Hiya!
Wasn’t sure whether to title this book review or poetry review but its all semantics. *smiles*
I’m super dupa excited that we were able to host a total of three guests reviewing their favorite Afrolit through out the black history month but as Uncle B said, black history ought to be celebrated every day. This was just to open up the plethora of literature that remarkable people our color have written, from across the continent and Globe. I do hope you are able to indulge.
As I conclude this series, one of the matters that kept resounding throughout this black history month to me was our traditional languages. I was super excited when I saw that Kitara Nation had a poetry series out on speaking vernacular.
If we communicate on a regular basis, you will notice that I prefer to have most of the communication with Luganda phrases here and there and most find this odd.
Growing up, I’d always been taught to believe that English was the language of the civilized and boy oh boy, how I wanted to be one of the civilized! I decided to embrace this, and it stuck. What made it easier for me was that my parents spoke to us in English and we never had to go to the village to interact with our grandparents, because well, they had already gone to be with the Lord.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve heard stereotypes about people who speak vernacular and how the Ugandan society perceives them. It’s such a hurtful sight. It is this very stereotype that made me realize that we have succumb to believing in the notion that everything related to our African traditions is archaic and so we have chosen to lean towards the safer and more acceptable option. Modernity with a culture that is polluted by profanity and immorality.
We forget that our identity will always be rooted in Africa.
Its no wonder that people who try so hard to imitate the western accent always throw in an ‘R’ where there’s supposed to be an ‘L’ and the reverse. This is evidence that within us, our true identity will never be shadowed by the façade we try to put up.
‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head, but if you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.’
Nelson Mandela
Less talk let’s get into the review.
But before we get into that, let’s not forget what Elnathan John told us in Becoming Nigerian.
Never, ever explain satire!
***
No Speaking Vernacular; A performance poem by Kagayi Ngobi
These poem seek to portray the miserable state of our education system, imposing punitive, demeaning and crude punishments to children for making the slightest utterances of vernacular. It’s a sad state of affairs I must say!
The irony is that the teachers themselves, do what is commonly referred to as direct translation of phrases from vernacular to English, but still emphasize that the students will become nothing without English.
You speak vernacular
You are a villager
You are a commoner
You are embarrassing
Civilization
Excerpt from Don’t Speak Vernacular, Kagayi Ngobi
Don’t Love me in English, Bridget Ankunda
This is a compilation of poems, centered around the theme of sexual harassment of girls around the streets of Kampala and in public taxis, pain and heartbreak, the essence of cultural oriented relationships and a tinge of Biblical prose.
I loved this because it put perspective to some of the pertinent issues in society that we tend to shy away from talking about. The shamelessness of men staring at girls, drooling with desire to the nitty gritties of the miserable state of affairs of the service delivery in our country.
You compared my smile
To a mid-summer rain
Me, who only knows about
- Mud staining white clothes
- Wind stealing iron sheets
- Boda boda men tripling prices
- Vendors sliding in black market mud
- Susu from city trenches remixing oxygen
- Kampala collectively struggling to think, breathe, to survive floods
How was I supposed to know?
The rain you meant was a dance
Of two lovers; droplets hitting skin
And skin saying thank you?
Kale if you had compared me to the last seat of
The last taxi
In the old park
At ten pm
On a cold Monday night,
I would’ve understood you.
Did you have to love me with a cliché?
Did you have to love me in English?
Excerpt from Don’t Love me in English, Bridget Ankunda
***
I’d love you all to get more in touch with your skin, your traditions, your Africanicity and love it. Don’t try so hard to portray and be who you are not.
In the words of Oscar Wilde; BE YOURSELF, EVERYONE ELSE IS ALREADY TAKEN!
Cheers and I wish you a happy new month!
yongyera
I got the book delivered by kagayi and impressed that the author is a law student. Our romancitization of the English language is amazingly amazing whoever speaks good English is bright
Khanani Daniella
Thabk you for passing by Mwene
yongyera
I got the book delivered by kagayi and impressed that the author is a law student. Our romancitization of the English language is amazingly amazing whoever speaks good English is bright
Khanani Daniella
Thabk you for passing by Mwene
Khanani Daniella
Awww that’s nice. It is an amazing book
One that opens your eyes to the ironies of the colonial language.
