"Question: Do you think that society and the market pressure poets of color to write "black"?
Chris Abani: Well, I don't even know what black means. I'm black, middle-class Nigerian, but also half English. Does "black" mean black-Haitian or black working-class Jamaican? There is no blackness. It's like casting a movie: You wouldn't say "the white guy." It would be a French or a German guy.
If we think of black poets, there is a lot of pressure on them because the dominant culture is white. The historical perspective that belongs to that hegemonic whole tends to be what remains. As a result I think black poets struggle with the idea of how to locate a fringe history while at the same time creating a work of art."...
Chris Abani: Well, I don't even know what black means. I'm black, middle-class Nigerian, but also half English. Does "black" mean black-Haitian or black working-class Jamaican? There is no blackness. It's like casting a movie: You wouldn't say "the white guy." It would be a French or a German guy.
If we think of black poets, there is a lot of pressure on them because the dominant culture is white. The historical perspective that belongs to that hegemonic whole tends to be what remains. As a result I think black poets struggle with the idea of how to locate a fringe history while at the same time creating a work of art."...
I thoroughly enjoyed this interview. Chris Abani is at his best here, featuring a brilliant, if dark mind. I don't agree with him some of the time, but man, this is a must read for all readers and writers. Fair warning: Requires a free subscription.
- Ikhide
Stalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/
Follow me on Twitter: @ikhide
Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
No comments:
Post a Comment