Reprint of “The Scattering” Released by the Namibia Scientific Society

written by Elizabeth McLaren

The Namibia Scientific Society recently launched the reprint of The Scattering, a work of fiction by Motswana writer, Lauri Kubuitsile; produced by the Society’s publishing house, Kuiseb Publishers. The launch event included a music performance by Kubuitsile’s daughter, Amanda; a reading from the novel by the author; and a book-signing opportunity. The book was also discussed by a panel featuring Kubuitsile and accomplished Namibian storytellers, Sylvia Schlettwein and Keamogetsi Molapong.

In her opening remarks, Schlettwein shared the pride of Kuiseb Publishers in being selected by Kubuitsile for the reprint. She added that with the novel’s heart being in Namibia, they had brought The Scattering home with this second launch.

A visit to Lüderitz, a conversation about Shark Island and a chance encounter in Nairobi are just some of the events that led to the development of Kubuitsile’s novel. Following two women, Tjipuka and Riette, through their experiences of colonial war in southern Africa, the book explores resilience in the face of agony.

To mark the reprint of The Scattering, Kubuitsile answered a few questions about her historical novel.

Q: What inspired you to take on this subject matter?

A: Before I wrote The Scattering, I was mostly writing children’s books and genre, mystery and romance, and I really had no intention of taking on something serious like historical fiction. One year, we went to Luderitz for a family camping trip and the next year I went to the Cape Town Book Fair where I spoke to the late Namibian author, Jane Katjavivi, about that trip and her book, Undisciplined Heart. She was the one who actually told me what Shark Island was and I felt bad for not knowing this history as a citizen of southern Africa. After I got back from the book fair, I started researching for myself and forming a story in my head.

As I started to do the research, there was more information on Riette’s side, the Second Anglo-Boer War, but less on the German-Herero War, so I thought I couldn’t do this book and it stayed in the back of my mind. Around this time, I went to Nairobi for the Storymoja Festival where I befriended a man who asked me what I was working on. I said that I was working on this book, but I couldn’t find research on the German-Herero War, and can you imagine, he could recommend academic resources! When I got back to Botswana, I went to some archives, and once I had the research and the story was forming, I thought I could do this. I, actually, then wrote three historical novels in a row, the last one being unpublished.

Q: Given the heavy content in the novel, what was the most rewarding part of writing it?

A: True, it is hard stuff. One thing I think is important is that it’s really about the two women and how war affected them and changed their lives. In a lot of historical records, women are absent, so I think historical fiction is a way that we can make those connections. Writer, Hilary Mantel, did a series of lectures about how historical fiction fills in the gaps in historical records, which were often written by the “bosses”. They decided what went into historical record and what did not.

It was also important to show that women have agency. If that’s not in the records, then maybe we have an obligation to write it in historical fiction.

Q: With this being a reprint, what responses have you received from readers since the novel’s first publication?

A: Some have said that it is hard to read, because it is sad. There was a Herero librarian who said that he made sure his family members had read it. Another young Herero lady had shared that she did not know this history. It was not my intention for the book to have an educational purpose, but it has happened. It depends, though. Initially, when the book came out in 2016, some had said that maybe I wasn’t the person who was supposed to write this, but in terms of fiction, we all write other people’s stories, so I think that kind of thinking has sort of fallen away.

The book was also recommended by The Walter Scott Prize, and winning at the Sharjah International Book Fair in Dubai was big. Since then, more African writers have become involved in that book fair so I am proud to have been one of the first.

Q: What do the main characters mean to you?

A: Tjipuka is important, because I believe she is an amazing woman with such resilience. She keeps getting back up. I also get tired of some of the social descriptions of motherhood, so I respect her for the choices she makes regarding her child in the end.

When Riette has her speech about war, that’s basically me talking. I think that war is a human failure, always, and while men start the wars, women clean them up.

Q: After first publishing with Penguin, what made you opt for a relatively smaller publisher for the reprint?

A: In general, for trade publishing, I’ve decided to not use big international publishers operating in South Africa anymore. It's different for my educational publishing, but I prefer smaller publishers in the region for my trade fiction. It’s important that orders are filled, especially in countries outside of South Africa, like Namibia and Botswana. I also know Kuiseb Publishers and have good connections with them.

 

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