dancingann

[tigger8900]

Scatterlings, by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Abram van Zijl had been English once, or perhaps Dutch, but now considers himself to be African. Alisa is a Jamaican-English woman who'd come to Africa seeking the origin of her enslaved ancestors. Living together in South Africa, they've enjoyed a long marriage, albeit one troubled as of late, and have two children together. But it's 1927 and the Immorality Act has just been passed, criminalizing mixed-race relationships such as their own. Blinded by privilege he doesn't even realize he possesses, by the time Abram sees the danger to his family it's too late; desperate to save her children, Alisa commits an unforgivable act, one which will haunt her entire family as they seek refuge from those who would enforce the law.

This was a beautiful book about oppression, belonging, and what it means to find your home. Both Abram and Alisa are written as deeply flawed characters, Abram in his colonizer's naivete and Alisa in her all-consuming depression, but ones that ultimately evoke empathy. The inclusion of their daughter Dido's perspective provided a much-needed relief from what would likely have been too heavy and melancholy, if the only narrators had been adults. Her curious exploration of African folklore and tradition, first through Gloria and then through Josephina, brought the novel's themes home in a way neither of her parents had quite managed to accomplish.

Something that didn't entirely work for me was the character of Johannes, not so much what he represented as the reveal of his personal secret. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of what the story was about. Perhaps I misunderstood what was being implied, but it seemed like he was jealous of Alisa? It just seemed odd and a bit out of place.

Be warned: the ending of the story is an ambiguous one. You're not going to get a clear answer to the question of whether they get away or not. I was happy with the ending, but calibrate your expectations accordingly. This story is heavy on themes and emotions, but not so much on plot resolution.

[thebookdragon217]

"...some stories start in the middle because no one wants to hear the beginning. They can be told quickly because no one wants to know the details. Sometimes all that matters is the conclusion." Thanks to @bibliolifestyle for the gifted copy. Scatterlings by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe was a nice surprise. Manenzhe's writing style is poetic and magical. Her ability to weave a beautiful story filled with folklore and ancestral wisdom kept me captivated until the end. Manenzhe introduced characters with unique voices and perspectives. Although the novel was short, the story was full of deep themes of identity, nationalism, depression, suicidal ideations, trans-racial adoption, colonization and slavery, anti-Blackness, apartheid and miscegenation. The history of Capetown, South Africa is a prominent part of the story and really made me think about the ways that Black African peoples were stripped of their identities and met with racism and anti-Blackness even when they return home to reconnect. Manenzhe shows the ways that trans-racial adoptions don't automatically bring acceptance to Black adoptees. She shows how these same adoptees are left to navigate their identity and microagressions with no support from their adoptive parents because they are ambivalent of their own privilege and participation in colonization. I appreciated how she highlighted the depression and suicidal ideations that Alisa felt having to navigate white spaces and feeling disconnected from her African roots, despite having ancestral giftings. Manenzhe's story is a reminder of the power of storytelling in keeping cultures alive and staying connected to original homelands. The storytelling reminded me of When We Were Birds which I loved. If you enjoy literary and historical fiction interspersed with ancestral wisdom and folklore then consider giving this one a try. I will definitely be looking out for more from this author because this was a stunning debut. #Scatterlings #bibliolifestyle #tbr #RešoketšweManenzhe #bookish #bookrecommendations #books #bookphotography #bookstagram #SouthAfrica #Capetown #reading #amreading #bookcommunity #Africa #20booksbyblackwomen #bookstagrammer #bookreview (at Bushwick) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmSmfhdLElu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dbluegreen]

Johnny Clegg And Savuka - Scatterlings Of Africa (1987)

[be-kind-to-all-kind]

"When a slave died their soul went back to Africa because that was where we belonged. When the soul reached Africa it was greeted by the ancestors in the spirit realm. And once the soul was greeted, it waited for other souls of departed slaves so too, could be welcomed home. Every soul did this duty until it was reborn purer, again and again, because life is a stream that flows and flows endlessly into many bodies. In this way a deceased mother could return as your child, a lost slave could redeem a brutalised life; but first, the soul had to be returned to Africa. It was to be washed there, it had to touch paradise, home, heaven. And Africa was heaven." - Miss Alisa Miller (then Van Zijl) (from Scatterlings by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe) (one of my favourite books despite the terrible happenings)

[schonheit-ist-in-alles]

"When a slave died their soul went back to Africa because that was where we belonged. When the soul reached Africa it was greeted by the ancestors in the spirit realm. And once the soul was greeted, it waited for other souls of departed slaves so too, could be welcomed home. Every soul did this duty until it was reborn purer, again and again, because life is a stream that flows and flows endlessly into many bodies. In this way a deceased mother could return as your child, a lost slave could redeem a brutalised life; but first, the soul had to be returned to Africa. It was to be washed there, it had to touch paradise, home, heaven. And Africa was heaven." - Miss Alisa Miller (then Van Zijl) (from Scatterlings by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe) (one of my favourite books despite the terrible happenings)

[thecat-isblogging-blog]

9 for music asks!