Thats the assumption which we must break
Khanani Daniella
Awww that’s nice. It is an amazing book
One that opens your eyes to the ironies of the colonial language.
Thats the assumption which we must break
Samuel
Girl oh Girl, thanks for this great and educative piece..
Khanani Daniella
You’re welcome Samuel. Thank you for reading
Samuel
Girl oh Girl, thanks for this great and educative piece..
Khanani Daniella
You’re welcome Samuel. Thank you for reading
musanjufu benjamin kavubu
I watched the play at the National Theatre of the first book, I think I have also seen the author of the second one perform some of her work, Kitara Nation had become my love in 2019 then the lockdown killed the vibe of the last Friday of the month at the theatre, Mr. Kagayi’s work in poetry community gives him a legendary status in Uganda
musanjufu benjamin kavubu
I watched the play at the National Theatre of the first book, I think I have also seen the author of the second one perform some of her work, Kitara Nation had become my love in 2019 then the lockdown killed the vibe of the last Friday of the month at the theatre, Mr. Kagayi’s work in poetry community gives him a legendary status in Uganda
conniedia
Oh wow this is beautiful…
Worth checking out..
I personally have nothing against those who can relate best in their languages but unfortunately there those who are not able to relate in the other languages hehehe
This is very insightful thou🤝🤝
Khanani Daniella
Please do. Kitara Nation has different series it hosts. And its sad yes that some can’t relate, however its never too late to do so. 😊
Thank you for passing by Connie.
conniedia
Thank you for sharing with us this Whole Well.
Still here taking notes….
Btw just an update have gotten my hands on Kintu the Book and it’s my current read 🤗🤗🤗
Khanani Daniella
Aww youre welcome love. Yaaayyy can’t wait for your review.
conniedia
Oh wow this is beautiful…
Worth checking out..
I personally have nothing against those who can relate best in their languages but unfortunately there those who are not able to relate in the other languages hehehe
This is very insightful thou🤝🤝
Khanani Daniella
Please do. Kitara Nation has different series it hosts. And its sad yes that some can’t relate, however its never too late to do so. 😊
Thank you for passing by Connie.
conniedia
Thank you for sharing with us this Whole Well.
Still here taking notes….
Btw just an update have gotten my hands on Kintu the Book and it’s my current read 🤗🤗🤗
Khanani Daniella
Aww youre welcome love. Yaaayyy can’t wait for your review.
Arans
Some awesome review, Merci’.
Khanani Daniella
Thank you for passing by
Arans
Some awesome review, Merci’.
Khanani Daniella
Thank you for passing by
Samuel Casa
I am jumping on don’t love me in English by Ankunda. I have been reading different reviews and slowly I have developing interest. I think it high time I added it on my June to do list of books.
Thanks for sharing. Check out a subsconscious mind novel, surely this won’t leave you the same
Khanani Daniella
Please do. Its gas an amazing collection if poems. Ah subconscious mind. Who’s the author?
Samuel Casa
By Dr. Joseph Murphy
Khanani Daniella
Yay thanks. Added to my TBR
Samuel Casa
I am jumping on don’t love me in English by Ankunda. I have been reading different reviews and slowly I have developing interest. I think it high time I added it on my June to do list of books.
Thanks for sharing. Check out a subsconscious mind novel, surely this won’t leave you the same
Khanani Daniella
Please do. Its gas an amazing collection if poems. Ah subconscious mind. Who’s the author?
Samuel Casa
By Dr. Joseph Murphy
Khanani Daniella
Yay thanks. Added to my TBR
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5thgenerationgirl
Thanks for sharing such an interesting post. I remember being teased as a child for the way I speak or people asking me why I “talk white”. Blessings!
Khanani Daniella
Youre welcome girllll anytime. Thank you for passing by. We all have been judged for the way we speak… and its sad.
5thgenerationgirl
Thanks for sharing such an interesting post. I remember being teased as a child for the way I speak or people asking me why I “talk white”. Blessings!
Khanani Daniella
Youre welcome girllll anytime. Thank you for passing by. We all have been judged for the way we speak… and its sad.