حكاية طفل تسكنه التساؤلات والكلمات...الأسماء ورموزها...الأرض والسماء، القلم والكتاب، والخرائط...وتسكنه الأحلام التي احتلت مساحة كبيرة من حياته ومن الرواية...والتي تركت آثارها على نمو ذاتهوالأكثر من ذلك أنها حكاية الصومال وإقليم أوغادين المتنازع عليه بين الصومال وأثيوبيا والحرب الدائرة بينهما عام 1977...وحكاية المآسي التي أصابت الصوماليين فيها، من مذابح وتهجير وقتل واغتصاب للنساء العفيفاتعسكر...قتل والده في تلك الحرب...وماتت أمه عند ولادته...وربته الأثيوبية "مصرا" صاحبة القدرات التنبئية، في قريته "كالافو" التابعة لإقليم أوغادين...ليغادرها وهو في السابعة إلى بيت خاله في مقديشو...مفارقات كثيرة يحياها الفتى وهو ينتقل بين أجواء متناقضة...ليتكيف مع حياة جديدة...في كنف خاله وزوجته المثقفين...فتتسع مساحة أسئلته...ويحاول البحث عن خريطته الذهنية لذاته وللحدود التي تفصله عن "مصرا"، في الوقت الذي يتمحور اهتمامه حول خريطة الصومال وأفريقيا وحدودهما...وكيف اتسعت أوروبا على حسابها...في إشارة لأزمة الهوية التي يحاول تحديدها وفهمهافكما يقول فارح:"لذلك فإن رغبتي في الكتابة، جاءت من الرغبة في إعادة اختراع عالم، يستطيع فيه أي طفل صومالي أن يتعرف إلى ذاته"وربما لهذا رسم فارح شخصية عسكر بوعي مبكر بتجاوز حدود عمره بكثير"خرائط" الرواية الأولى ضمن ثلاثية "دماء في الشمس"، والتي تتضمن "هدايا" و"أسرار"...والسرد فيها يتنوع بين ضمير المخاطب والمتكلم والغائب...تنوعا لا يفقد الرواية تماسكها...ويتراوح في الزمن بين الحاضر والماضيحتى الصفحة 130 تملكني الإحباط من نزول توقعاتي بعد ما قرأته عن كاتبها والإشادة به، وبعد انتهائي من روايتي "وول سوينكا"، وبعد ذلك بدأت الرواية تتخذ منحى مختلفا خاصة مع حوارات عسكر وخاله الفلسفية، وتساؤلاته المصيرية حول ما يربط الصوماليين ببعضهم ودور الحب كرابط أصيل وبديل لرابط الدم...وهل الأولوية للتطوع في جبهة التحرير أم الانتساب للجامعة الوطنية لإكمال الدراسة، بمعنى آخر الأولوية لتحرير الأرض أم لبناء الإنسان؟؟لماذا ثلاث نجمات؟؟لأنه ركز في جزئه الأول على علاقة عسكر بمصرا مربيته الأثيوبية من ناحية حسيّة بإيحاءات تقود إلى توقع علاقة جسدية بينهما رغم أنه غادرها إلى مقديشو وعمره سبع سنوات، وللتكرار والحشو أحيانا كثيرة دون فائدة تذكر، وللحوارات التي جاءت مباشِرة في العديد من صفحات جزئها الثاني لفرض رؤية سياسية يتبناها الكاتب...والحوارات التي لم أجدها منطقية في نهاية الروايةولأنه عزز مفهوم الهوية الصومالية على حساب الهوية العربية الإسلامية، بل غمز في أكثر من موضع باستنكاره للوجود العربي على أرض الصومال...وقد عرض تصوره لأمة صومالية تمتد من جيبوتي إلى أجزاء من كينيا إلى الأوغادين...لها لغتها وثقافتها وهويتها الخاصة، حتى اعتبر العرب غزاة هيمنوا بلغتهم المكتوبة على لغة أهل البلاد الشفاهيةورغم كل ذلك...فقد فتح أمامي الكتاب بابا على إقليم أوغادين ومأساته والأحداث الدامية التي حدثت فيه، مما قادني للبحث والقراءة عنه وعن المآسي التي عانى منها الصوماليون في مواجهة الأثيوبيين
Maps is a novel by Nuruddin Farah, a chronicler of modern Africa's sociopolitical turbulence and growth who has lived in exile from his native Somalia since 1974. The first in a trilogy of novels, Maps is rich in concept and execution, beautifully worked in the dense, intricate prose. It tells the story of Askar, orphaned as a child, who is rescued from his dead mother's side and raised in a small village by Misra, an older woman who develops a mysterious, protective bond with him.Eventually he moves to the capital to live with his prosperous Uncle Hilaal; however, Askar's origins continue to preoccupy him, and he grows into a serious, introspective youth fixed on the urgent question of his identity. Thus we have the central theme of this novel - identity - a theme that is woven with complexity as Askar begins with close ties to Misra, his substitute mother, and as he grows into young manhood with ties to the land, Somalia, metaphorically represented by maps which he studies and learns about first from Misra and later from Hilaal. It is with Misra that the boy Askar begins his journey toward becoming a man."Indubitably, she had done a most commendable job, training him in the nomadic lore of climatic and geographic importance -- that it was the earth which received the rains, the sky from whose loins sprang water and therefore life; that the earth was the womb upon whose open fields men and women grew food for themselves and for their animals. And man raised huts and women bore children and the cows grazed on the nearby pastures, the goats likewise; and the boy became a man," (p 134)There are unique and striking images presented as Askar lives with Misra. Those of water and of blood, dreams of a future that is yet unknown. "Water: I associate with joy; blood: not so much with pain as with lost tempers and beatings. But I associate something else with blood -- future as read by Misra. Once I even made a pun -- my future is in my blood." (p 36)It gradually becomes true that Askar's blood and future are indelibly connected with Somalia. But her continues his search for identity. His father had died for the future of Somalia and Askar is taught about the past:"'Whose are the unburied corpses?' Then the man smiled. He said: 'Our memories, our collective or if you like, our individual pasts. We leave our bodies in order that we may travel light -- we are hope personified. After all, we are the dream of a nation." (p 129)Hilaal, the cook and nurturer in his city home of Mogadiscio, is able to provide some answers for his baffled nephew on the subjects of African