9. what is the first song that really made you feel something? I think it would be when we arrived in South Africa in 1994 and my parents got a whole bunch of Johnny Clegg and Juluka albums. I remember the house blasting with Scatterlings of Africa, it's always stuck with me and how exciting things felt even when I didn't really understand at the time.

[books4us]

SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT!! Here we are, with another eclectic book selection for you all to add to your reading list. If you are a lover of language and scintillating prose, this is a book you will love. My 💭; This is a novel of beautiful language. The prose is other-worldly and I think the plot is rather loose, but when the writing is this beautiful, the looseness of plot is but a minor annoyance. Alissa is a troubled lady who finds her settled in 1920’s South Africa with her Englishman husband. When the Immorality Act is passed which basically outlaws relations between Whites and Natives, Alissa, husband and their two daughters realize that a change in place is a necessity. This prompts Alissa to initiate a horrid act, and leaves the reader with a big ? Later when some of her journals are found, we are let in on her state of mind, but nothing detailing the whys. The construction of great paragraphs and greater sentences aids the reader in overlooking the thinness of explanation. And just as you might begin to tire of such, the novel concludes, and you will sit mesmerized by the language you just experienced and sometime later may add a little disappointing note about plot. I can’t wait to read whatever is next. A beautiful writer she is. Thanks to Harpervia and Netgalley for an advanced DRC. Book is out and available wherever books are sold. #ownvoicesreviews #bookpusher #pushingbooksainteasy #scatterlings #harperviabooks #bookblogger #blackbibliophile #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readmorebooks #readology2023 #whodoesitbetter #bookstagram #bookstagrammer (at Houston, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpIhx3ALY-W/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[utomherten]

Johnny Clegg And Savuka - Scatterlings Of Africa (1987)

[gonzoneill]

Scatterlings of Africa

Scatterling – person with no fixed home; a wanderer; a vagabond. Written by the late, great Johnny Clegg and performed with Juluka the song sets out how we all belong to the same family (bit of a leap, but bear with me)..Phelamanga – A Zulu word meaning the place where there are no lies, the afterlife or indeed heaven.Olduvai – reference to the Olduvai Gorge, on the eastern Serengeti Plain,…

[americanahighways]

REVIEW: Keturah self - titled

REVIEW: Keturah self - titled @keturah_musicmw @hearth_music #JohnApice #keturah #americanahighways #newmusic2023

Keturah – Keturah I don’t understand the language but the woman’s voice gets into my head. It decorates my mind with so many bright musical colors. I’ve no answer. From the opener “Ku Nyumba,” Keturah’s words & melody come from the same well of inspiration as Paul Simon with Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Johnny Clegg’s Julukka (“Scatterlings of Africa”). The 27-year-old comes from Malawi. This is…

[our-ewblog]

Scatterling of Africa | Celebrating Johnny Clegg's Remarkable Life

Scatterling of Africa | Celebrating Johnny Clegg’s Remarkable Life

Scatterling of Africa by Johnny Clegg- Picture Credit: Thabang Malatji. For many of us who were privileged to have been born at the tail end of apartheid, Johnny Clegg was that famous musician whose music continues to roar at the stadiums mostly at rugby matches. However, as it is often said, there is always a man behind the music. And Johnny Clegg was a man whose conviction, cultural activism,…

[judgingbooksbycovers]

Scatterlings: A Novel

​By Resoketswe Martha Manenzhe.

Design by Stephen Brayda.

[dbluegreen]

Johnny Clegg And Savuka - Scatterlings Of Africa (1987)

[be-kind-to-all-kind]

scatterling

/ˈskætəlɪŋ/

noun (plural: scatterlings)

a person without a fixed home; a wanderer. "Scatterlings and fugitives, hooded eyes and weary brows, seek refuge in the night."

- "Scatterlings of Africa" - Johnny Clegg

[schonheit-ist-in-alles]

scatterling

/ˈskætəlɪŋ/

noun (plural: scatterlings)

a person without a fixed home; a wanderer. "Scatterlings and fugitives, hooded eyes and weary brows, seek refuge in the night."

- "Scatterlings of Africa" - Johnny Clegg