Introduction to Bewketu Seyoum
Bewketu Seyoum is a popular young Ethiopian poet and writer. He grew up in Mankusa, a small town in Gojjam on the road to Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile. He studied psychology and English at Addis Ababa University. His father is an English teacher and his mother comes from a family of Orthodox Christian priests. His first collection of Amharic poems, Nwari Alba Gojowoch (Unmanned Houses), was published in 2002 and has since been reprinted three times. He has published two further collections of poetry, two best-selling novels and two CDs of short stories (some of which can be heard on YouTube).
Bewketu’s poems are short and punchy, full of warmth, humour and humanity. Living in a country where freedom of speech and political dissent are very limited, where even to question religious practices can earn you a severe beating (as happened to Bewketu last year), his poems are rarely confessional. They read more like folk proverbs or traditional religious poems called q’ene, but they never lack personal commitment or courage. Bewketu also uses more rhyme and sound play in his poems than we have managed to translate, but then Amharic is a wonderfully playful and plosive language.
In 2008, Bewketu was awarded the prize for Best Young Writer of the year by the President of Ethiopia.
Page(s) 174-5
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