An Interview with Beaton Galafa

We engage Malawian poet in a conversation about his writing and life in China where he is currently based doing graduate studies

 

Tell us about yourself

I always want to be known as a friend to friends, an enemy to enemies, a brother to my siblings, a son to my mother and father, and Malawian. It makes me feel more human. I’ve had so much interest in writing from a very young age, but it is at Chancellor College that I consider as having finally taken this path: still budding, with works appearing in various literary magazines, journals and anthologies around the world. In addition to the rejection and acceptance mails, there have been two other situations that have kept me going. In 2014, I participated in the Commonwealth Creative Nonfiction Writers Workshop in Uganda – the first of its kind for East African writers. I met literary gems whose ideas about writing I even understand much better now. The second was the Writivism Literary Initiative 2017 Online Mentorship Programme. I submitted a story in the nonfiction category, and I was selected as a mentee. This, and several other literary engagements with friends, continues shaping my writing. It’s also a learning process that will never stop. 

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country

Poetry in Malawi has always been at the centre of life for many people. It has served as both social and political activism as well as a form of entertainment since independence. There are names that cannot be divorced from discourses on poetry in the country. Names like Jack Mapanje, Frank Chipasula, Wokomaatani Malunga, David Rubadiri and Steve Chimombo. However, currently, it is vernacular poetry that is dominating the local scene – which is even more pleasing. But this poetry is more of recordings and performances – with the need to satisfy audiences at times compromising literary quality. This is a debate that appears to stay forever, on whether this contemporary poetry is ‘really’ poetry – which is even (again) more satisfying, that people in various platforms are continuously engaging on poetry(or stuff that resembles it). There are also some names that are doing well in contemporary poetry written in English.Just this year, a Malawian poet I had never heard of before, Grace Sharra, became second in the Babishai Poetry Prize 2018 – a continental poetry writing contest for African writers.

You are a student in China, what migrant or exilic issues have informed your poetry?

There is a lot. The good and the bad. As you would predict. The ambiguity of curiosity and naivety – or in forms worse than the two – from prejudice against Africa in my daily experiences. And, the pain of dealing with friends who don’t give a damn about it – whose lives appear to revolve around other things immaterial to our own space as Africans. I have also met a lot of new people with new experiences – and have been to new places both through Chinese poetry (in English) and travels that have inspired my own writing.

What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry-making on the continent and how do you think we can solve this?

Reading contemporary literary works by established and emerging African writers, you would think there isn’t much to worry about. But when I narrow it down to my own country, challenges are still there. Our governments haven’t taken the arts that seriously. For example, there are no known fixed literary workshops or contests funded by government in my country. The writers are trying their best – but you should know the importance of government interventionist programmes in an economy like ours. There aren’t any literary journals affiliated to arts universities where literary enthusiasts would place their work too. I mean, these are universities where literature– and creative writing, is taught. I don’t want to touch on the art of writing itself, and the quality of works we (especially emerging writers like me – desperate for literary acclaim) are producing because I don’t think I am experienced enough for that. I might shoot myself in the foot. But, I’m looking forward to such a time when I will be able to discuss this – having accepted all my writing mistakes of the past which the pomp in my tenderness refuses to acknowledge now. And this, I think is the mistake of most of my peers, and those younger. We might learn much later in our literary graves. 

Tell us of new African writers you have recently read their work who are not from your country

Recently, my focus has been on contemporary short fiction and poetry anthologies. I’ve also been reading some nonfiction, but in anthologies too. So, the response would be a bit complicated. I’ve read most of these works because of an ongoing project – I had to submit a chapter to a book that talks about addiction in Africa, and I chose the literary side of it. I’m not sure whether what I sent will be accepted, but it still led me to a discovery of some fine works by emerging and established African writers in the anthologies I’ve read, with stories anthologized by Writivism, Jalada, African Writers’ Trust and Emma Shercliff and Bibi Bakare-Yusuf. In these anthologies, I’ve read works from Binyavanga Wainaina, Alexander Ikawah, Richard Oduor and many others from across the continent.

Do you have any upcoming projects ready for publication, tell us about them

When a question like this comes, I always say yes, though it might not really mean yes. I have poetry that I think is ready for publication. I have sent my manuscript to a number of publishers before – but that I’m mentioning it now should already give you a hint on the responses I’ve gotten. So, I keep adding and removing some poems from it, and re-reading and revising some, until it will be accepted for publication – or until I will venture into self-publication (the latter might not be soon, it might as well be, depending on the odds).

Tell us about your work in BNAP

The Humming Bird. This is a poem that left me the moment I wrote it down. I can’t talk about what inspired me to write it, to avoid ruining the inspiration behind readers’ own interpretation of the poem. It’s good for both me and those who will happen to read the BNAP 2017 Anthology. It saves me from spoiling their fun – and the labour of having to explain every poem of mine that has been published.