tradition, Somalian manhood and selflessness. Employing a poetic, imaginative style, Farah skillfully juxtaposes Askar's emotional turmoil and the struggles of his beloved Somalia under siege, as the characters try to understand why blood must be shed for territorial gain. In the end, Askar must choose between avenging his soldier father's death by joining the army, or pursuing his academic studies, but the choice is taken out of his hands by powerful external forces.This is a poetic coming-of-age story, following in the tradition of Dickens and many others. Farah makes it new with his poetic style, a unique narrative voice using different points of view, and with the complex relationships between family, friends, and the land. The result is a wonderful tale of searching for the identity of one's inner and outer self in a difficult world.
What do You think about Maps (2000)?
Set in Mogadishu and Greater Somalia, Maps is a startling and disarming novel that impugns the borders between countries, peoples, and people while challenging narrative conventions and interlacing prose with the rich tradition of Somali poetry. The most challenging aspect of the book is the usage of second, first, and third person on the part of the narrator. This is the key conflict of identity that persists through various themes and threads in the novel.(In a time of widespread xenophobic bias, ignorance of and indifference to Somali history and politics, and a catastrophic famine consuming the Horn of Africa, Maps is both poignant and pertinent.)
—Leah
A story about a young man in Somalia, set in the time of Ogaden crisis. Themes include identity, both personal and ethnic, as the young man's parents have died, and he is raised by a woman who is an ethnic outsider in the Ethiopian town inhabited mostly by Somalis.It is a well-written book, but also rather heavy and at times confusing. Too intellectual and poetic for me; I'd have preferred a clearer plot and less having to wonder and interpret what the different dream sequences mean – but I'm straightforward that way.Still, this was an interesting view on a subject different from what I usually read, so worth reading.
—Mikko Saari
About a week ago, I finished reading Maps by Nuruddin Farah . As with most things in my life, I fell behind on the process of writing the review. I told myself that it was okay to hold off on writing the review until I had some questions. Before getting to the questions, I would like to get a (short) general review. The book was surprisingly engaging and powerful. From publisher’s weekly, here is a plot summary: Askar, orphaned as a child, is rescued from his dead mother's side and raised in a small village by Misra, an older woman who develops a mysterious, protective bond with him. Even when he moves to the capital to live with his prosperous Uncle Hilaal, Askar's origins continue to preoccupy him, and he grows into a serious, introspective youth fixed on the urgent question of his identity. Hilaal, the cook and nurturer in his city home, is able to provide some answers for his baffled nephew on the subjects of African tradition, Somalian manhood and selflessness. Employing a poetic, imaginative style, Farah skillfully juxtaposes Askar's emotional turmoil and the struggles of his beloved Somalia under siege, as the characters try to understand why blood must be shed for territorial gain. In the end, Askar must choose between avenging his soldier father's death by joining the army, or pursuing his academic studies, but the choice is taken out of his hands by powerful external forces. In a larger sense the book is about the intersection and conflict between family and national identity. The uncle and aunt were my favorite characters and to me they represented the progression from a patriarchal societal model to one that is more equal. LisaMM asked: For either book: what is the significance of the title? In this book, I think that Askar uses maps to find his place in the world. As the war continues, the maps change and he realizes that location is fluid. R asked: Although you haven't reviewed it yet, I'm aware that you really liked Maps. Can you pinpoint what exactly was so gripping or engaging about this book? I have been thinking about what made me enjoy Maps and the only thing I have come up with is the tone of the book. It is serious and at time ominous. However, you can really see the progression of the main character from a young boy to a young man who is trying to fit together the various pieces of information he is given. I also liked the way questions about good and evil were raised and handled. R also asked: I hear that the author of Maps has a very unique and powerful writing style. How would you describe it? Does it compare to any other authors you know? This is a hard question to answer because I seem to have writer’s block in thinking about the author. The only thing I can think of is deceptively simple. The language and words he uses to express an idea are simple on the surface, but the sentiments and insight they provide are incredible. The only other author I can think of is David Malouf who wrote Remembering Babylon which I reviewed here.
—Jaspreet
