Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji

Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji Madiya (born Clémentine Nzuji, 21 January 1944), is a Congolese poet and writer. She was born in Tshofa, Kabinda District in the Belgian Congo.[1] Albert S. Gérard calls her "the first poet of real significance" among a group of African writers who emerged in the late 1960s; she was also the first female writer in the Belgian Congo.[2]

Background and early life

She graduated from Lovanium University.[3]

She also holds a doctorate in African studies from the University of Paris.[1]

Nzuji is married and is the mother of five children,[1] and many of her poems refer to her family.[2]

Literary activities

In 1964,[4] she founded the Pléiade du Congo, a literary group in Kinshasa,[2][5] and headed and helped found the International Centre for African Languages, Literatures and Traditions in favour of Development (CILTADE) at the Catholic University of Louvain.[5] She has made important contributions in the study of Bantu linguistics and oral literature.[6] She is also an award-winning author of short stories and poetry.

Bibliography
  • Murmures [Whispers] . Kinshasa: Lettres Congolaises, 1968. (15p.). Poetry.
  • Kasalà. Kinshasa: Editions Mandore, 1969. (45p.). Poetry.
  • Le temps des amants [The Time of Lovers]. Kinshasa: Editions Mandore, 1969. (54p.). Poetry.
  • Énigmes lubas = Nshinga : étude structurale. Kinshasa: Éditions de l'Université Lovanium, 1970. (169p.). Riddles[7]
  • Lianes [The Creepers]. Kinshasa: Editions du Mont noir, 1971. (Series Jeune littérature no. 4) (31p.). Poetry.
  • Lenga et autres contes d'inspiration traditionnelle [Lenga and other traditional stories. Lubumbashi: Editions Saint-Paul Afrique, 1976. (80p.). Tales.
  • Gestes interrompus [Broken deeds]. Lubumbashi: Editions Mandore, 1976. (49p.). (n.p.). Poetry.
  • Cité de l'abondance [City of Abundance]. Unpublished. Won the only prize at the 1986 annual Competition of the Overseas Royal Academy, Brussels. Short story.
  • Frisson de la mémoire [A ripple of memory] in Cluzeau Fiancée à vendre et treize autres nouvelles [A fiancée for sale and thirteen other short stories]. Saint-Maur: SEPIA, 1993. (pp. 203–229). Short story.
  • Tracing Memory. A Glossary of Graphic Signs and Symbols in African Art and Culture, Canadian Museum of Civilization—Hull/Louvain-la-Neuve, International Centre for African Languages, Literature and Tradition.

References
  1. University of West Australia bio.
  2. Gérard, Albert S. (1986), European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa, Comparative history of literatures in European languages, vol. 6, John Benjamins Publishing Company, p. 546, ISBN 978-963-05-3832-9.
  3. Jahn, Janheinz; Schild, Ulla; Seiler, Almut Nordmann (1972), "Nzuji, Clémentine", Who's who in African literature: biographies, works, commentaries, H. Erdmann, p. 183, ISBN 978-3-7711-0153-4.
  4. "Clémentine Faïk-Nzuji". Archived from the original on 23 March 2019.
  5. Spleth, Janice (2003), "Nzuji, Clémentine Madiya", in Gikandi, Simon (ed.), Encyclopedia of African literature, Taylor & Francis, p. 401, ISBN 978-0-415-23019-3.
  6. Middleton, John (1997), Encyclopedia of Africa south of the Sahara, vol. 4, C. Scribner's Sons, p. 194, ISBN 978-0-684-80466-8.
  7. Énigmes lubas = Nshinga : étude structurale. WorldCat. OCLC 1086752. Retrieved 26 October 2016 – via www.worldcat.org.

Further reading
  • Zents, Ronda Davis (2000), Poetry as empowerment: a study of the poetic images and poetic language in the works of Clémentine Madiya Faïk-Nzuji, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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