Thank You, Joseph Mbele

I see this blog as my private space, where I can express what I want: thoughts, sentiments, recollections, hopes, joys, anxieties, and so on. This blog post is somewhat personal.

As an author and cultural consultant, I always want to know how or whether I am connecting with my audiences. It is therefore gratifying to receive any feedback.

Several days ago, I came across a blog post titled "Thank You, Joseph Mbele," written by someone who had heard me speak at the College of St Benedict/St. John's University. I had been invited there to give several presentations, one of them to Peace Studies students and faculty preparing to travel to Eastern and Southern Africa.

I was happy to read the blog post, and was pleased that the author benefited from what I said about the differences between African and American culture. I thank the writer for this feedback, offered freely. I recall the meeting that evening: a full auditorium, with a table of my books at the back. I spoke for about thirty minutes, based on my Africans and Americans book, and then we had a stimulating question-and-answer session.

I wish to thank all my readers and audiences. I always learn something when I write or make presentations, but readers and audiences help me in that process. Some readers contact me privately, but others go public with their message, like the blogger I have mentioned and the Professional Strong Man, who ends his message with the Swahili phrase, "Asante sana," which means "thank you very much." I wish to return all these thanks, ten times over.

Teaching "A Grain of Wheat"

My African Literature and Politics class is now embarking on a study of Ngugi wa Thingo's A Grain of Wheat. I read this novel for the first time around 1971-72 at Mkwawa High School, Tanzania. It was on the reading list for the Literature course.

I remember quite well the experience of studying A Grain of Wheat. Our teacher was Paul Sorenson, a Danish volunteer. Soft-spoken and focused, he led us through a methodical exploration of this novel, alongside works of criticism, such as an essay by David Cook, titled "A New Earth."

There are memories that seem to last for ever. One such, for me, and close to my heart, is the cover of the novel--both the front and the back--featured on this page.

In those days, the author's name was James Ngugi. A Grain of Wheat and Ngugi's other writings touched us in a special way. Because of our rural backgrounds, most of us could relate to the lives of Ngugi's characters.

I have just introduced Ngugi to the class, with remarks about Kenya's colonization, settlers and the alienation of land, the Kenyan people's resistance against colonialism. I dwelt on the Mau Mau uprising and the Emergency.

I mentioned Ngugi's earlier works, such as Weep Not Child, The River Between, and The Black Hermit; his advocacy of writing in African languages, his stand against imperialism and for decolonization. I look forward to rich and memorable conversations with my students about A Grain of Wheat.

Teaching "God's Bits of Wood"

After discussing Ferdinand Oyono's The Old Man and the Medal, my African Literature and Politics class picked up Sembene Ousmane's God's Bits of Wood, enabling us to continue our exploration of African Francophone writing.

I was happy to introduce Sembene Ousmane, Africa's leading film maker and one of its most accomplished writers. I talked about his life, work and travels, the evolution of his writing and his decision to make films. I talked about his politics as reflected in his life, writings and films.

After years of studying epics, I now see God's Bits of Wood in terms of the epic genre. The struggle of the workers, epitomized by the strike, is a classic epic tale, reinforced by Maimouna's songs from the ancient legend of Goumba N'Diaye, "the woman who had measured her strength against that of men."

This legend foreshadows the role women play in God's Bits of Wood. Mindful, however, of the many female characters and their roles, we dwelt on specific characters: Old Niakoro, Maimouna, Ramatoulaye, Ndeye Touti, and the little girl Adjibidji, who reminds me of another little girl, Raka, in Anita Desai's Fire on the Mountain. Both are free spirits, perpetually crossing the boundaries their societies impose on girls and women.

God's Bits of Wood methodically explores the trials and tribulations of a society under siege, reminiscent, in some ways, of Albert Camus's The Plague. Both texts explore what happens or might happen to human beings under such extreme conditions, as suffering persists and intensifies, seemingly with no end in sight.

We talked about themes in the novel: oppression, discrimination, racism, religion, colonial education, the politics of language, the relationship between the old generation and the new, and between men and women. In discussing these themes, we invoked the ideas of people like Frantz Fanon and Ngugi wa Thiong'o. I gave the class plenty of time to read the novel, and I believe the experience was worthwhile.

A Visit to the School of Environmental Studies

Today I visited the School of Environmental Studies (SES) in Apple Valley, to talk about folklore and the environment. Although I have visited this school many times, each visit is a new and refreshing experience.

As in the past, Todd Carson, the class teacher, invited me. I told the students today that I love and respect their school so much that I would never decline an invitation to speak there.

I discussed the evolution of language and folklore as vehicles for human survival and development. I talked about how humans have used and continue to use myths, legends, folktales, and other folklore forms to make sense of the world around them. Through incantations, rituals and ceremonies, humans have sought to influence the world.

Discussing stories of the origin of the world, I mentioned the Popol Vuh of the ancient Mayans, having just taught it in my folklore class at St. Olaf College. I also mentioned the widespread African story of how God separated himself from humans.

I talked about how story telling appropriates advances in technology, such as writing. Nowadays story telling goes on in newspapers, television, and social media such as blogs and Facebook and Twitter. In response to a question, I said that all disciplines are, essentially, forms of storytelling.


Since I visit the SES when the students are reading selections from Matengo Folktales, I always get to share some tales. Today, I told one tale from that book, "The Monster in the Rice Field."

My visits to the SES are always memorable. The students are different every year, but always delightful, brimming with intellectual curiosity. They ask great questions, and the two-hour session ends rather quickly. (Photos by Todd Carson).

