SOMALI NOVELIST NURUDDIN FARAH AT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

[raula]

When: Wednesday, April 21st

3:30 pm

Where: Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, Room 25

301 19th Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55455 (West bank of the U of M)

Contact: MacArthur Program, University of Minnesota, 612-624-0832 or

Charlie Sugnet, 612-625-1528

This event is sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of

Global Change/MacArthur Program, Somali Student Association, the

Humanities Institute, and the Department of English and the Program in

Creative Writing at the University of Minnesota.

 

***FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC*** ***PLEASE DISTRUBUTE WIDELY***

 

Nuruddin Farah, who has published nine superb novels and one nonfiction

book about the Somali diaspora, is widely regarded as the best Somali

writer, one of the two or three best writers on the African continent,

and a serious candidate for the Nobel Prize in literature.

 

He will read from his new novel, Links, narrated by a Somali exile

living in New York, who goes home to Mogadishu to find his mother's

grave. The novel deals with the meltdown of Mogadishu, the warlords,

and the "Black Hawk down" episode from a Somali perspective that is

sometimes almost spookily relevant to current events in Iraq.

 

Farah's first novel, From a Crooked Rib (1970), immediately established

his sympathy for the plight of women, and his belief that tyranny at the

family level connects directly to political tyranny. Farah's subsequent

Trilogy on African Dictatorship, including the political thriller Sweet

and Sour Milk (1979), established him as a major African voice. A second

trilogy of novels, called Blood in the Sun, brilliantly explored

alternatives to nationalism and blood kinship in forging human

identities and relationships. The complex first novel of that trilogy,

Maps (1986) is widely considered his best work, and one of the best

novels ever written in Africa.

Since the completion of Blood in the Sun, he has won the prestigious

Neustadt International Prize (often called the "pre-Nobel" because

nearly half of Neustadt honorees have gone on to win the Nobel Prize in

literature), and has published a nonfiction book called Yesterday,

Tomorrow: Voices from the Somali Diaspora (2000).

 

This Farah served as visiting writer at the University of Minnesota

during 1989. In addition to his appearance at the University of

Minnesota on Wednesday, he will make four other appearances in the Twin

Cities. The full schedule of events is as follows:

 

Tuesday, April 20:

5-6:30 PM. Meeting with members of the Minnesota Somali Community (in

Somali and English). Room 303 at Loft Literary Center/Open Book, 1001

Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis.

 

7-8:30 PM Reading and book signing, Marshall Fields Performance Hall at

Loft Literary Center/Open Book, 1001 Washington Avenue South,

Minneapolis.

Wednesday, April 21:

10-11:15 AM Reading and discussion with Twin Cities high school

students, South High School Auditorium, 3131 19th Ave South,

Minneapolis.* (See note below.)

 

3:30-5 PM Reading and discussion with students,faculty, and interested

public, 25 Humphrey Center, West Bank Campus, University of Minnesota,

Minneapolis

 

8:15-9:30 PM Reading and book signing, Ruminator Bookstore, 1648 Grand

Avenue, St. Paul (Reading will take place in adjacent Weyerhauser Chapel

of Macalester College.)

 

 

*NOTE on schedule: South High security will not permit unexpected or

unidentified persons access to the building. Teachers wishing to bring

groups of students to this event should contact David Rathbun of the

South High English Department (rathb005@tc.umn.edu), giving an estimate

of the number of students ro expect. Individuals not escorted by a

teacher should ask David Rathbun in advance for special permission to

attend, and should provide full names of all attendees so that security

will be expecting them at the door. This event is for students enrolled

in Twin Cities high schools.

 

 

808 Social Science Tower

West Bank

612-624-9847

afroam@umn.edu

[Cawralo]

Man, does he ever rest? He's all over the globe! A nomad per defintion. But he sure as hell aint all that. :rolleyes:

 

Could you please ask him why he projects so damn much in his books? Is he aware of it or is a defence mechanism ? Is it because of his tremendous ego? Is it to appease the hobby intellectuals who are the colonial masters of his feeble mind? ahh, never mind, he sux.

[Sophist]

Cawralaay Abaayo, Why do you think he sucks?

