Sony Labou Tansi
Encyclopedia
Sony Lab'ou Tansi was a Congolese novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and poet. Though he was only forty-seven when he died, Tansi remains one of the most prolific African writers and the most internationally renowned practitioner of the "New African Writing." His novel The Antipeople won the Grand Prix Littéraire d'Afrique Noire
. In his later years, he ran a theatrical company in Brazzaville
in the Republic of the Congo
.
, in the village of Kimwaanza, just south of the city now known as Kinshasa
in the modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo
. He was initially educated in the local language, Kikongo
, and only began speaking French at the age of twelve, when his family moved to Congo-Brazzaville, today known as the Republic of the Congo
. He attended the École Normale Supérieure d'Afrique Centrale in Brazzaville where he studied literature, and upon completing his education in 1971, he became a French and English teacher in Kindauba. When the young teacher began writing for the theatre later that year, he adopted the pen name "Sony La'bou Tansi" as a tribute to Tchicaya U Tam'si
, a fellow Congolese writer who wrote politically-charged poetry about oppressive nature of the state.
In the early part of his career, Tansi continued to support himself through teaching and he worked as an English instructor at the Collège Tchicaya-Pierre in Pointe Noire while working on his first two novels and several plays. In 1979 he founded the Rocado Zulu Theatre, which would go on performed his plays in Africa, Europe, and the United States in addition to appearing regularly at the Festival International des Francophonies in Limoges
.
After teaching for many years, Tansi moved on to government work, serving as an administrator in several ministries in Brazzaville. In the late 1980s he allied with opposition leader Bernard Kolélas
to found the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
(MCDDI), a political party acting against the communist regime of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
and his Congolese Labour Party
. Left-wing forces succeeded in pushing President Sassou toward democracy, and former Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba
returned from an extended exile and was elected President in the August 1992 elections
. In that same year, Tansi was elected to parliament as a deputy for the Makélékélé arrondissement of Brazzaville, but his participation in opposition politics angered President Lissouba, and his passport was withdrawn in 1994.
Tansi soon discovered that he had contracted the AIDS virus, but Lissouba's travel restrictions prevented him from going abroad to seek treatment for himself and his wife. Tansi's partner died from the disease on 31 May 1995 and Tansi followed 15 days later.
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
The Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire is a literary prize presented every year by the ADELF, the Association of French Language Writers for a French original text from Sub-Saharan Africa....
. In his later years, he ran a theatrical company in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
in the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
.
Life and career
The oldest of seven children, Tansi was born in the former Belgian CongoBelgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
, in the village of Kimwaanza, just south of the city now known as Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
in the modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. He was initially educated in the local language, Kikongo
Kongo language
The Kongo language, or Kikongo, is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Angola. It is a tonal language and formed the base for Kituba, a Bantu creole and lingua franca...
, and only began speaking French at the age of twelve, when his family moved to Congo-Brazzaville, today known as the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
. He attended the École Normale Supérieure d'Afrique Centrale in Brazzaville where he studied literature, and upon completing his education in 1971, he became a French and English teacher in Kindauba. When the young teacher began writing for the theatre later that year, he adopted the pen name "Sony La'bou Tansi" as a tribute to Tchicaya U Tam'si
Tchicaya U Tam'si
Tchicaya U Tam'si was a Congolese author. His official name is Gérald-Félix Tchicaya; his artist name means small paper that speaks for a country in Kikongo.-Life:...
, a fellow Congolese writer who wrote politically-charged poetry about oppressive nature of the state.
In the early part of his career, Tansi continued to support himself through teaching and he worked as an English instructor at the Collège Tchicaya-Pierre in Pointe Noire while working on his first two novels and several plays. In 1979 he founded the Rocado Zulu Theatre, which would go on performed his plays in Africa, Europe, and the United States in addition to appearing regularly at the Festival International des Francophonies in Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
.
After teaching for many years, Tansi moved on to government work, serving as an administrator in several ministries in Brazzaville. In the late 1980s he allied with opposition leader Bernard Kolélas
Bernard Kolélas
Bernard Bakana Kolélas was a Congolese politician and President of the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development...
to found the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development
The Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development is a political party in the Republic of the Congo, led by Bernard Kolélas....
