The following is a translation of “’La vieille dame et l’enfant (leur histoire n’est pas la nôtre)’, le nouveau livre de Rosemberg Saé,” by Daniel Bétis (la1ere.Martinique), which announces a new novel by Martinican lawyer, theater director, and writer Rosemberg Saé.
Bétis writes, “Martinican lawyer and director, Rosemberg Saé, has just published his second novel, entitled La vieille dame et l’enfant (leur histoire n’est pas la nôtre) [The old lady and the child (their story is not ours)] published by Éditions l’Harmattan. The 195-page work is a true journey of transmission between a little girl and an old woman who is ageless.”
Rosemberg Saé is a lawyer by profession, but he has two passions: theater—he is the director of a dozen plays—and writing/literature. He has just penned his second novel La vieille dame et l’enfant (leur histoire n’est pas la nôtre)[The old lady and the child (their story is not ours)] published by Éditionsl’Harmattan.
In 195 pages, the author tells the story of Touti and Man Katiopia, an almost filial relationship between a little girl and an elderly woman, “which raises her consciousness and transmits identity values to her to better understand the universal.”
Allusions to the years in Martinique
The author takes the reader to the plateaus of Morne-Rouge, his town of origin, with flamboyant characters such as Bou’Souf, Mimine, Loulouss, Papa Jules, and Maman Vévé. The plot takes us back to the 1950s in Martinique.
Man Katiopia teaches the child to love herself, to love her roots. She gives her names like Katherine Jefferson—the black physicist, mathematician, and engineer who calculated the trajectory of the “Mercury” program for the U.S. space agency NASA—or Mary Jackson, the first African-American aeronautical engineer.
Man Katiopia also speaks to her about African deities, such as Orunmila, the god of wisdom; Martinican figures, such as poet Daniel Thaly; or musicians like Ernest Léardé, Al Lirvat, Francisco, Loulou Boislaville…
With tenderness and kindness, this grande dame transports the child through her words, across Africa (Zaire, Tanzania, Senegal, Guinea, Ghana) … Thus, the little one discovers that “our story is not the one they want us to believe.”
Rosemberg Saé writes with an imaginative ease that does not leave the reader indifferent [to this narrative].
Article translated by Ivette Romero. For original article (in French), go to https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/martinique/la-vieille-dame-et-l-enfant-leur-histoire-n-est-pas-la-notre-le-nouveau-livre-de-rosemberg-sae-1439402.html
[Photo above: “Rosemberg Saé” by Daniel Bétis.]
The following is a translation of “’La vieille dame et l’enfant (leur histoire n’est pas la nôtre)’, le nouveau livre de Rosemberg Saé,” by Daniel Bétis (la1ere.Martinique), which announces a new novel by Martinican lawyer, theater director, and writer Rosemberg Saé. Bétis writes, “Martinican lawyer and director, Rosemberg Saé, has just published his second novel,
