They say rain isn’t universal— No two cultures see it quite the same. To one, it’s grace falling from the sky coaxing green from brown, life from stillness. To another, it’s a restless spirit capable of washing away as much as it gives. And to a few, it’s a sacred veil between two worlds where the divine meets the living. But it sure makes poets of us if only for a moment inviting us to feel—something, anything. Rain can be a revelation drenching us or dancing with us as it slows down the world, so we might notice. Still, beyond metaphors and symbolism rain is just rain— falling because the sky can’t hold it anymore.
Yes, I’m still on a break. But I’m dropping by because I’m excited to share that last month, when Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was in Helsinki, our Finnish-African Society’s chair, Sarah Laaru had a fascinating conversation with the author about her book, Dream Count. My Finnish friends, check out Otava for the Finnish translation, Unelmia!
My biggest takeaway from the interview is the quote below:
Don’t apologise, don’t water it down. Don’t think, if I write about this, the Western audience will not understand. Let’s tell the truth of our experience. Let’s not worry about writing what we think they want to read.” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Following the interview, I’ve co-authored an article “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Women’s Health, Truth-Telling, and the African Diasporic Voice in Dream Count,” with our chair. This is my first co-authored work ever. Because two heads are better than one, particularly when tackling a book as exceptional as Dream Count. Anyway, I’ll let you be the judge!
And of course, I have to thank my fellow African authors living and writing in Finland; the FALA Network. We read the book, brainstormed and developed questions for this meaningful interview.
So, if you are a fan of Adichie’s work or enjoy listening to author interviews visit Finnish-African Society to listen and read. You’ll find the audio interview at the bottom of the page if you don’t see it right away.
Happy Reading!
p.s. featured image of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie by Victor Ayertey.
It was summer when a nameless writer finally packed her tools away. At last, the character she’d been writing for was content. With countless years spent working on a useless story, the writer wanted to double-check what she’d just heard.
“So, this is it, right?”
“Great job,” said the character, looking at the writer’s calloused hands. “You deserve a break.”
A clear “yes” was what the writer wanted, and the break suggestion felt like an evasion. The writer inhaled deeply before turning to face the demanding protagonist.
“Look, as you insisted, I’ve written this story to the end.”
“Don’t get hung up on deadlines… But you’re almost there,” said the character.
“You asked for this story, so I wrote it. That’s it for me.”
“What’s the point of all this,” the character asked, “if no one’s ever going to read it? We need to think of ways to get the story in front of the readers.”
The writer scoffed, incredulous that such a young character could be so authoritative.
“We? No. That was not part of the deal,” said the writer. “Besides, who needs to read about the past? We now live in the post-apartheid era.”
The character stared pensively out of the window for a while, then turned to face the writer.
“Ever heard of wing moult?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“My dad used to say we need rest, just like swans take time to shed damaged feathers and grow new ones.”
“I don’t want to grow feathers—I just want to be done with this story.”
“Okay. And about your question,” the cheeky character said, “this story matters. I can give you all the reasons for its relevance. .”
“Yeah? Give me one!”
“Politics or money force people to move or live apart, even today. And who suffers the most?”
“Huh! Are we talking about migration and displacement within borders?”
“We’re talking about families and much more.”
“Ah, families… now that’s interesting!”
“See? I told you to take a break!” said the character, smiling. “You’ll come back with new wings.”
Image of a swan sleeping
note: It’s summer in Europe; a time to live a little! 🙂 So, I’m off blogging for a bit. I’ll be back in autumn. Wishing you a joyful time, no matter the season!