(MCDDI), a political party acting against the communist regime of President Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...
and his Congolese Labour Party
Congolese Party of Labour
The Congolese Party of Labour , founded in 1969 by Marien Ngouabi, is the ruling political party of the Republic of the Congo...
. Left-wing forces succeeded in pushing President Sassou toward democracy, and former Prime Minister Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba
Pascal Lissouba was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo from August 31, 1992 to October 15, 1997. He was overthrown by the current President Denis Sassou Nguesso in the 1997 civil war....
returned from an extended exile and was elected President in the August 1992 elections
Republic of the Congo presidential election, 1992
Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo in August 1992, marking the end of the transitional period that began with the February–June 1991 National Conference...
. In that same year, Tansi was elected to parliament as a deputy for the Makélékélé arrondissement of Brazzaville, but his participation in opposition politics angered President Lissouba, and his passport was withdrawn in 1994.
Tansi soon discovered that he had contracted the AIDS virus, but Lissouba's travel restrictions prevented him from going abroad to seek treatment for himself and his wife. Tansi's partner died from the disease on 31 May 1995 and Tansi followed 15 days later.
Works in English
- Parentheses of Blood, a play. Trans. Lorraine Alexander Veach. New York: Ubu Repertory Theater Publications, 1986. ISBN 0-913745-19-7
- The Antipeople, a novel. Trans. J.A. Underwood. and M. Boyars. New York: Kampmann, 1988. ISBN 0-7145-2845-5
- The Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez. Trans. Clive Wake. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1995. ISBN 0-435-90594-5
Works in French
- Conscience de tracteur (Dakar: Nouvelles Éditions Africaines / Yaoundé: Clé, 1979).
- La vie et demie: Roman (Paris: Seuil, 1979).
- Je soussigné cardiaque (Paris: Haitier, 1981).
- L'état honteux: Roman (Paris: Seuil, 1981).
- La parenthèse de sang (Paris: Haitier, 1981)
- L'anté-peuple (Paris: Seuil, 1983)
- Les sept solitudes de Lorsa Lopez: Roman (Paris: Seuil, 1985)
- Cinq ans de littératures africaines: 1979-1984 (Paris: C.L.E.F, 1985).
- Un citoyen de ce siècle (Paris: Equateur, 1986)comprises "Lettre ouverte à l'humanité" and Antoine m'a vendu son destin.
- Francophonie: 2 pièces (Paris: L'avant-scène, 1987)comprises Moi, veuve de l'empire, by Sony Labou Tansi, and Témoignage contre un homme stérile, by Fatima Gallaire.
- Le coup de vieux: Drâme en deux souffles (Paris & Dakar: Présence Africaine, 1988).
- Les yeux du volcan: Roman (Paris: Seuil, 1988).
- Qui a mangé Madame d'Avoine Bergotha? (Carnières, Belgium: Lansman, 1989).
- La résurrection rouge et blanche de Roméo et Juliette (Arles: Actes Sud, 1990).
- Une chouette petite vie bien osée (Carnières, Belgium: Lansman, 1992).
- Théâtre, 3 volumes (Carnières, Belgium: Lansman, 1995–1998)v1 comprises Qu'ils le disent, qu'elles le beuglent and Qui a mangé Madame d'Avoine Bergotha?; v 2 Bevat: Une vie en arbre et chars . . . bonds and Une chouette petite vie bien osée; v3 Monologue d'or et noces d'argent and Le trou.
- Le commencement des douleurs (Paris: Seuil, 1995).
- Poèmes et vents lisses (Paris: Le Bruit des Autres, 1995).
- L'autre monde: Écrits inédits, edited by Nicolas Martin-Granel and Bruno Tilliette (Paris: Revue Noire, 1997).
- L'atelier de Sony Labou Tansi, ed. Martin-Granel and Greta Rodriguez-Antoniotti' (Paris: Revue Noire, 2005)--comprises v1, Correspondance: Lettres à José Pivin (1973-1976) and Lettres à Françoise Ligier (1973-1983); v2, Poésie; and v3, Machin la hernie: Roman.
- Paroles inédites: La rue des mouches (comédie tragique), Entretiens, Lettres à Sony, ed. Bernard Magnier (Montreuil-sous-Bois: Éditions Théâtrales, 2005).