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History through literature
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French writer Paule Constant shares her views on post-colonial writing
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At home Paule Constant during her recent visit to the city
French writer Paule Constant was at TEAFLU recently to speak on post-colonial writing. The conference was delivered in French and a group of students and teachers attended the event.
Paule Constant spent 40 years in different former French colonies, in Africa, Asia and South America. “I lived in colonies,” she recalls, “but in a family that was strongly against colonialism.” That way, she had been able to observe the small society of French people living there, while keeping a distance from them. Later, she used these memories and experiences extensively in her novels, and especially in Ouregano, Balta and White Spirit.
“I wrote on colonialism as a novelist, not as a researcher,” she specifies. “Living there in colonies. What I wrote about, I had it inside me since my childhood.”
“Everything is about dreams,” she continues. “I don’t know much about the colonisation in India but, when I was a child in Africa, the French used to advice the English against emotionally getting involved with the local people.. Still, when I see New Delhi or the Victoria station in Mumbai, I feel that they were at least as involved as the French were.”
Another subject close to her heart is feminism. Her schedule includes participating in a meeting on women’s writing in Delhi this week.
Speaking about her experiences of travel in India, Paule says, “As a writer, you have to understand lot of things within a very short period of time. People come to you and tell you stories - you are just transient for them. What I feel now is that India fits me quite well!” she laughs. “And, why not, my next novel could be about India.”As for now, an English translation of Ouregano, her first novel, has just been released by Rupa Books.
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