Book Review: Lion Man and Other Stories

Peter Vakunta. The Lion Man and Other Stories. New Jersey: Africa World Press, 2005. Paperback. [USA / UK]

Lion Man and Other Stories is a collection of short stories culled from the culture and folklore of the indigenous people of Bamunka, a small village with a population of approximately 76,500 located in the grass fields of the North-West Province in the Republic of Cameroon. The greater majority of the Bamunka people depend on subsistence farming, rice cultivation, fishing and the tapping of palm wine for a living.

This collection comprises bird trickster tales, animal survival stories as well as human-interest narratives. If you have never set foot in this part of Africa, these stories will take you on a safari trip around the region in less than no time.

It is truly a mirror that reflects the socio-cultural life of the inhabitants of the region. It is a pointer to the worldview and value systems of the people. Each story is an entity in itself harboring a moral. The stories deal with life yesterday, today and tomorrow. They constitute a bridge between the near and the far. The book’s special merit resides in its suitability to the young and the old. High school and college students with an interest in African folklore and literature would find the collection indispensable.

Peter W. Vakunta was born and raised in Bamunka in the Republic of Cameroon. He is a Ph.D. candidate in French and Francophone literatures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds many literary wards, including the Fay Goldie Literary Award for Excellence in creative writing and the International Poet-of-the-Year award. Among his published works are Brainwaves, Pandora’s Box, and African Time and Pidgin Verses.

Reprinted from BeHeard.Com

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[PETER WUTEH VAKUNTA]

IDENTITY CRISIS

I don’t quite know who I’m.
Je ne sais pas au juste qui je suis.
Some call me Anglo;
D’autres m’appellent Frog.

I still don’t know who I’m
Je ne sais toujours pas qui je suis.
My name c’est Le Bamenda;
Mon nom is L’Ennemi dans la maison;
My name c’est le Biafrais;
Mon nom is second-class citizen;
My name c’est le maladroit.

Taisez-vous! Shut up!
Don’t bother me!
Ne m’embêtez pas!
Don’t you know that I belong here?
Vous ignorez que je suis ici chez moi?
I shall fight to my last breath
To forge a real name for myself.
You shall call me Anglofrog!
Vous m’appelerez Franglo!

Shut up! Taisez-vous!
Don’t bother me!
Ne m’embêtez pas!
Don’t you know that I belong here?
Vous ignorez que je suis ici chez moi?

I shall fight to my last breath
To forge a real lingo for myself.
I’ll speak Français;
Je parlerai English
Together we’ll speak Franglais;
C’est-à-dire qu’ensemble,
Nous parlerons le Créole camerounais,
Because nous sommes ici chez nous.
A bon entendeur salut!
He who has ears should hear!

[PETER WUTEH VAKUNTA]

IDENTITY CRISIS

I don’t quite know who I’m.
Je ne sais pas au juste qui je suis.
Some call me Anglo;
D’autres m’appellent Frog.

I still don’t know who I’m
Je ne sais toujours pas qui je suis.
My name c’est Le Bamenda;
Mon nom is L’Ennemi dans la maison;
My name c’est le Biafrais;
Mon nom is second-class citizen;
My name c’est le maladroit.

Taisez-vous! Shut up!
Don’t bother me!
Ne m’embêtez pas!
Don’t you know that I belong here?
Vous ignorez que je suis ici chez moi?
I shall fight to my last breath
To forge a real name for myself.
You shall call me Anglofrog!
Vous m’appelerez Franglo!

Shut up! Taisez-vous!
Don’t bother me!
Ne m’embêtez pas!
Don’t you know that I belong here?
Vous ignorez que je suis ici chez moi?

I shall fight to my last breath
To forge a real lingo for myself.
I’ll speak Français;
Je parlerai English
Together we’ll speak Franglais;
C’est-à-dire qu’ensemble,
Nous parlerons le Créole camerounais,
Because nous sommes ici chez nous.
A bon entendeur salut!
He who has ears should hear!

[QueenBee]

Interesting poem, Peter this identity issue.

I am a Southern Cameroonian
Not an anglophone
Not a francophone
Those to me are empty labels.

[QueenBee]

Interesting poem, Peter this identity issue.

I am a Southern Cameroonian
Not an anglophone
Not a francophone
Those to me are empty labels.

[smily]

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