The Bleeding of the Stone

I am fascinated by the natural and spiritual world of this novel by Ibrahim Al-Koni, and how that world is changing with contact with Europe, America, and modernization. I include images, of the Libyan desert and mountains of the Bedouins, and of the famous rock carvings described in the text. Howard Banwell has an interesting collection of pictures of Libyan desert petroglyphs, a UNESCO world heritage site.

The interaction in the novel between Islam and Sufism and traditional African beliefs, practices, and religion is interesting.

"He'd become wary of hunting the waddan, and would never venture to the majestic heights until he'd recited all the Quranic verses he'd memorized, repeated, in Hausa, all the spells of the African magicians, then hung around his neck all the snakeskin amulets he'd bought from soothsayers traveling in caravans." (23-4)

Waiting for an Angel

Helon Habila's rich novel takes place during the rule of Sani Abacha (left), president of Nigeria from 1993-98 who closed down the media, attempted to control dissent and committed human rights abuses, such as the hanging of non-violent democracy and environmental advocate Ken Saro-Wiwa. In class we discussed the narration of the novel, how it begins near the end with Lumba, the protagonist, in prison, and how it uses a variety of voices and perspectives. In this way Habila infuses the text with the nightmarish quality of life in Nigeria under Abacha, and captures a communal perspective.

Lurking behind the story of Nigeria in the 1990s is the scramble for African oil, the corruption and violence that attend it.