Ellen tell us about your background relating to migration, being born in and relocating back to the UK after living in various African countries.
Although I was born in the UK, my parents - my father worked for the Zambian High Commission in the UK - went back to Zambia soon after my birth so I grew up in Zambia. I only came back to the UK as an adult after I had obtained my first degree from the University of Zambia.
In your novel Patchwork, the protagonist as a child was envied by Zambian children for her father’s international travel and later for her life as a student abroad, yet as an adult returning to Africa she was scorned for the loss of her culture. In your experience, and in general, do you think migrating has overall positive effects in terms of identity and belonging?
Exposure to other cultures is always positive as it makes one understand and become more tolerant to other ways of life. For me, it has been very positive, perhaps because I came to the UK as an adult so my foundation as to who I am in terms of identity and belonging was already laid. For this reason I was able to integrate in the UK without losing who I am. If my parents had stayed on in the UK I think it would have been very hard for them to raise me as a Zambian, remember it was the 1960’s so the UK was not as multicultural as it is today.
Having lived in multi-cultural countries like South Africa and the UK, do you view multiculturalism in a positive light or do you agree with the controversial statement “state multiculturalism has failed”?
As the world becomes more global, multiculturalism now exists in most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Most of these cities have not gone up in flames or ceased to exist, on the contrary they are becoming more and more multicultural. I think it is a positive thing as it enriches us as people when we live with and learn about other cultures.
With the recent riots across England escalating to community grievances i.e. English Defence League and the Black and Asian gang warfare, and reflecting on the history of Asians and Europeans living amongst Black Zambian’s, what do you suggest for a harmonious multi-cultural society?
It is up to individual families and communities to instil a sense of culture and identity in their children. This could be through ensuring the children learn the language, the customs, the food etc. of their culture. However, I believe that if one chooses to migrate one should be prepared to integrate, and also appreciate that by settling in another country they are accepting that they will inevitably assume some of the culture that exists in the place they have migrated to. It is this acceptance or acknowledgement that fosters a harmonious multi-cultural society.
With cuts to public services and as a mother and children’s story writer, how do you address ways to empower young people through literary programmes, particularly in the face of the issue of social exclusion of disenfranchised youth and declining literacy rates?
There is no way round it, to improve literacy rates and empower our youth, money and investment is needed. More literary programmes, not only for children, but for the many adults who have fallen through the cracks are essential. There is a need to invest in public services for well-equipped schools and public libraries. We need to encourage society to ‘value’ education and literacy and not just send children off to school to get them out of the house.
What writing tips can you recommend to young people with creative talent, and are you running or planning any programmes for targeted communities in the UK?
I would encourage young people to read a lot and to find the time and space to write. I think a lot of aspiring writers don’t get around to writing because they don’t make the time for it. So it is important to make time, ideally, on a daily basis to write something creative. Also, to keep a journal as it’s a good way to practise putting ones thoughts into words.
What can we expect from your future work, more children’s stories, adult novels or another genre?
I am working on a play and plan to start working on a book for young teens later this year.