 

Just without emotional diatribe, can you as sister tell me in plain words why he is not ALL THAT?

 

Thank you

 

Sophist

 

Nabad

[Cawralo]

Where to start?

 

He's wrongfully been given the title 'male feminist' (hate the phrase :mad: ), so all of the sudden the poor oday gained some fake confidence, because to all non-somalis, he has a deep insight into how a somali woman reasons..what ever :rolleyes: ! I know a lot of somali women, and none of them is anything like 'sholoongo' or 'duniya'. It makes you think "where the heck did he meet somali women like that?" :confused: To all of these cad cad's, being against FGM makes you a feminist, what ever :rolleyes: Personally, I'm allergic to any man who even attemps to define 'womankind', I wouldn't even dream of doing it myself, and I am a woman!!

 

He uses his books as an outlet for his mediocre ideas, they aren't bad, but I would expect more from a university teacher. Sometimes he let's his ideas be expressed through some of the charecters, which makes you :rolleyes: He beautifies somali culture to make it seem more accepting towards other africans. Practically everyone I've met seem to think that his books lean more towards a naturalistic nature , which they obviously dont..makes me wonder if he is aware of it himself?

 

BUT, none of the above really matters, what gets under my skin is how he pushes it. I'm not suprised that Salman Rushdie (the very definition of mediocrity) commends him. For example..how is homelessnes (among women) solved in an islamic society? When he used one of the more mediocre charecters in one of his book answer that Q, I could almost see how the cultural imperialists of our time shivered with a borderline sexual content. Just for fun, I looked up him in 'Alex', an encyclopedia of authors, all of the sudden he was describing suppression of women in an islamic society (somali's being islamic, lol). And how he implies that 'ghusl' was to clean yourself from female najs?? Islam is free of the whole 'Eve the wicked sinnes' crap. And the concept of 'awrah' is to protect society from 'female induced chaos'..I guess his old dugsi macalin forgot to mention that men too have awrah. Why what is considered as 'awrah' differs between the gender's is quite understandable even for a mainstream thinker as myself..it should be perfectly clear for someone like him who studied philosofy, which makes me again, wonder, who is he trying to please? Who is he writing for? It sure as hell aint for somalis. It's for middle aged, white 'openminded', 'cultivated' hobby intellectuals who need something 'exotic' to read about and are willing to pay. So in a sence, his way of writing isn't that far away from Waris, our most famous writer.

 

there.

[Sophist]

Is he aware of himself? Uum, this is very philosophical question which I can not venture into. I shall leave that to you; or perhaps I should address the same query to you?

 

Who does he write for? I asked him this question years back when I first saw him in London. His answer was; those who have wondering mind. Those readers who have refined taste (he was grinning at the time) ; I mean those who like highbrow literature. And highbrow his work is. I then commented about his tortuously convoluted (this is something he would actually write) sentences which most Somalis would have difficulty understanding. He replied, largely, as I said I write for mainstream English reading literati; I am sure there many Somalis who would enjoy my writing; but mainly I do write for specific sort of people.

 

As you know certain novel writers deal with issues that the mainstream would not appeal to. Perhaps Mr Farah is Intellectual snob, but hey that is not a crime either. But he is a hell of good writer.

 

It is indeed beyond the pale to compare him to that hideously nauseating creature with the name of Weris. He is world class intellect and she is World class to but for whole different thing though!!

 

 

Sophist

 

Nabad iyo Caano

[Cawralo]

"but mainly I do write for specific sort of people"

 

So in other words he is willing to sell his identity (with some minor adjustments) for the highest bidder. That's what I was suspecting too. I wonder what drove the poor oday (or waris for that matter) into prostitution of mind. x dozen green men? All respect to that, I too have a thing for green men But he should stop pushing it as far as it goes for Islam.

 

Nabad iyo Caano

[Blessed]

^^Here, here! Most of his fans in the UK are aged middle class English women. So, it would be easier for them to relate to Duniya et al!

But, a cultured, muslim cambros might get a little surprised with his works...

 

but anyway, it's fiction and he does ask some good (though leading at times)questions with regards to cultural practices and behaviour.

[Jamster]

Why the sudden turn on that illustrious chap.

