Guest of the ilb in 2001 and 2006
Abdouraham A. Waberi was born
in Djibouti, capital of the country of the same name in North East
Africa in 1965. In 1985 he went to France to continue his studies in
English and completed a doctorate on the Somalian writer Nuruddhin
Farah. Today he teaches English in Caen, Normandy, and works as a
journalist, in particular reviewing books for »Le Monde diplomatique«.
He also advises the French publishing house »Le Serpent à Plumes« on
African literature.
Djibouti declared its independence in 1977 when Waberi was twelve years
old. He therefore considered himself his country’s »contemporary« and
felt duty-bound to represent it in his literary work. The
author’s first three published books can be seen as a trilogy on
Djibouti, and bring various genres together. His two volumes of short
stories, »Le Pays sans ombre« (1994; Eng. »The Land Without Shadows«,
2005) and »Cahier nomade« (1996; t: Nomadic notebook), were followed in
1997 by the novel »Balbala«. In 1996 the author received the Grand prix
de l’Afrique noire for »Cahier nomade«, which was also translated into
German. Following Waberi’s participation in the festival Fest’Africa in
Lille in 1998 its organiser Nocky Djedanoum invited him to Kigali to
take part in the project »Rwanda: écrire par devoir de mémoire« (t:
Rwanda: Write to create memory). Alongside nine other writers, a film
director and a sculptor, he attempted an artistic interpretation of the
1994 genocide. This project resulted in the prose volume »Moisson de
crânes« (2000; t: Harvest of skulls), which was published in Paris in
2000. In his most recent novel »Transit« (2003), Waberi – in a
style rich in metaphors and full of humour – tells of an African
emigrant’s first experiences in Paris. This work, which the author
calls a »universal chronicle on the subject of war and exile«, was
awarded the Prix littéraire de la ville de Caen in 2004.
»With an almost eerie skill, Waberi depicts the conditions in his
country and in other parts of Africa from a distance (he lives in
France)«, commented one German reviewer on his short stories. As a fan
of travel literature à la Bruce Chatwin, the poet is, however, fully
aware of the dangers inherent in this genre: »One can seem a little
condescending when commenting on something from a distance«. Today
Waberi no longer feels the need to speak on behalf of Africa or his own
country. As a writer he wants to free himself from ethnocentric
perspectives so as to be able to focus on more general themes in poetic
writing.
In his most recent novel, »Aux Etats-Unis d'Afrique« (2006; t: In the
United States of Africa), Waberi adopts an almost fantastical
perspective and offers a satirical parable on misery and inhumanity. As
a child, the protagonist is adopted by an African on a humanitarian
mission and brought from the poor »Euramerica« to the promised land of
the »United States of Africa«. As an adult she becomes increasingly
aware of her roots and leaves the wealthy continent, returning to the
misery of Europe.
Waberi was a member of the jury for the »Lettre Ulysses Award for the
Art of Reportage« in 2003 and 2004. He is currently a guest of the
German Academic Exchange Service in Berlin.
© internationales literaturfestival berlin
Abdourahman Waberi online: waberi.free.fr
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
L'Œil nomade
L'Harmattan
Paris, 1997
Le Pays sans ombre
Le Serpent à Plumes
Paris, 2000
Les Nomades, mes frères, vont boire à la Grande Ourse
Pierron
Sarreguemines, 2000
Rift route rails
Gallimard
Paris, 2000
Balbala
Gallimard
Paris, 2002
Transit
Gallimard
Paris, 2003
Moisson de Crânes
Le Serpent à Plumes
Paris, 2004
Aux Etats-Unis d'Afrique
Lattès
Paris, 2006 | 
