It was felt that such translations would promote lively debate around contemporary Francophone writing and perception, make the work of writers more accessible, and strengthen the possi bilities for cultural exchange between Anglophone and Francophone Africa, which is one of the main endeavours of French cultural pol icy in Africa. An agreement was made between the French Embassy and the Department of Modem Languages at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and three lecturers undertook the translations assisted by nine teen students (see Appendix). Their achievement is plain for all to see in this publication, Fools, Thieves and other Dreamers. In addition, the three authors represented in this collection now form part of the French syllabus at UZ. ■*sfcvii^ Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN The Embassy of France is gratified to have fulfilled its objectives of promoting French and Francophone literature and culture, encouraging cultural exchange in a number of different areas and worked in partnership with local academics, students, publishers and the ZIBF. It is to be hoped that this project will be the first of many and, the translation, publication and promotion of books from Francophone Africa, will lead to greater understanding and amity across the con tinent. Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN jjSl C o n t e n t s &x From the Depths of a Well 1 Seydi Sow Small Hells on Street Comers 11 Florent Couao-Zotti The Fools’ Gallery 31 Abdourahman Ali Waberi Appendix: List of participants Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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