Teaching "The Old Man and the Medal"

My African Literature and Politics class is not over yet. We have still five weeks to go. After reading A Wreath for Udomo, we moved on to Ferdinand Oyonos' The Old Man and the Medal.

I was keen to teach this novel, having read it as an undergraduate student at the University of Dar es Salaam, around 1974, under Professor Gabriel Ruhumbika. He introduced us to Francophone literature, having studied at the University of Dakar and the Sorbonne. I deepened and extended my understanding of Francophone literature as a graduate student at the University Wisconsin-Madison, under Professor Edris Makward.

With such a background, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to teach The Old Man and the Medal. I started with a brief overview of French colonial policies, emphasizing the notion of assimilation, gave an overview of the colonial experience in Cameroon, then moved on to literary history, incorporating the oral as well as the written tradition.

I talked about Ferdinand Oyono alongside Mongo Beti, briefly mentioning and discussing their key works, as well as their place in African literature. I made sure to state that anyone looking for an engaging fictional treatment of missionary work in colonial Africa needs to read Beti's The Poor Christ of Bomba.

During class discussions, it was inevitable that we would go back to Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism as well as Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. Fanon's chapter, "Concerning Violence," affords a framework for talking about the kind of colonial city depicted in Oyono's novel. The Old Man and the Medal provides good opportunities for discussing colonial politics around class and race, as well as for exploring indigenous African life and values.

We noted the ironies of this novel, around themes such as the friendship between Meka and the colonizers, and how Meka ends up being arrested and jailed by the same system that awards him the medal. We noted, as well, the sad ending of the novel, as Meka, in the wake of all his recent troubles and disappointments, finally declares, "I'm just an old man now..."

Iringa Fall Festival

Today I attended the 12th annual Iringa Fall Festival at Roseville Lutheran Church. This was an occasion for members of the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA and Iringa Diocese, Tanzania, to review and celebrate their partnernship.

This partnership involves not only matters of faith and fellowship but also programs in such fields as education, agriculture, and health. Various other synods and congregations across the USA are involved in such programs, with partners across Africa and other parts of the world.

Early in the program today, we heard a recorded message from Bishop Owdenburg Mdegela of Iringa. He recounted the many benefits of the partnership and thanked everyone involved and looked forward to an even brighter future. We also watched a video documentary of the life and work of the late Rev. Dr. Benjamin Ngede, a powerful testimony to a truly remarkable life.

The event drew many participants.There were several guests from Iringa, whom I was delighted to meet. They came from Tungamalenga and Kihesa. I met many people who know me, from hearing me speak in their churches or other venues, or from reading my Africans and Americans book. Some had heard, from Professor Per Anderson of Concordia College, that I was taking LCCT students to Iringa next year.

One of the speakers, Rev. Don Fultz, standing with his wife Eunice in the photo on the left, surprised me by introducing me to the audience, declaring that I wrote a wonderful book. He brandished a copy, urging everyone to read it. At the end of the Festival, I was accosted by people looking for the book. Fortunately, I had some copies.

There were about a dozen speakers, on such topics as Tumaini University, Radio Furaha, Saccos, the volunteer experience, the Agricultural Institute, the Endowment Fund, and Ilula Hospital. There was even a photo contest, and booths with information about these programs as well as Tanzanian items for sale. I saw people wearing Tanzania's kitenge outfits.

Africans and Americans: A Book Talk in Faribault

I have visited Faribault again and again, over the last few years, to participate in various educational and cultural events. On October 21, I went there again, at the invitation of the Buckham Memorial Library, to talk about my Africans and Americans book. I had mentioned this invitation in a previous blog post.

People came from Faribault and neighbouring towns, as well as Minneapolis. Delane James, director of the Library, introduced me.

I started with a brief account of my work at St. Olaf College: teaching global literatures in English, Folklore, and advising study abroad programs.
I noted that my interest in cultural differences developed in the course of my graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1980-86. There I experienced life in a foreign culture for the first time and began acquiring the knowledge I share in my Africans and Americans book and other writings.

I highlighted the main lessons I learned while writing the Africans and Americans book, and the lessons I learn while offering cultural orientation to Africans and Americans or while helping resolve conflicts between them.

One of these lessons is that we all grow up in our cultures with the idea that our culture is normal. We do not even think about it, just as we do not think about the fact that we are breathing.

The problem is that we tend to see our culture as the norm. We get a reality check, often a rude awakening, upon encountering a different culture. That encounter can result in problems between us and other people. Drawing upon my book, I gave examples of problems that occur between Africans and Americans.

I stressed, as I always do, the importance of learning, to know ourselves and others. We have no alternative, with the world increasingly becoming a global village and people of different cultures criss-crossing the globe and settling everywhere. Every place will feel the impact of these trends: from American cities, towns, and communities to the remotest parts of the world. I mentioned Tanzania, my own country, and the influx of foreigners there, from places as far as China.
After my talk and a period of questions and answers, there followed a book-signing, a ritual much beloved by Americans.












This was a worthwhile event. I had an attentive, engaging, and delightful audience and we were all very pleased. Delane urged everyone to organize similar events in their respective communities or places of work.



There are more photos of the event here. Milo Larson, chair of the Faribault Diversity Coalition was there, and he wrote a note on Facebook:

Great Forum by Joseph Mbele last night at the Library, always learn something new about the different cultures whenever I hear him. Everybody should see him just once, would be a more harmonious place.