In an animated conversation, two East African scholars: an anthropologist and Swahili playwright, Dr Farouk Topan and Dr Mohamed M. Keshavjee, Lawyer, Cross-cultural mediation specialist and short story writer, discuss the “Wind of Change” era in Africa.
Based on the book “Diasporic Distractions” a work of fiction written by Mohamed M Keshavjee, the conversation brings out the major forces that shaped that period and which had an impact on the Asian minority across the continent. These included rapid urbanisation, restructuring of post-colonial society, cancellation of trade licences and work permits, emigration to the Western world, resettlement and adaptation due to acculturation.
According to Dr Topan, “history gets captured through 4 main ways: writing of memoirs, academic papers, genealogical studies by individuals and families, and fiction. These short stories, though fiction, tell it how it was”.
