Deconstructing and reconstructing holy meanings through an ‘exegesis’ of W. E. Mkufya’s novels

Authors

  • Cristina Nicolini University of Turin

Abstract

This study introduces an original reading of William Mkufya’s Swahili novels through an investigation of not only direct and indirect intertextual links from the sacred texts, namely the Bible and the Qur’an, but also explicit or implicit references to them.

Mkufya either refers to or critiques some religious prescriptions deconstructing and reconstructing meanings as an exercise to ‘decolonise the mind’ (Wa Thiong’o 1986). Beside this, Mkufya in his novels experimented with style and genre-blending to articulate plural philosophies and epistemologies.

This ‘exegesis’ of Mkufya’s novels has been conducted through a combination of personal conversations with the author and in-depth textual analysis of the following novels: The Wicked Walk (1977) which Mkufya self-translated into Swahili as Kizazi Hiki (“This Generation,” 1980), Ziraili na Zirani (“Azrael and Zirani,” 1999), Ua La Faraja (“The Flower of Consolation,” 2004) and Kuwa Kwa Maua (“The Existence of Flowers,” 2019).

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Author Biography

Cristina Nicolini, University of Turin

Cristina Nicolini, Ph.D. is a post-doctoral researcher working on Swahili literature and African philosophy. Cristina obtained a PhD degree in “African Languages and Cultures” (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London); a Bachelor’s degree in “Oriental and African Languages and Cultures” cum laude (University of Naples “L’Orientale”); a Master’s degree in “Sciences of Languages, History and Cultures of Mediterranean and Islamic Countries” cum laude (University of Naples “L’Orientale”); and a II level Master’s degree in “Economics and Institutions of Islamic Countries” cum laude (LUISS Guido Carli, Rome).

She has been teaching Swahili Language and African Cultures at the University for Foreigners of Siena since 2023.

Cristina Nicolini has recently completed a postdoc research project on “Swahili Literature and Afrophone Philosophy” (REF. 40.23.0.006SL) funded by The Fritz Thyssen Foundation and hosted at the University of Naples “L’Orientale” in 2023/24.

She is presently a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Turin within the framework of InALC – “Investigating African Languages and Cultures” (PRIN n. 2022XMRNF9).

Cristina can be contacted at: cristina.nicolini@unito.it

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Published

2025-01-20

Issue

Vol. 28 No. 2 (2024): Kervan 28/2

Section

Articles

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