Monday | 7 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Monday | 7 October 2024 | Epaper

A talk with Ashok Ferrey

Published : Saturday, 18 November, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 567
Nazmun Naher Shishir
Ashok Ferrey was born in Sri Lanka, but brought up in Africa and England. Though being a mathematician: graduated from Christ College, Oxford, Ferrey experiences a lot of professions, and eventually turned out as a celebrated author.
Colpetty People (2005) was his first book, and his short story collection The Good Little Ceylonese Girl, (2006) both were nominated for Sri Lanka's Prime award for writing in English The Gratiaen Prize in 2003. Ashok's first novel is Serendipity (2009), and his other litrarary works are -- The Professional (2013), Love in the Tsunami (2012), The Ceaseless Chatter of Demons (2016).

After pursuing career as builder, personal trainer, and mathematician, how did you turn into an author after 40 years of age?
Completely by accident, to tell the truth! I was meant to be a mathematician. But everyday frustrations I used to vomit in my personal notebook which eventually made me an author!  

Share your writing process
In the year 1999 my father got cancer, and I was the only child in Sri Lanka with my parents. Writing came organically, but the editing part is very crucial. In Sri Lanka, the writing industry has not grown up yet.

At the age of 8 you shifted to Somalia from Sri Lanka and then to England. Does anyway Diaspora influence you and your characters' lives?
I think, it has a huge effect in my writing. From Somalia, my sister and I, went to England. In Somalia I was at American school, later moved to England at the age of eleven. And as a child when I had American and British both the education system, things appear differently to me.
Therefor, I faced multiple narratives of history, of truth. As a child, I was confused and then figured out it's all their version of truth.

Are your fictions mere fictions or they are distorted reality?
My stories come from my memories and from events which I experience. But, the reality is contextualized. May be one certain event's emotion I will pour into some other incident. That's how I distort the reality.

English writing in South Asia is somehow dominated by Indian writers. But Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are joining the stream, though slowly. What's your view on this.
You must be different, yet you must swim in the same lake. It's a tricky balance. I have to be truthful to myself. Regarding writing in English, because of the colonial mindset it might be easy to get appreciation in some cases. Whatever the language is, one must, I believe, present his or her creation in a way that other people can relate. Your room must not be so obscure and dark that no one would be able to see anything.

Does colonial hangover still exist in Sri Lanka?
In the 1960s we had a very misguided socialist government and they destroyed the very fabric of our education. They eradicated 'English' with extreme pro-nationalistic vibe. Therefore, Sri Lanka is lagging behind in the international literary and academic ground.   
When we first organized first Galle Literary Festival, I used to get calls at the middle of the night that "You traitor! Why are you organizing an English festival?" This represents the extremism of race and language that turned our education and literature arena somewhat 'non-inclusive' culture, though the land is multi-lingual and multi-cultural.  May be, because Sri Lanka has a history of 454 years of colonial slavery.

How does a book with local elements appeal the global reader?
I had complete doubt that anyone would understand when I was writing Colpete People. And, then to my surprise, people from other countries were buying the book. As I mentioned earlier, being globally local is the tricky balance.

Does cultural exchange through literature, for instance international literary festivals, can shape the world in a better way?
Yes, they are very important. And it's most important for small countries like Sri Lanka because our literary arena is very small, to be specific our English literary arena. So, the mentality is "island mentality". It's very important to step out and be open to the world.  

Who are your inspirations in writing?
I like mid 20th century's writers -- Muriel Spark, Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, and of course R K Narayan.

Share your experience about Bangladesh
Ishrat Akhand (who was killed in the Holley Artisan attack) was my friend. I came here to open a gallery in her invitation earlier. This is my second visit. She was a very good friend of mine. That was a nice experience. And, this time I feel that, there are a lot of people who are connected to literature. And I love it.  






LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Story of the magnificent Bangladesh
My metaphysics
Our struggle, our independence
Question put forward to an excuse
Coming
Story of the magnificent Bangladesh
Our struggle, our independence
Grains of sand
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