Tanzanian Writer Wins Nobel Prize for Literature
2021-10-08
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1Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah, 72, won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his writing on the "effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee," the award-giving body said on Thursday.
2Born in 1948 on the island of Zanzibar, now part of Tanzania, Gurnah moved to Britain as a young refugee in 1968.
3He fled following the country's liberation from British rule because then-President Abeid Karume's regime mistreated Gurnah's Arab Muslim community.
4Gurnah is the first African writer to win the award since the Zimbabwean Doris Lessing in 2007.
5Among the winners, he is only the second writer of color from sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria's Wole Soyinka, who won in 1986.
6Gurnah is the author of 10 novels, including "Memory of Departure," and "Pilgrims Way."
7His novel "Paradise" is set in colonial East Africa during the First World War.
8Many of his works explore what he has called "one of the stories of our times," the deep influence of migration both on people and the places they make their new homes.
9Gurnah recently retired as a professor of post-colonial literature at the University of Kent.
10He got the call from the Swedish Academy in his home in southeast England.
11"I think it's just brilliant and wonderful," Gurnah told Reuters when asked how he felt to win the prize.
12"It's just great - it's just a big prize, and such a huge list of wonderful writers - I am still taking it in," he said.
13He has said he "stumbled into" writing after arriving in England as a way of exploring the emigrant experience -- both the loss and liberation.
14Gurnah's native language is Swahili, but he writes in English.
15He is only the sixth Africa-born writer to be awarded the Nobel for literature.
16Since it was founded in 1901, it has mostly been awarded to European and North American writers.
17Anders Olsson is chairman of the Nobel Committee for literature.
18He called Gurnah "one of the world's most prominent post-colonial writers."
19He said it was significant that Gurnah's roots are in Zanzibar, a place that "was cosmopolitan long before globalization..."
20"His work gives us a ... picture of another Africa not so well known for many readers, a coastal area in and around the Indian Ocean marked by slavery and ... repression under different regimes and colonial powers: Portuguese, Indian, Arab, German and the British," Olsson said.
21He said Gurnah's characters are "between cultures ... between the life left behind and the life to come."
22They face racism and prejudice, but may not face the truth to avoid conflict with reality.
23News of the award was greeted with excitement in Zanzibar, where those who knew Gurnah described him as soft-spoken and modest.
24Farid Himid is a local historian whose father, a teacher, taught the young Gurnah.
25"The reaction is fantastic. Many are happy, but many don't know him, though the young people are proud that he's Zanzibari," he said.
26"And many elder people are very, very happy. Also, me, as a Zanzibari. It's a new step to make people read books again, since the internet has taken over," Himid added.
27The respected award comes with a gold medal and 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1.14 million).
28The money comes from the prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1895.
29Past literature winners have mostly been novelists such as Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison, poets such as Pablo Neruda, Joseph Brodsky and Rabindranath Tagore, or playwrights such as Harold Pinter and Eugene O'Neill.
30But writers have also won for other kinds of work that include short fiction, history, essays, biography or journalism.
31Winston Churchill won for his memoirs, Bertrand Russell for his philosophy and Bob Dylan for his song lyrics.
32Last year's prize went to American poet Louise Glück.
33Still to come are prizes for outstanding work in the fields of peace and economics.
34I'm Jill Robbins.
1Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah, 72, won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his writing on the "effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee," the award-giving body said on Thursday. 2Born in 1948 on the island of Zanzibar, now part of Tanzania, Gurnah moved to Britain as a young refugee in 1968. He fled following the country's liberation from British rule because then-President Abeid Karume's regime mistreated Gurnah's Arab Muslim community. 3Gurnah is the first African writer to win the award since the Zimbabwean Doris Lessing in 2007. Among the winners, he is only the second writer of color from sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria's Wole Soyinka, who won in 1986. 4Gurnah is the author of 10 novels, including "Memory of Departure," and "Pilgrims Way." His novel "Paradise" is set in colonial East Africa during the First World War. Many of his works explore what he has called "one of the stories of our times," the deep influence of migration both on people and the places they make their new homes. 5Stumbled into writing 6Gurnah recently retired as a professor of post-colonial literature at the University of Kent. He got the call from the Swedish Academy in his home in southeast England. 7"I think it's just brilliant and wonderful," Gurnah told Reuters when asked how he felt to win the prize. "It's just great - it's just a big prize, and such a huge list of wonderful writers - I am still taking it in," he said. 8He has said he "stumbled into" writing after arriving in England as a way of exploring the emigrant experience -- both the loss and liberation. 9Gurnah's native language is Swahili, but he writes in English. He is only the sixth Africa-born writer to be awarded the Nobel for literature. Since it was founded in 1901, it has mostly been awarded to European and North American writers. 10Between cultures 11Anders Olsson is chairman of the Nobel Committee for literature. He called Gurnah "one of the world's most prominent post-colonial writers." He said it was significant that Gurnah's roots are in Zanzibar, a place that "was cosmopolitan long before globalization..." 12"His work gives us a ... picture of another Africa not so well known for many readers, a coastal area in and around the Indian Ocean marked by slavery and ... repression under different regimes and colonial powers: Portuguese, Indian, Arab, German and the British," Olsson said. 13He said Gurnah's characters are "between cultures ... between the life left behind and the life to come." They face racism and prejudice, but may not face the truth to avoid conflict with reality. 14Back home in Zanzibar... 15News of the award was greeted with excitement in Zanzibar, where those who knew Gurnah described him as soft-spoken and modest. 16Farid Himid is a local historian whose father, a teacher, taught the young Gurnah. "The reaction is fantastic. Many are happy, but many don't know him, though the young people are proud that he's Zanzibari," he said. 17"And many elder people are very, very happy. Also, me, as a Zanzibari. It's a new step to make people read books again, since the internet has taken over," Himid added. 18The respected award comes with a gold medal and 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1.14 million). The money comes from the prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1895. 19Past winners 20Past literature winners have mostly been novelists such as Ernest Hemingway, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison, poets such as Pablo Neruda, Joseph Brodsky and Rabindranath Tagore, or playwrights such as Harold Pinter and Eugene O'Neill. 21But writers have also won for other kinds of work that include short fiction, history, essays, biography or journalism. Winston Churchill won for his memoirs, Bertrand Russell for his philosophy and Bob Dylan for his song lyrics. 22Last year's prize went to American poet Louise Glück. Still to come are prizes for outstanding work in the fields of peace and economics. 23I'm Jill Robbins. 24David Keyton and Jill Lawless reported on this story for the Associated Press; Niklas Pollard and Johan Ahlander reported for Reuters, and Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. 25___________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27novel - n. a long, written story about imaginary characters and events 28fate - n. the things that will happen to a person or thing : the future that someone or something will have 29liberate - v. the act or process of freeing someone or something from another's control 30regime - n. a form of government 31pilgrim - n. someone who travels to a holy place 32paradise - n. a very beautiful, pleasant, or peaceful place that seems to be perfect 33stumble - v. (always followed by an adverb or preposition) to find or learn about something unexpectedly 34prominent - adj. important and well-known 35cosmopolitan - adj. showing an interest in different cultures, ideas; having people from many different parts of the world 36globalize - v. to make (something) cover, involve, or affect the entire world or, of a business: to begin to operate throughout the world 37modest - adj. not showing or feeling great or excessive pride 38What do you think of the winner of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.