Flashmag January 2020 www.flashmag.net
Your Heroine meets another strong woman from the continent, Queen Nzinga of the Congo, to whom she takes refuge to create an all-females squad who will fight with the Queen against the Portuguese. by plotting this meeting in your book, which message did you want to pass?
By leading Agnonlètè to Queen N'Zinga M'Bandé of ND’ongo and Matamba kingdom, I wanted to pay tribute to an African queen whom I admire among all. I believe that we do not talk enough about her (or the other African sovereigns) in literature and cinema. I especially deplore their absence at all in the history books of African pupils and students. N'Zinga M'Bandé, in particular, fought the Europeans. Through her military genius, she defeated them, prevented them from invading her territory. She was never their vassal, all her life she has treated them as equals. Her political strategies, her diplomacy skills allowed her to manipulate her daunting enemies from Portugal and Flanders. She held them in check, she is a female figure of African resistance against slavery. The message I want to convey is the need to promote all the great sovereigns and civilizations of Africa in school and university programs. Our young people must know their history.
Apart from feminism your work is also a lesson in geopolitics which tends to promote pan-Africanism because in the work, we realize that the lack of unity to fight the invading slavers, lacked in past centuries. Does it seem like history is repeating itself before our eyes today?
Africans are still struggling to achieve the union that will be their strength as soon as it is achieved. Some seem to lack faith, others of courage, some are stuck in their bad habits and the last, too preoccupied with their daily worries, have not yet realized the potential of their continent. But a young generation is standing up, follows suit and takes up the torch.
Do you think there is a chance that Africa will ever unite?
Véronique Diarra: It's more than a chance, it's a reality that is being built slowly but surely. Someday Africa will be united and will resume its place of world power.
Many analysts and even historians believe that the history of Africa is one of the best kept secrets. In your opinion, why? Is it the African brotherhoods themselves who jealously guard their secrets, or is it simply a policy of domination by the victors of the slave trade and colonialism over the vanquished?
The History of Africa is truncated and denied because some individuals refuse to recognize its reality and its prestige. African history is disturbing because it inspires Africans and gives them faith in the future.
It turns out that during independence, a system was installed (with, unfortunately, the complicity of some Africans). It is neo-colonialism. The former metropolises have taken, among other things, the habit of controlling school and university programs, deciding what young Africans will learn or not.
By hiding the past, they continue to prevent African youth from building their future for lack of support and references.
African historians must study ancient documents and vestiges, question the holders of traditional knowledge to reclaim the history of their countries without waiting for the endorsement of anyone.
As we Are closing this interview, what is the special word you have for the public? Where can we find your work?
I hope that Flashmag readers will want to discover "Agnonlètè - The life of an Amazon". My research allowed me to open a page in history and to show how Africa and Europe experienced slavery in the 17th century. Agnonlètè the Fon warrior is drawn into adventures that lead her from West Africa to Central Africa. The African and European characters who populate this story evolve in an intrigue which combines action, humor, beauty and tenderness.
Readers can order from their bookseller or visit the site: wawaeditions.jimdo.com
Véronique Diarra Flashmag and its readership thank you for this interview.
My pleasure. Thank you.
Interview by
Hubert Marlin
Journalist
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