Vamba Sherif

Ebissé Rouw

Verhalen, essays en herinneringen van auteurs die 'wortels' in Afrika hebben, maar nu in Nederland en België wonen.

Afro-Europese literatuur uit de Lage Landen

Zwart

Gripping story of conflict and turmoil in Liberia.

Land of My Fathers

Een Afrikaanse familie is begin jaren tachtig het land ontvlucht en terechtgekomen in een Nederlands stadje. Mansakeh, de zoon, ziet hoe verschillend zijn ouders en zusje met de nieuwe situatie omgaan. Zijn vader, die een gerespecteerd geleerde en worstelaar was, heeft moeite met zijn positie in de vreemde cultuur. Ondertussen houdt zijn vrouw Sebah het gezin draaiende en ziet ze kans zichzelf te ontwikkelen tot een zelfstandige vrouw die bewondering afdwingt en overal wordt gevraagd om te spreken.

Het koninkrijk van Sebah

A captivating and exotic tale which explores the clash between modern life and ancient cultures in Liberia.

Bound to Secrecy

William Mawolo arrives in a small Liberian town with a secret mission: to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the police chief. The locals, however - police force and citizens alike - are far from happy about his presence, and their hostility is increasing daily, threatening to boil over. At the same time, Mawolo is drawn to the departed chief's daughter, Makemeh, who for some reason doesn't seem to be too concerned about her missing father.Intrigued, Mawolo decides to stay longer than required - and even attempts to take charge of the town. Little by little, he starts to behave like the despotic man whose disappearance he came to investigate. His desire to uncover the town’s dark secrets puts him in danger . . . but will his heart rule his head?Bound To Secrecyis an exploration of power and the fear it generates; and of love in all its magical, addictive forms. A rich mix of African tradition, classic crime fiction and the supernatural, Bound to Secrecy is a captivating account of the complexities of Liberian society and the inevitable clash between modern life and ancient cultures.‘Written in a clear and direct style, this is an intelligent and mature African-set crime narrative that communicates its effects with maximum efficiency. William Mawolo is sent to a small Liberian town with a clandestine agenda: he is to investigate the disappearance of the local police chief. But (as so often in similar scenarios) he encounters a wall of indifference and noncommunication from the townspeople, and matters are further complicated by his attachment to the missing police chief’s daughter; she seems curiously unconcerned about the disappearance of her father. While Bound to Secrecy functions as an efficient crime drama, it also (in the interstices) examines aspects of African traditions and even attitudes to the supernatural which still trouble the continent. Vamba Sherif, born in Liberia, whets the appetite for his other work with this impressive novel.’ Barry Forshaw, (Crime Time) 'Sherif is a master storyteller whose multi-linguality is definitely evident in the lyricism of his writing; the translation to English doesn’t lose that quality. He tells stories of Liberia for the Liberian reader, without pandering to or losing his Western readers’ ability to get the culturally specific references in his writing. Sherif’s honesty in framing this contemporary Liberian town, still deeply rooted in the superstitions and sexism of traditional, insular inland communities, is refreshing, its impression lasting, haunting. As with all detective stories - and with life - the answer to the riddle is under William Mawolo’s nose the entire time.(Wayétu Moore, One More Books)

Na de afschaffing van de slavernij in Amerika keerden in de loop van de negentiende eeuw grote groepen vrijgelaten slaven terug naar wat zij als het land van hun voorvaders zagen. Daar, aan de Afrikaanse westkust, stichtten ze de republiek Liberia. Waar de zwarte kolonisten niet op hadden gerekend, was dat ze in de jaren van slavernij met een heel andere religie en cultuur waren opgegroeid dan degenen die in Afrika waren gebleven.

Vamba Sherif

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