Democratic Republic of the Congo / All works
Narrative
Les Aventures de Ngoy, héros légendaire des Bangala
Not translated into English
Antoine-Roger Bolamba · 1940
Synopsis
The narrative follows Ngoy, whom its title presents as a legendary hero of the Bangala; the historian Daniel Tödt, who read it in the journal where it appeared, sees in it the story of a Congolese man in the service of Europeans. Written in French, it was published chapter by chapter, like a serial. Historians of Congolese letters place it among the author's first texts, together with an earlier narrative drawn from a legend of the oral tradition.
Context
The tale won the literary competition organised in 1938 and 1939 by the Association des Amis de l'art indigène of Léopoldville, then appeared in 1940 in its journal, Brousse. This prize made its author known, and the Royal Belgian Colonial Institute reports that it was to the winner of this competition that the new journal of the “évolués” was entrusted in 1945. Mukala Kadima-Nzuji in 1984, Alain Rouch and Gérard Clavreuil in 1987 cite it at the beginnings of Congolese literature in French; the BnF catalogue knows of no edition of it.
Who it is for
A narrative in French, published as a serial in a colonial journal; it is of interest first of all for the history of the beginnings of Congolese writing.
Prizes and reception
Awarded a prize in Léopoldville, it brought its young author a renown that his biographers date to 1939.
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