Brilliant Mialy Andriamananjara, writer of Malagasy descent based in Washington DC
Childhood and teenage years in Antananarivo, a prestigious engineering school in Paris, the United Nations in New York, then the World Bank in Washington DC… Nothing destined Mialy Andriamananjara to write. Her last short story, “Promised Land” was published in February 2008.
Tell us about “Promised Land”.
“Promised Land” is a short story written in English and published in “Dreams, miracles and Jazz”, an anthology of new african writers, edited by Picador Africa. Some of the featured writers have won the most prestigious african prize : the Caine Prize. I am proud to be published in such company and glad that Madagascar is represented. It helps Malagasy authors to get out of the francophone cocoon.
Your favorite themes?
Daily lives of immigrants, identity, adaptation issues. “Promised Land” is the story of a Malagasy family who for thirty years has been hanging on to the hope of returning one day in Madagascar. There is a gap between reality and their memories. For me writing is my umbilical cord with Madagascar, a way of reconciling myself to the person I was, my family, mother tongue and culture.
Another one of your short stories, “Fresh off the boat” was published in 2006. Why short stories and not novels?
A very busy schedule and my personality make me write short and intense stories. I do not write drafts, I write when I suffer from insomnia. “Fresh of the boat” has been writteh that way and did not need much rewriting.
You have participated in the development of the NGO FOKO since 2007. What are your activities?
Foko is a very small entity of four bloggers, joined by on the field activists. In six months, we have organized blogging workshops in two provinces and are awaiting new workshops in a third province. These workshops want to allow ordinary Malagasy to speak in a country where traditionally only powerful old and rich, well born people are considered. It rises awareness of the simple citizens that they can inform the world, tell their stories and opinions, leave a trace in the global conversation, and then reinforce their self esteem, an escape from the harsh daily realities.
Blogging is also a window on the world for the simple man : accepting different opinions. Bloggers participating in our workshops wonder that they can leave a post in the morning, see it mentioned in English on Global Voices Online the next day, and then realize that it has been translated into hindi, bangla, chinese, japanese the upcoming week. We have organized the first Malagasy blog contest and have received much encouraging messages that let us hope for great things for the next contest.
We have also informed the net about the Ivan hurricane, thanks to a blogger who participated in our workshops and who uploaded videos and photos unavailable in traditional medias.
On March 8 we read the “Vagina Monologues” in Malagasy. The Malagasy translation of this feminist work by Eve Ensler is also available in podcast and ebook. Benefits are given to an association working against violence.
What about violence?
I read about Malagasy women’s conditions and especially about violence. It is not a well understood issue. When one talks about women’s rights, many think it is a western mentality, and does not apply to Malagasy women, that our society is a matriarchy, our three last sovereigns were queens, etc… That is without considering the difficulties a woman has in some areas in acquiring real estate. There is no laws against violence, society is often complicit and guilt trips the woman. Women protection should be reenforced. Often the woman is an economical prisoner of her husband and has no escape. Strengthening the economical status of women would be the first step towards stopping violences against them.
Do you have time for other hobbies?
If I do not do three thousand things at the same time, I feel like I am wasting my time. It is difficult to manage time, with two young children, and a husband who travels abroad on a monthly basis. I am lucky in that he is an understanding husband who will look after the kids when I want to write. I like playing classical piano and take photographs, and I am also trying my hand at interior design, a bit by necessity, because handymen are very expensive in my city, and I live in a very old house where repairs are always needed.
by Vola Ralambo