 

Dawaco, the chap is not writing popular culture stuff; his work is mind streghing stuff; something most people would have a difficulty. Nothing wrong with writings specific sort of people-- though I doubt he does that; it is just that certain people would find his work enchanting while most will just see it cultural snobery vomit.

 

With Much Respect,

Farah

[Cawralo]

Originally posted by Ameenah:

Most of his fans in the UK are aged middle class English women.

Explaines a LOT.

 

Farah. Dawaco, yahuu

[Double_Dose_of_Delicious]

Well i guess this wouldn't be da place to post that he might be nominated for the Nobel Prize...(passed all da prereq's)...

 

Wa'huu...go unc'!!!!...

 

on a more tragic note...(lol jk)n' this is for Cawralo

 

"Small minds discuss people, educated minds discuss IDEAS"....unless u can write somethin' on the contrary...give credit where credit is due...in other wordz..write a novel of ur own challengin' his ideaz or wayz of as u elegantly put it, wrongfully "[beautifying] somali culture to make it seem more accepting towards other africans]...otherwize...refer to the latter.."small minds...."

 

Salaamz

 

p.s this reply is BY NO MEANS a catalyst OR an invitation for a cat fight..lol

 

PEACE!!!

[Gediid]

DDD

I think no one is above crticism and Cawralo has only pointed whats imperfect in Nuradin's books.I personally agree with what she has said but I also recognize that Nuraddin's works are fictional and are therefore only for reading pleasures and not the absolute guide to Somali culture.

[Jamster]

Dawaco: Shaqfur

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

Here is a funny story I heard.

 

When he went to San Diego, many of his tribesmen organized a meeting to see him and it was supposed to be an exclusive meeting with no one else but his close clan elders. One thing about the man is that he asks alot of questions. After he was told that a "party of elders" was waiting for him at such and such place, he asked his guide what the meeting was for and whether it was a meeting with the Somali community in the area.

 

"No, it is our reer hebel odayaashoodii oo dhan", replied his guide.

 

Nuradin just walked away and refused to go to any meeting organized by reer hebel.

 

Everyone who was organizing that exclusive tribal meeting was furious. After that, I heard he was demonized by some of his own clansmen for being "nothing" and "worst of the worst" lol

 

for what I ask?

[Cawralo]

Tripple D, cat fight? Dont worry about that, my semi-pacifist belief pretty much prohibits me from me from acts of that nature. So I'll spare you my 'cat-like' ways. Fadhi ku dirir has never been my thing anyway

 

But do you mind if my 'small mind' would start analizing the "ideas" behind your post? It's an obvious violation against all natural laws, but why let brainiacs have all the fun? :cool:

 

Ok, may I say: Spelendid! Excellent! Just perfect that you would start with mentioning the 'nobel prize'. I applause that, because if anything, it only confirms my hypothesis.

 

'Who define art' as Amiri Baraka said. Not the nobel prize committee, most would agree on that. Which makes me question your sanity. Do you actually belive that nobel prize is anything else than a populist politic award?

 

It's history speaks for it self, Alfred must turn in his grave. Hypocricy at it's best. How else do you explain that VS Naipul got the award? Was it because he was a good writer? Did you know that even Sharon was nominated (peace prize)? Not far fetched, since even Kissinger himself recieved it.

 

Every now and then they might give it to a certain group, only to improve their statistic and put a smug grin on their pale faces. In our capitalist, some what oval world, politics follow the economy. That includes the politics of 'art' as well, even if the word has been raped of every meaning it once might have had. Therefore, it's only fitting that NF might be nominated..with the right timing (the minority-hand out periods) he might actually get it. But where's the artistic honour in that?

 

Secondly..exactly where is credit due? According to you that is. What makes his books commendable? My small mind has a tendency to overlook things every now and then, just like misqoutation seems to be your trademark. :rolleyes:

 

By the way, look out for my novel yaah. 'How Cawralo got her guruuf back'..now history will have only you to blame for daring me to commit a horrendous crime againt the very nature of literature.

[Saalixa]

So when is this writer coming to downunder?

i hve never heard of him before and iam surprised.

I hear of every new talent in our diaspora somali community, nut yet he has been around for yonks!

:confused: