The very
first black woman to publish a novel in South Africa. It has a very nice ring
to it. For ever. That is the lofty achievement of the skilled writer, Miriam Tlali (who died in early 2017).
It breaks the
heart to see so many early pioneers of African literature departing this world
rapidly! For the past years Africa has
been reeling over its literary giants who departed this world, icons like
Chinua Achebe, Es’kia Mphahlele, MbuleloMzamane, Grace Ogot, Lauretta Ngcobo,
Buchi Emecheta and recently Miriam Tlali.
And now Miriam Tlali has done a very wonderful work as a fervent African writer. It is important for one to reckon that her literary fame was not an easy achievement. From the onset since she begin to write, her works were disrupted and thwarted by apartheid in South Africa. Miriam Tlali is known by her masterpiece-a novel which makes her to be recognized as the first female African writer to write a novel in South Africa. As things are-we are all aware how she struggled to be published especially her first novel Muriel at Metropolitan which was finally published in 1975 after six years of rejection by 'white publishers' in South Africa.
And now Miriam Tlali has done a very wonderful work as a fervent African writer. It is important for one to reckon that her literary fame was not an easy achievement. From the onset since she begin to write, her works were disrupted and thwarted by apartheid in South Africa. Miriam Tlali is known by her masterpiece-a novel which makes her to be recognized as the first female African writer to write a novel in South Africa. As things are-we are all aware how she struggled to be published especially her first novel Muriel at Metropolitan which was finally published in 1975 after six years of rejection by 'white publishers' in South Africa.
However, we
need to ponder that Miriam Tlali works became famous through incredible
sacrifice of critics who ensured that her works are scrutinized. It is vitally important to comprehend that it
is via critics that Mriam Tlali works flourished worldwide.
Nevertheless this literary genre has been view as problematically nuisance and uninviting obstacle that is advocated by other iconoclastic writers whose interest is to besmirch African literature. As far as things are, African writers always believe that whatever they produce literary must be automatically being venerated and unanimously celebrated.
Imperatively, criticism in literature is not something that is preposterous; but its role in literature is to ameliorate literature. It is absolutely absurd for some people to reject their works to be criticised. Writers need to appreciate this type of literary genre because its role in literature is graphically significant. Africa has lot of talented writers and because of being obstinate to literary criticism its writers are not well known in the world.
Miriam Tlali as critic herself will feel dejected if Africa continues to shun out critics in literature. During her life time she understood the enormous value critics add to promote literature. Consequentially writers or whoever aches to be part of literature need to be familiar with this type of literary genre. For instance, in football there are rules and a football player cannot ignore them. Like a player cannot use a hand to score a goal but instead he/she is anticipated to use a leg, head and so on.
Nevertheless this literary genre has been view as problematically nuisance and uninviting obstacle that is advocated by other iconoclastic writers whose interest is to besmirch African literature. As far as things are, African writers always believe that whatever they produce literary must be automatically being venerated and unanimously celebrated.
Imperatively, criticism in literature is not something that is preposterous; but its role in literature is to ameliorate literature. It is absolutely absurd for some people to reject their works to be criticised. Writers need to appreciate this type of literary genre because its role in literature is graphically significant. Africa has lot of talented writers and because of being obstinate to literary criticism its writers are not well known in the world.
Miriam Tlali as critic herself will feel dejected if Africa continues to shun out critics in literature. During her life time she understood the enormous value critics add to promote literature. Consequentially writers or whoever aches to be part of literature need to be familiar with this type of literary genre. For instance, in football there are rules and a football player cannot ignore them. Like a player cannot use a hand to score a goal but instead he/she is anticipated to use a leg, head and so on.
Furthermore, it
can be argued as whether what apartheid censorship did especially towards many
African writers in South Africa was critical correct to banned their
books. Apartheid censorship was not
immersed in literature but its existence was basically racially biased. Miriam Tlali would elaborate: “Oh,
I suffered a lot of harassment by the system in South Africa, by the
police. They used to visit my house long
after midnight and harass us, with Saracens and Casspirs, fully armed and so
on, in their efforts to discourage me from writing. I wrote a lot about it. Articles of mine have been printed
abroad. The Index on Censorship printed
two lengthy articles of mine where I speak about this kind of harassment and
what I was suffering, and about censorship in general against South African
writers.” (Reflections: Perspectives on Writing in Post-Apartheid South
Africa). Edited by Rolf Solberg &
Malcolm Hacksley, Nelm Interviews Series Number Seven.
Miriam Tlali's
literary contribution will invariable remain immortal inspiration to lot of
literary aficionados in the world. Her
passionate affection to literature began at the time when she was in school
until she was ultimately published. Her
courageous love and unflinching demeanour for literature make
her one of the awesome literary giant that the world had ever produced. I M Soqaga
MAJOR STUDIES
Grappling with patriarchies : narrative strategies of resistance in
Miriam Tlali's writings by Christina Cullhed
Writing as transformational : a Marxist feminist analysis of Miriam
Tlali's works by Mante Mphahlele
