In this interview, Lise Nova Berwadushime (Rwanda) engaged in a conversation with Marial Matueny Awendit from South Sudan. He is the winner of the $500 prize for the 2023 African Writers Award for poetry.
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Lise: Could you please briefly introduce yourself?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I’m Marial Awendit, a South Sudanese poet, songwriter, and essayist. I authored the chapbook poetry collection, ‘The Night Does Not Drown Us’, along with poetry collections titled ‘Keeping the Sun Secret’ and ‘Whispers over a Brewing Dawn’. I’m honored to have won the 2023 African Writers Award for Poetry, the 2018 Babishai Niwe Poetry Award, and the 2016 South Sudan Youth Talent Award.
Lise: Wow! Such diverse talents. How did you get into writing?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I started writing songs for friends and myself in 2009 and 2010. Though I wrote a few poems from 2010 to 2013, it wasn’t until 2014, after experiencing personal tragedies—a brother’s murder in March and my father’s subsequent death in November—that I committed myself to writing against injustices & vices in South Sudanese society.
Lise: Someone said that writing turns tragedy into beauty. I’ve read your work, particularly “A Possible Induction with My Creator” and “Flowers”; were they also inspired by injustice?
Marial Matueny Awendit: Yes, both were inspired by the same events I mentioned earlier.
Lise: Those were profound. They resonated deeply with me.
Marial Matueny Awendit: I’m grateful as a writer to be heard and to touch others with my words.
Lise: Moving on to the African Writers Award, were you confident about winning?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I wasn’t certain; there’s incredible talent among African writers. However, having won two previous competitions boosted my confidence.
Lise: Were you nervous?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I had a strong desire to win. Winning the Babishai Niwe Poetry Award in 2018 was incredibly healing for me, and I hoped for a similar experience with the 2023 African Writers Award for Poetry.
Lise: Congratulations once again! Besides writing, what else do you do?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I’ve been involved in humanitarian aid work with three organizations since 2016. Currently, I’m a School Feeding Supervisor at Plan International South Sudan and the CEO of Kush Poetics, an organization I founded in 2016 to promote poetry & art in South Sudan.
Lise: Tell me more about Kush Poetics.
Marial Matueny Awendit: Kush Poetics publishes two poetry journals yearly, conducts writing lessons, and advocates for the arts.
Lise: How do you manage your humanitarian responsibilities alongside writing?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I write on weekends and dedicate weekdays to my humanitarian work.
Lise: Balancing modern-day responsibilities can be exhausting.
Marial Matueny Awendit: Absolutely, and there are times I take breaks from writing.
Lise: Looking ahead, where do you envision African and Sudanese literature heading?
Marial Matueny Awendit: African literature is thriving, with many writers making notable achievements globally. However, the South Sudanese literary community faces challenges like poor reading culture and limited publishing resources.
Lise: The scarcity of publishing resources is indeed a widespread issue.
Marial Matueny Awendit: Yes, it’s been a challenge; all my books are published outside South Sudan. The future of African literature relies on the current generation of writers.
Lise: There’s much work to be done. What are your hobbies, Marial?
Marial Matueny Awendit: I play football, watch movies—my favorite being ‘The Walking Dead’—and my top book is ‘Anthills of the Savannah’ by Chinua Achebe. As for teams, I support Arsenal FC in the EPL and Rainbow FC, based in my hometown, Nyang in Yirol East.
Lise: Our conversation’s come to an end. Thank you for your time. Wishing you more success in the future!
Marial Matueny Awendit: Thank you too.
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