Ibrahim Ishaq as I read him/ Asha Musa

11:00 PM January, 29 2018

Sudanese Online
عائشة موسي السعيد-KHARTOUM NORTH
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Ibrahim Ishag as I read him
Asha Musa


I read very comprehensive comments about various aspects concerning Dr Ibrahim Ishaq, writing, ideas, etc. And I am pleased that our critics are paying attention to the works of Ishaq which are an astounding contribution to the spacious horizons of literary writing, namely, the short story and novel. Works that I am not furnished with relevant tools of literary criticism to delve into details and yet as a member of the vast auditory of literary platforms I cannot waste an opportunity to visit.
Ishaq has adopted for his interesting narration the local language,( slang, dialect, or whatever critics might call), to depths and profundity that haven’t been tapped before. His style has been described as too difficult and obscure, among other things, to be translated or even read beyond his community! He did not invent a new language or even cloned some of its vocabularies to furnish his writing project. He drew the life of a community to the inner core of its pulsing heart. He was, and stayed, aware of and adamant to his project and what he found at hand and planned to use it so skilfully as an easy to reach tool capable of branding his project with this unique authentic taste.
He is greatly admired and respected. I do not feel comfortable to compare him to the African Writers of the Negritude movement as their reasons for the use of local languages were different. Darfurians like other parts of Sudan cling to their dialects, languages and varieties with no clear plans of competition...or so it used to be.
Using this local tongue Ishaq opened a grand window to a culture so rich and inveterate. He is also a good landmark to the new writers who are trying to touch gently, sometimes successfully, on use of colloquial language and slang expressions. They lack the daring dip that Ishaq has started with. Poets might have found it easier but it is a method too thorny for novelists and story narrators. He also illuminated the life and existence of marginalized citizens in spite of the historical, cultural and economic importance of their region.
Ibrahim Ishaq does not need to be advertised to widen his readership; it is the sores of our media that need to be cured and be able to use its tools and wipe its mirrors to reflect such works to the public. Publishing and marketing such works, fostering such writers and recognizing them and availing platforms to present them to the world are some of the necessary remedies. Critics also should mark their presence by discussing analyzing and drawing attention to treasures capable of attention. Readers need to be guided and educated before we expect a reaction from them that would be effective to the life or death of a literary work.
Translation is the sole work of a writer! One of the drawbacks of translation is that it is affected by the pride or even haughtiness of poets and writers. A writer should draw his passage to globalization. When a writer is so popular and well known among his immediate readership, he or she should step further beyond his boundaries. The ideal arrangement is that a translator should be invited or approached by the writer or his sponsors to discuss the work and carry on the translation. It could also be done the other way round, but in all cases it is a stage not any less complicated than the stages of writing and publishing. It is unrealistic that a writer condemns his work to results through expectations. So, trial is the best tester for success in this case.
Translating works like Tayeb Salih, Ibrahim Ishaq, Bushra Al Fadil and many others is deemed to succeed!