By Bakar Mansaray (Samory), Edmonton, Canada.
In the past, the industry of African and Caribbean writing and publishing was a mere dream, a fleeting shadow on a cloudy day. While the theme of slavery was reflected in the writings of 18th century Olaudah Equiano, that of colonialism played a pivotal role in the works of 20th century Chinua Achebe and Walter Rodney. Today, the struggle continues to gain strength and dignity in a world, as termed by Nana Ayebia Clarke, of ‘stories tailored to Western sensibilities and pre-conceived stereotypes.’
Although some may term such themes as ‘radical’ yet as long as the status quo does not change, they will continue to be the light in the life of African and Caribbean writing and publishing. According to Eric Huntley of Bogle-L’Ouverture Publishing ‘to publish is to be radical, to write is a subversive act, and to be a Black writer is by definition to be radical and revolutionary.’ Who would doubt such radicalism in the writings of activists like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Marcus Garvey?
Between the 1930s and the end of World War II, the industry developed the heart of a lion by becoming a light in a sea of darkness. Great minds like George Padmore and Léopold Sédar Senghor ran like the wind when it came to bearing the literary torch of independence, and négritude. Publishers like Aimé Césaire’s Présence Africaine also joined in the race. Even the BBC of the 1940s saw the need to lend voice to the voiceless by providing air time to Caribbean writers. Some were further assisted in the search of publishers.
In the 50s and 60s, African and Caribbean writing and publishing was still besieged by a plethora of socio-economic challenges. This was compounded by the struggle for independence, and the disillusionment of post-independence. The colonialists and their successors could not boast of providing environments favourable to writing, reading and publishing. There were few or no locally sponsored writing awards and competitions. Governments virtually abandoned their writers and publishers at the mercy of foreign influences. For example, the Caine Prize for African Writing, the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa. As Ivor Hartmann put it, ‘this means we are looking to outsiders to judge us, with their own criteria …’
Nevertheless, with the dynamism embedded in the industry, it continued to show that even in the midst of adversity, much could be achieved with resilience and passion for the trade. As a result, such relentless dedication and commitment have brought both writers and publishers to the forefront. From Wole Soyinka, Yulisa Maddy, Okot p’Bitek and Steve Biko to V. S. Naipaul, George Lamming, C.L.R. James and Andrew Salkey. In the case of publishers, mention should be made of the Three Crown Series, African Writers Series, Allison and Busby, Bogle-L’Ouverture, Hansib Publications and New Beacon Books. These were publishers who in the 60s and 70s took the financial risk of publishing African and Caribbean writers. Today, others like Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited, Ian Randle Publishers, Adonis and Abbey Publishers and Acton Publishers have become the fragile flowers opening to the warmth of spring; the light in the life of African and Caribbean writing and publishing.
Currently, as in the past, two of the key challenges confronting the industry’s writers are to get an editor, and a publisher. On the other hand, the challenges for the publishers range from the scarcity of editors, distribution outlets, to not being able to break-even in a trade of low profit margins. So, the fact still remains that in order to survive within the industry, resilience and passion for the trade ought to be priorities. Such passion can be seen in the creation of the George Padmore Institute by the late John La Rose of New Beacon Books, in the 2009 Cadbury Fellows Conference organised by the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham based on the theme ‘New Directions in African and Caribbean Writing’.
It goes without saying that the industry has gone all out to maintain its Pan-African stance pioneered by champions like W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey and Kwame Nkrumah. This is reflected in the fecund connections being made by those in Diaspora and folks in Africa and the Caribbean. In this regard, organizations like Ayebia’s African and Caribbean publishing, UK Black Writers Board, African Books Collective and Dakar-based CODESRIA are jumping for joy even in the midst of tribulations. Some experts believe that such achievements have partly been possible due to ‘economic liberalization, deregulation and privation’. More has to be done though in terms of financial support for writing and publishing collaborative ventures between Africa and the Caribbean.
In the future, I see African and Caribbean writing and publishing being more able to capture the complexities and diversities of their 21st century experiences. In the drive for lower costs and more audience, the industry will join the digital revolution in the quest for self-publishing, print-on-demand, and Internet publishing. More talented writers will emerge from Africa in the likes of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Aminatta Forna and from the Caribbean, Barbara Jenkins and Diane Browne. Publishers will continue to search for writers, editors and markets. Who knows in the next decade, the industry of African and Caribbean writing and publishing will be rolling in dough and no longer a fleeting shadow on a cloudy day.
About the Author
Bakar Mansaray (photo) is a Sierra Leonean / Canadian writer. His debut narratives, Mud House Thatched Roof, 7:20 in the Morning, The Angel of Death, and The Escape were published between 2007 and 2009 in the Vancouver-based online news portal The Patriotic Vanguard. He co-authored Strategies Application in Project Evaluations – The Case of Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project (BHP), Sierra Leone, published in the academic journal Problems and Perspectives in Management #1/2007. He is a member of the Writers Guild of Alberta and at work on a debut anthology of short stories, A Suitcase Full of Smoked Fish as part of his entertaining Mandingo scrolls series.
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