Monday 2 March 2020

The Book أنا قادم من العودة’ Questions of Origin


By Caroline Uliwa


Illustration by Mosab Zkaria as found
in SAWTI's Zine-'Natoka Kurudi'
They are etchings on paper that stir the soul, that delicately conjure to prick your psyche to a validated stance. It fairs this is the intention with this Zine from project SAWTI titled ‘I come from Returning’. In it is a bunch of poems, illustrations, photographs even letters & an interview; all from East Africans in Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda and the Diaspora.

“I come from dirt & to dirt I shall return, which is to say, every step I take is an ode to a finite feeling a reminder to humble my spine & memorize the way back...” Excerpt from ‘Questions of Origin’ a poem by Daad Sharfi found in this publication.

SAWTI is a project supported by the British Council since last year; it ran a poetry prize whose winners are featured in this book. As well it sent a call to photographers, illustrators, to hand in their works, those selected have their works in this book too.

The poem ‘questions of origin’ which is prefixed in the foreword, shares the crux of ‘Natoka Kurudi/I come from Returning’. A book that comes off as a diary from ideally a bunch of East Africans who say studied together or worship together. Alas no they do not or have not, which is an endearing thing. As their works here flow beautifully introducing a refreshing identity of East Africa.

‘I come from Returning’ takes an intimate look at what we hold on to in deciphering the landscape called home. “The question of who do we return to when visiting a ‘home’? Often coupled with ‘Who do we leave behind when creating one elsewhere?’ Re-location, not solely in the context of the diaspora but also from rural to urban, from where your language/dialect is a majority to forming new bonds with new vocabulary that often still feels insufficient-these are the voices we champion.”- As written in the foreword of ‘Natoka Kurudi’.

An illustration as found in SAWTI's Zine 'أنا قادم من العودة'
by Elaf Abdal Wahab 
There are some real literary gems in this book like the poem by Safia Elhilo titled ‘from GIRLS THAT NEVER DIE’-“I wash my name of its every tyranny      its purity | & wrap it tight about myself             my body | is ancient      is mine & hers & hers before | fallen like milkteeth only to grow eternal” The work stains necessary affirmations for convictions of feminine worth.

Then they are candid rumblings of notable figures like the acclaimed author Sulaiman Addonia from Eritrea/Ethiopia who is captured in the book via an interview. “I think I am made of memories – in the way that my body is made up of 70% water. Memories are incredibly important to me. I lived without my family for such a long time, that memory binds me to people that I have lost, to the love I knew I could have had.”Sulaiman answers a question by writer Hibaq Farah

In ‘Natoka Kurudi’ you will bump into refreshing illustrations capturing vivid figures steeped in culture from East Africa, like the illustration on the cover of a woman in tribal wear from Sudan by Mosab Zkaria. There are works of emerging cinematic photographers like Calvin Kulaya to experienced photojournalists like Mwanzo Milinga.

What as well makes the book authentically East African is its use of the three major languages of the region to include English, Kiswahili & Arabic. We also get a close look into the voices of Sudan, a country which has made headlines of civil unrest. Yet here we get to hear voices that are rational and seasoned with humanity. “I’m following the SPA, | who are part of the FFC, | that are negotiating with the TMC | who’s being pressured by the RSF | because of influence from KSA and MBS | not to mention the UAE and President CC…We lost our leverage, our blood flowing in the Nile like a beverage.”-Dear AZZA by Osman Salih (2/2/19 part of a letter series).

The book cover of 'I come from Returning'
SAWTI's debut Zine the cover
illustration is by Mosab Zkaria
 As I finished the book I felt a healthy dose of that stirring of the soul, a sufficient pricking of my psyche, to cause me to validate my East African stance. I will caution however that the ambition in pooling together photographers, poets, etc. Is yet to achieve its intended finesse; as some contributors were too good compared to others dampening ones pace in enjoying the book. 

As well the placement of picture & words though placed with great care was a tad messy. In the next edition, as the fine artists are many perhaps their works can feature in the middle page to page. Then one illustrator can accompany the writers all round the book.


Still the book is definitely a must have for any East African, in these last couple of weeks it has been officially launched in London, Zanzibar and Khartoum. It is available online via SAWTI’s website https://sawti.co.uk/zine/. The book was published in the U.K with the sponsorship of the British Council.


This article was first published in The East African newspaper with this online 

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