LA PIROGUE / THE PIROGUE
Le roman et les aspects politiques de la migration
(La discussion se déroulera en langue française)
Abasse Ndione
Écrivain sénégalais
Discussion animée par:
Gerhard Doujak
MAE, Director of the Department of Human Rights, Ambassador to Dakar 2006 - 2011
Margret Millischer
Traductrice de ‚La Pirogue‘ en allemand
Bienvenue et introduction:
Georg Lennkh
Forum Bruno Kreisky pour le Dialogue International, envoyé spécial pour l'Afrique 2005 - 2011
Quarante Africains, men of all ages and one woman, originally from various villages in the interior of Sénégal who have never seen the sea, want to leave their misery behind and travel to the Iles Canaries, then to Europe. They take leave of their families and find themselves on the beach after a long journey by bus. In the harbour, they observe the sea and see for the first time the boat - a pirogue - belonging to the fisherman Baye Laye. During the long voyage that allows them to get to know each other better, the weather, at first cloudy, helps to raise their hopes for their future in Europe. But then a terrible tempête descends on them, they lose Kabaa, the second captain, and their embarcation is seriously disastrous. They are distressed - but a ship approaches ....
Tel is, almost as a fact, the human dimension of the migratory crisis between Africa and Europe, recently discussed at the Euro-African meeting in La Valette. What can be our responses?
Abasse Ndione, né en 1946, dans un village de pêcheurs non loin de Dakar, a d'abord fréquenté une école coranique, puis une école française. Until his retirement, he worked as a paramedic. He writes in French and French. He lives in Sénégal. His book ‘Ramata’ (2007) and ‘Mbeke mi - A l'assaut des vagues de l'Atlantique’ (Gallimard, 2008) inspired films produced in France and Sénégal. La Pirogue’ exists on DVD with German subtitles.
IN FRENCH LANGUAGE
LA PIROGUE | THE PIROGE
The novel - and the political background to migration
Abasse Ndione
Writer, Senegal
Discussion:
Gerhard Doujak
FMEIA, Head of Human Rights Division, Ambassador to Senegal 2006 - 2011
Margret Millischer
Translator of the ‚Pirogue‘ into German
Welcome and introduction
Georg Lennkh
Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue; Austrian Special Representative for Africa 2005 - 2011
Forty Africans, men of all ages and one woman, from various villages in the centre of Senegal and who have never seen the sea, want to flee their misery to the Canary Islands and Europe. They say goodbye to their families and then, after a long bus journey, stand anxiously on the beach, watching the sea and seeing the ship for the first time, a pirogue belonging to the fisherman Baye Laye. During the long crossing, on which they slowly get to know each other, they become incredibly optimistic about their future in Europe in what is initially good weather. But a terrible storm comes up, they lose Kaaba, the second helmsman, and the boat is badly damaged. They are desperate, but a ship approaches...
This is, almost like local news, the human dimension of the migration crisis between Africa and Europe, as discussed just a few weeks ago at the Euro-African Summit in La Valletta. What can our answers be?
Abasse Ndione, born in 1946 in a Senegalese fishing village near Dakar, first attended a Koranic and then a French school and worked as a nurse until recently. He writes in Wolof and in French. He lives in Senegal. Both his book »Ramata« (2007) and »The Pirogue« (2012) were made into films in France and Senegal respectively. The film is available on DVD with German subtitles.
The pirogue. Roman
Translated from the French by Margret Millischer
Transit Buchverlag, Berlin 2014; ISBN 978-3-88747-306-8, €14.80; also available as an ebook