17 Comments
User's avatar
Victoria's avatar

This was fascinating to read, and made me realise that I know so very little about African writers per se, not just those in Angola! It's wonderful to read this poetry and so very good to have you collect it together here, along with such informative commentary.

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This is part of what I love about this project, learning about the writers and about so many countries that I’m woefully ignorant about, some even that I thought I knew something about until I actually started reading about them with a focused intention.

Expand full comment
𝙅𝙀 βš’πŸ“–πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ's avatar

Thank you for writing this piece. I'd read (recently) that publishers do not often publish African writers because they (publishers) claim that there's no market for literature in African, and I believe that prejudice is especially true of subsaharan Africa, but excludes, I presume, a few African nations such as Egypt, South Africa, Morocco.

Thank you for putting the time into researching and finding the poets on YouTube and elsewhere, and highlighting their work.

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

I find this whole project exciting. The different perspectives, approaches to writing. It does my heart and mind good even when the material is difficult. And there are a lot of countries in Africa, it’s a huge continent. That attitude of publishers stinks.

Expand full comment
Izabella Casagrande's avatar

Simply incredible! Wonderful to meet the history and words of a such a deep poet, and in my mother language! Brazil and Angola share sad fates, that men imposed to us.

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Your mother tongue! Oh, that is so cool! That's what I love about substack--that we can meet here--and yes, Brazil and Angola. 🀝

Expand full comment
NeuroHuntress's avatar

This was riveting and eye opening, thank you!

Expand full comment
Beth Kephart's avatar

Lilian, this is such profoundly important work you are doing. I see the time and care you put into it, the high and noble sense of purpose in these posts. I hope you can collect them all some day for a book.

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Thank you so much Beth! What a wonderful idea πŸ’›

Expand full comment
invisiblegirl's avatar

so informational! thank you for posting. :)

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

Expand full comment
Jen McNeely's avatar

What a powerful, beautiful, and informative piece - and a lovely contribution to Black History Month. Curious - you mention you are Canadian, where are you from? I'm in the Beaver Valley, about 3 hours north of Toronto.

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Thank you! That warmed my heart. πŸ₯° I'm in Toronto! So not that far.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Feb 4
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Oh yay! Thanks so much for sharing the link πŸ’›

Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Omg just watched that made me cry

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Feb 4
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Lilian Nattel πŸ“šβ™€πŸŒ's avatar

Awww that is so nice to hear. πŸ’•

Expand full comment