Who Needs a Story?
Contemporary Eritrean Poetry in Tigrinya, Tigre and Arabic
Poetry in Eritrea written in African languages remains virtually un-translated and unknown outside the country in spite of the deep and distinguished roots of the art in Eritrean culture. This book was conceived and designed to provide students and teachers of African literatures, and interested readers everywhere, with a concise anthology of Eritrean poems from the last three decades written in Tigrinya, Tigre and Arabic, transcribed in their original language alongside an English translation. Themes reflected in the poems are the protracted Eritrean struggle for independence, the diaspora, and the struggle of a young nation’s aspiration for progress and development. The publication derives its inspiration from the historic ‘Asmara Declaration on African Languages and Literatures’, and Ngugi wa Thing’o’s call for the creation and publication of African literature in African languages. It is both an effort to reinforce research in Eritrean languages, vital for cultural development; and, through translation, aims to communicate Eritrean culture to a bigger audience.
The 22 poets represented include are Reesom Haile, Eritrea’s best known poet in the West; Solomon Drar, novelist, historian poet and director of Hdri Publishers; and Mohammed Osman Kajera, a leading intellectual figure in Eritrea, Sudan and the Arab world.
ISBN 9789994800087 | 160 pages | 216 x 140 mm | 2006 | Hdri Publishers, Eritrea | Paperback
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Reviews
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'For at least four thousand years into the 21st century, Eritrean poets have never given up writing in their own languages, which is why their poetry thrives. Who Needs a Story? translates this remarkable legacy.'
- Ngugi wa Thiong’o
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'…these poems testify to the indomitable nature of the human spirit, and the resilience of a culture that has withstood decades of external repression and colonialism. Experience in a single volume the spirit of a nation pulsing through verse!'
- Mbulelo Mzamane, Vice Chancellor, University of Fort Hare
About the Editors
- Ghirmai Negash
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Ghirmai Negash is Chair of the Department of Eritrean Languages & Literature at the University of Asmara, and Visiting Professor at Ohio University African Studies Program.
- Charles Cantalupo
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Charles Cantalupo is professor of English, comparative literature and African studies at Penn State University in the US. He is the co-editor of Who Needs a Story? Contemporary Eritrean Poetry in Tigrinya, Tigre and Arabic (Hdri Publishers, 2006).
Click here to read an account of Charles' experience in co-editing Who Needs a Story? and the means of cultural production which led to it being published.
