The Clarion

Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Vishmaa Ramsaroop-Briggs

Kenyan author Mukoma wa Ngugi set the scene from his new novel "Nairobi Heat," to a full student lounge at the Truax campus on March 4. Students were hanging on each word, practically feeling the rhythm Ngugi described from an elusive guitar player.

He instantly grabbed each listener in the room as he described the "tug of war" feeling between a dancer and the blues melody - little did he know that his steady voice and melodious words had the same affect of his listeners.

As Ngugi finished the passage and looked around the dazed room he dedicated that particular passage to the blues lovers. A small chuckle suggested that most of the audience was still finding a way out from the powerful images the reading brought them too.

Ngugi, author and UW-Madison alumni, read numerous passages from his latest novel, "Nairobi Heat." On the surface it's a page turning detective story however, the underlying themes are equally as captivating as the gripping story line.

Ngugi said that he not only hopes to tell a great story with "Nairobi Heat" but to give Madison Area Technical College students a different perspective of the beauty of Africa and more importantly, to open the discussion of relations between African Americans and Africans.

Since Ngugi spent nearly 20 years living in both Kenya and the United States this discussion is of a particular interest to him.

"One of the reasons I wanted to write this book was to open that discussion. I don't so much see the struggle within myself, but I recognize it around me."

It's not often that Madison Area Technical College has the opportunity to welcome an internationally acclaimed author into its doors, and students were excited to take advantage of the rare opportunity. With the student lounge nearly full the reading was an enormous success.

"I have to say it was heartening to see such a large group of international students. I was really impressed at the internationalism and the success of the international program. I also really enjoyed the questions the students were asking, I found them to be very thought provoking," said Ngugi.

Madison College instructor, Sarah "bird" Cupps, who invited Ngugi to lead the reading, was equally impressed with the quality of the student turnout.

"I was really surprised at how many people asked so many well informed questions. It just surprises me to see such an understanding of Africa and it was great at how many people came for the experience," she said.

Many students stayed long after the discussion was over, snacking on mandazi, a traditional Kenyan treat similar to sweet bread, to have a more in depth discussion with Ngugi. He urged students to understand that there is no single identity, "identity is a debate," he said.

"I hope that from this, students will ask more questions about race, identity and class and become good readers of African literature, Ngugi said. "I hope that whatever field they get into, they will be able to express themselves well and I hope they will compare relationships between different groups of people."

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