George Rampai, writer, intellectual, critic is the award-winning author of the novel, From where I stand. Here, he explains his life-long interest in books and writing...
QUESTION:
Good day Mr Rampai, perhaps you'd like to reiterate to the world how you got
involved with the world of books...
RAMPAI: It started when I was quite young. I
will always be grateful to my elder brother who introduced me to books, the
ambience of the (local) libraries. He would bring books back home for us to read.
An exciting world was opened up to me! I took to it like a duck to water;
despite being in the townships, I would read and read... I realised that humans
are essentially the same all over the world, regardless of colour and the like.
I could identify with the lives, the vicissitudes if you like, of the
characters.
QUESTION: What were your favourite books or writers then?
RAMPAI:
I read a great deal, especially fiction. Popular Eurocentric writers
like James Hadley Chase, and the whole range of African writers. Libraries can
be so wonderful. How many African writers can one start to mention, in fiction
alone? There was the Heinemann series, the Pacesetters series...so many
exciting writers and books. The great writers like Achebe, Ngugi, Armah,
Mphahlele, Serote, Emecheta...and many other popular ones like Kalu Okpi,
Ovbiagheli, Maillu, Thorpe...
QUESTION: I read somewhere that you were very
excited when books written by black writers in your beloved Free State province
began to be published...
RAMPAI: Yes. I was very lucky to be close
to (our) local writers then, especially Pule Lechesa who was destined for literary
greatness from a very young age. The man loves books and literature so much! It
was wonderful when exciting books written by the likes of Mr Bolaji, Thaisi,
Motheane, Qoopane etc began to flood our
libraries; one has to commend the Free State Provincial Library system for
this. My heart almost stopped beating when "Free State books" were
first stocked in our libraries... I knew then that it was just a matter of time
for me to become a published writer too! As I was already writing myself
then. Mr Lechesa almost immediately
joined the gravy train, so to speak! As we speak now he's published like ten books
already, some of them very important works focusing on pure literature and
literary criticism.
QUESTION: And how was your own first novel
(From where I stand) published?
RAMPAI: It was through Mr Lechesa of course,
who had started Mbali Press Publishers by then. It was magnificent to see my
book published; such fantastic printing quality too. The other stuff that came
my way were much welcome bonuses - the great media, internet publicity, awards,
recognition...
QUESTION: But despite all this, our writers
still struggle a lot...
RAMPAI: Yes, they do. But one has to remain focused
and appreciative; some things are priceless, like being inside the libraries
and seeing your own books on the hallowed shelves there...and the
powers-that-be do try to encourage writers; eg I have been sponsored to attend literary occasions
around the country, well accommodated, rather heralded... I have been at the
National English Literary Museum in Grahamstown, a wonderful place which
preserves the literary legacy of the country and beyond. I am very happy being
a writer...
