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How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?

Ngugi wa Thiong'o

If a novel is written in a certain language with certain characters from a particular community and the story is very good or illuminating, then that work is translated into the language of another community.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Certain Character Community Good Illuminating Language Novel Particularly Story Written
So what I thought was just an African problem or issue is actually a global phenomenon about relationships of power between languages and cultures.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Global Language Power Problem
The Bible affects everybody’s life who is a Christian, from the middle class in Europe to the peasant in Africa and Asia.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Asia Bible Christian Claas Country Effect Everybody Middle Peasant
The Bible in translation is being read to thousands and thousands in Africa. It is an integral part of their functioning and the way they look at the world.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Being Bible Ciuntrym Integral Function Look Read Thousand Translation Way World
We think of politics in terms of power and who has the power. Politics is the end to which that power is put.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

End Politic Power Put Term Think
Of course it’s very, very important for me to feel Kenya, to feel, every day, this is where images come from. So to be taken away from that by political pressure or other means – one is taken away from the area, which is the basis of inspiration – is difficult.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Come Country Course Feel From Image Important
I think a repressive regime always fears people who are awakened – particularly ordinary people. If they are awakened, I think governments all over the world feel uncomfortable about that; they want to be in control.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Always Awake Control Ordinary Particularly People Repressive Think Uncomfortable
Writing in African languages became a topic of discussion in conferences, in schools, in classrooms; the issue is always being raised – so it’s no longer “in the closet,” as it were. It’s part of the discussion going on about the future of African literature.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Become Classroom Conference Country Discussion Issue Language Longer No School Topic Write
Seen as an economic, political, cultural, and psychological re-membering vision, it should continue to guide remembering practices
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continue Cultural Economic Member Political Practice Psychological Seen
How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Arrive Away Best Broken Future Known Leader Price
They want to be the ones telling people: “This is what we have done in history” but when people begin to say, “No this is what we have done in history” it’s a different thing.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Begin Different Done History One People Say Tell Thing
Any writer likes to be near the area which is the location of his work.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Area Like Location Work Writer
Our lives are a battlefield on which is fought a continuous war between the forces that are pledged to confirm our humanity and those determined to dismantle it.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Butterfield Confirm Continuous Determine Force Fought Live Pledge
Life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Amidst Beautiful Blood Life Pain Poverty Struggle
Christianity and Western civilization-what countless crimes have been committed in thy name!
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Christianity Civilisation Committed Country Crime Name Western
There is no way we can survive as a nation in the world without finding unity.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Find Nation Nom Way Survive Unity World
If poverty was to be sold three cents today, i can’t buy it.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Buy Cent Poverty Sold Three Today
And even in terms of justice, law codes, the legal system. A person who does not know English in Africa is excluded from that system because he can only operate through acts of translation.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Act Cide English Known Legal Operate Person System Trasnlotyion
What’s good about writing is that when you write novels or fiction, people can see that the problems in one region are similar to problems in another region.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Another Fiction Good Novel People Problem Problem Region Similar Writing
I was wondering why I was put in prison for working in an African language when I had not been put in prison for working in English. So really, in prison I started thinking more seriously about the relation between language and power.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country English Language Periostin Power Serious Wonder Work
The Pan-Africanism that envisaged the ideal of wholeness was gradually cut down to the size of a continent, then a nation, a region, an ethnos, a clan, and even a village in some instances But Pan-Africanism has not outlived its mission.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continent Country Down Envisaged Gradually Ideal Nation Pan Problem Region Similar Size Wholeness
The same questions are there in Native American languages, they’re there in native Canadian languages, they’re there is some marginalized European languages, like say, Irish.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Language Phenomenon Power Problem Relationship
The Bible has affected their lives, but in translation, since they do not read the Bible in the original Greek or Hebrew.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Bible Country Effect Original Raed Translation
For me, being in prison writing in an African language was a way of saying: “Even if you put me in prison, I will keep on writing in the language which made you put me in prison.”
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Being Country Even Keep Language Prison Put Say Write
How could Europe lord it over a continent ten times its size? Why does needy Africa continue to let its wealth meet the needs of those outside its borders and then follow behind with hands outstretched for a loan of the very wealth it let go?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Birder Continent Country Hand Need Outside Outstretched Over Size Time Wealth
We can appreciate each other’s languages. And the question of being uncomfortable about our languages would go away.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Appreciate Being Language Other Question Uncomfortable Way
Many people do not know that Jesus did not speak Latin or English or Hebrew; he spoke Aramaic. But nobody knows that language.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Jesus Know Language Many People Speak

How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?

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How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?

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Popular Authors

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