Böcker av Nsah Mala

The lyrical pessimism of Nsah Mala's poetry presents a world characterized by violence, inhumanity and destruction, a world that is sadly too familiar. While many of the poems address contemporary issues in the poet's native Cameroon, much of the human-inflicted damage they describe is not limited to 'Cam-Kingdom'. Although much of the content is negative, many of the poems contain questions. These questions express the cynical voice of this politically committed poet, but behind them lies the distant possibility of a better version of the world in which values of love, peace and unity reign: 'Don't we know,' the poet asks, 'that violence is out of fashion?'- Professor Nicki Hitchcott, University of St Andrews, UK

Mbesa village witnesses a peculiar birth; that of a boy with a special skin colour. He becomes a curiosity for everyone. Nevertheless, his difference will not be a handicap for him. On the contrary! Andolo is a very talented man and knows how to prove it. Suitable for primary-aged children.

When a young girl visits her grandmother and her cousins in their small, African village of Mbesa, she learns a surprising story about the moon, the people who have visited it, and what the moon cooks for her children. By learning the phases of the moon, she can tell what the moon is planning for dinner, and the knowledge allows the young girl to bond with her family.   Sheika is a bold and inquisitive girl from Bamenda City in Cameroon. One day, her parents send her to visit their native village, Kuokum, to meet her grandma and cousins for the first time. While excited at all the new things she might learn, Sheika worries about whether these rural family members who are so different from her will like her. In the village, Sheika is teased by her cousins for knowing so little about the culture from which she comes. When her cousin Menkong tells her that Mbesa people just like them live on the Moon, Sheika thinks it’s just another taunt. But Grandma knows better. Grandma pours the egusi into a boiling pot of meat on the fire. “But they are telling the truth, wain mu. There are people on the Moon. Sit down, and I’ll tell you.” As the children gather around the boiling pot of meat and egusi in the fireplace, Grandma tells the story of Nkuombi, their ancestor who traveled to the Moon and studied her, long before the spaceship Apollo 11. Indeed, Grandma explains, lots of Mbesa people live on the Moon, and the Moon cooks for all of her children. What the Moon cooks determines how she will appear in the sky. If she arrives early at sunset and shaped like a tiny crescent, this means she has cooked pumpkin leaves. They take almost no time to get ready. If the moon arrives a little late, and is shaped like a semicircle, this means she has cooked cocoyams, because they take so much time to get ready! After learning all about the Moon and her phases, Sheika and her family take their dinner outside, sharing their meal together, and with the Moon-folk who look down from the sky.  What the Moon Cooks captures the details of life in Mbesa, a place rich with culture and food, as told by the writer, Nsah Mala. It's illustrated by Justine Allenette Ross with an eye for capturing the details of life in the village while teaching young readers a fascinating folktale.

Que faire face à la stagnation de l'Afrique ? Comment l'écrivain peut-il affronter les multiples maux qui gangrènent le monde d'aujourd'hui ? Dans ce recueil de poèmes, Nsah Mala adopte le genre poétique pour illustrer son engagement social et politique en évoquant des thématiques actuelles de son pays natal le Cameroun, de l'Afrique, et du monde entier. Ces thèmes sont, entre autres, la corruption, la déchéance de l'État et du pouvoir, la dérive de la démocratie, la protection de la nature, la promotion de la jeunesse, la marginalisation socio-politique, les ténèbres, et la liberté. Malgré l'ampleur des maux affrontés, Nsah Mala garde son optimisme et démontre que la poésie peut servir de moyen pour corriger et améliorer la société humaine et non-humaine. Faisant preuve de l'expérimentation et de l'innovation poétique, ce recueil trace une cartographie intéressante suivant son auteur à travers ses voyages infinis en Afrique, en Europe, et ailleurs. C'est aussi un moyen d'entrer en conversation avec les auteurs et les cultures de l'Afrique et du monde. Cette poésie organique et vitale, qui prend sa source dans l'humanité et la nature, donne la voix à tous les sans-voix et devra ainsi occuper une place importante dans toutes les bibliothèques du monde.