Artikel
The Lives of Poets: corruption, censorship and organized gangs of government bullies
18 januari 2006
The relationship between politics and poetry was what Bas Belleman of Poetry International Web wanted to discuss when he met with the three poets from countries where the political situation is complicated, to put it mildly. Chirikure, a renowned performance poet and storyteller in Zimbabwe, remained remarkably calm as he told of the suppression and censorship in his country. He told how the ruling party of President Robert Mugabe had announced that they had won last year’s elections, but were only able to do so by intimidating the supporters of the opposition. A number of editors of independent newspapers were arrested on charges of “abusing their journalistic privileges”: they had published articles questioning the results of the election.
Arundhathi Subramaniam, who will soon become the Indian editor of the website, is not only a poet but also a freelance journalist, working for various newspapers including The Times of India. She explained that she possesses a twofold marginal position in Indian literature: because she writes poetry and because she writes in English. As she uses the English language, she constantly finds herself blamed for the fact that colonialism has not yet been cast off. “As an Indian poet writing in English, you are not rooted, not vital, they say. Again and again you have to prove your cultural credentials.” Westerners also prefer you to be typically Indian, to write about bananas, elephants and starving children. Once she responded with a poem entitled ‘To the Welsh Critic Who Doesn’t Find Me Identifiably Indian’. She recited the first stanza:
You believe you know me,
wide-eyed Eng Lit type
from a sun-scalded colony,
reading my Keats – or is it yours –
while my country detonates
on your television screen.
“The poets in Ukraine are not read by Ukraine’s rulers,” said Andriy Bondar, editor of PIW and editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian journal Eva Magazine. “In fact, the rulers do not even read at all. If they did, they might liquidate the poets.” “Quite true,” responded Chirikure, “it is the same in Zimbabwe; the government only responds to what the media say about you” In Ukraine, poets can run into problems if they attract public attention, Bondar explained. Just as in Zimbabwe, there are also poets who are loyal to the state, and independent poets. “We three,” says Bondar, nodding towards Chirikure and Subramaniam, “share a colonial heritage; in everything else we are different.”
In Ukraine, that colonial heritage is a complicated story: Russian occupation lasted for around 350 years, and Poland and the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy also claimed parts of the country. Now the situation is very ambiguous, said Bondar. Not so long ago, a young poet wrote a poem in which he called President Kuchma an idiot; it is his only political poem. When he wanted to publish a collection, the publishing house tried to make him remove the poem, which of course he didn’t do. Another publisher, “one with a freer spirit”, was prepared to publish the entire collection. This demonstrates Ukraine’s indirect repression: everything is allowed, but the psychological climate is such that no one dares to do anything.
“Would you also publish state poets on Poetry International Web?” Belleman asked Bondar. “I will stick to aesthetic criteria,” was the reply. “I will not discriminate on the basis of their loyalties.” Chirikure seemed to find political involvement more important than aesthetics. For the website, he generally selects older protest poetry, probably to avoid difficulties. A careful listener, however, will effortlessly make the connection with the present situation. As Chirikure says, “Yesterday’s ambulance signal carries just as much power today.”
Three of PIW’s editors – from Zimbabwe, the Ukraine and India – were invited by the Poetry International Festival in Rotterdam to talk about some of the problems they encounter as poets and editors. A discussion about the lingering after-effects of colonialism, subtle ways of silencing, and downright intimidation.
The Zimbabwe government tries to win artists over to its side, Zimbabwean poet Chirikure Chirikure said. As a result, the artists are divided into two groups: those that support the opposition and those that support the government. The first group of artists are denied access to the media and are not eligible for financial support. Poets who support the opposition are even molested by government bullies when they recite in public; Chirikure spoke from personal experience. “But staying silent is equally impossible, I have to speak out; it is my duty to my people.”The relationship between politics and poetry was what Bas Belleman of Poetry International Web wanted to discuss when he met with the three poets from countries where the political situation is complicated, to put it mildly. Chirikure, a renowned performance poet and storyteller in Zimbabwe, remained remarkably calm as he told of the suppression and censorship in his country. He told how the ruling party of President Robert Mugabe had announced that they had won last year’s elections, but were only able to do so by intimidating the supporters of the opposition. A number of editors of independent newspapers were arrested on charges of “abusing their journalistic privileges”: they had published articles questioning the results of the election.
Arundhathi Subramaniam, who will soon become the Indian editor of the website, is not only a poet but also a freelance journalist, working for various newspapers including The Times of India. She explained that she possesses a twofold marginal position in Indian literature: because she writes poetry and because she writes in English. As she uses the English language, she constantly finds herself blamed for the fact that colonialism has not yet been cast off. “As an Indian poet writing in English, you are not rooted, not vital, they say. Again and again you have to prove your cultural credentials.” Westerners also prefer you to be typically Indian, to write about bananas, elephants and starving children. Once she responded with a poem entitled ‘To the Welsh Critic Who Doesn’t Find Me Identifiably Indian’. She recited the first stanza:
You believe you know me,
wide-eyed Eng Lit type
from a sun-scalded colony,
reading my Keats – or is it yours –
while my country detonates
on your television screen.
“The poets in Ukraine are not read by Ukraine’s rulers,” said Andriy Bondar, editor of PIW and editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian journal Eva Magazine. “In fact, the rulers do not even read at all. If they did, they might liquidate the poets.” “Quite true,” responded Chirikure, “it is the same in Zimbabwe; the government only responds to what the media say about you” In Ukraine, poets can run into problems if they attract public attention, Bondar explained. Just as in Zimbabwe, there are also poets who are loyal to the state, and independent poets. “We three,” says Bondar, nodding towards Chirikure and Subramaniam, “share a colonial heritage; in everything else we are different.”
In Ukraine, that colonial heritage is a complicated story: Russian occupation lasted for around 350 years, and Poland and the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy also claimed parts of the country. Now the situation is very ambiguous, said Bondar. Not so long ago, a young poet wrote a poem in which he called President Kuchma an idiot; it is his only political poem. When he wanted to publish a collection, the publishing house tried to make him remove the poem, which of course he didn’t do. Another publisher, “one with a freer spirit”, was prepared to publish the entire collection. This demonstrates Ukraine’s indirect repression: everything is allowed, but the psychological climate is such that no one dares to do anything.
“Would you also publish state poets on Poetry International Web?” Belleman asked Bondar. “I will stick to aesthetic criteria,” was the reply. “I will not discriminate on the basis of their loyalties.” Chirikure seemed to find political involvement more important than aesthetics. For the website, he generally selects older protest poetry, probably to avoid difficulties. A careful listener, however, will effortlessly make the connection with the present situation. As Chirikure says, “Yesterday’s ambulance signal carries just as much power today.”
© Martijn Meijer
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