Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s ‘Matigari’ translated to Portuguese

Ngugi wa Thiong’o novel, ‘Matigari,’ has been translated to the Portuguese by Sandra Felipe and Ethale Publishing. Thiong’o published ‘Matigari,’ a satire on the betrayal of human ideals and on the bitter experience of post-independence African society, in 1986 in Gikuyu and the English translation done by Wangui wa Goro and issued in 1989. The […]

Ngugi wa Thiong’o novel, ‘Matigari,’ has been translated to the Portuguese by Sandra Felipe and Ethale Publishing.

Thiong’o published ‘Matigari,’ a satire on the betrayal of human ideals and on the bitter experience of post-independence African society, in 1986 in Gikuyu and the English translation done by Wangui wa Goro and issued in 1989.

The book became popular and controversial in Kenya leading to the then dictator Daniel Arap Moi issuing a warrant for the arrest of Matigari as he believed it was an individual trying to overthrow his government. When it became evident that it was a character in a book the title was confiscated and banned from circulation.

The translation by Felipe was overseen by Mozambican based Ethale Publishing. The new title was presented by Ethale Publishing’s Jessemusse Cacinda to East African Educational Publishers boss Kamau Kiarie at the latter’s offices in Nairobi on September 24.