What does it mean to grow up African in Australia?
In 2016, Yarraville writer Maxine Beneba Clarke had a social media conversation with fellow writer Ahmed Yussuf, suggesting that it was time for a ‘Growing Up African in Australia’ book.
The idea was that it would be a work along the lines of the ‘Growing Up Asian in Australia’ anthology released by publisher Black Inc in 2008 and edited by Braybrook-raised author Alice Pung.
Discussions continued behind the scenes and finally resulted in Monday’s announcement that Clarke will be the editor of just such an anthology, to be published by Black Inc in 2019.
Clarke, of Afro-Caribbean descent, will edit the collection, along with input from Yussuf and writer Magan Magan.
“It’s something we went to Black Inc with … it’s just something we felt already fit into what they were doing, particularly with me living in the western suburbs and all of the recent incorrect or ill-informed press going on about the African diaspora.”
Clarke said people of African descent have been in Australia for at least 200 years, yet their stories are largely missing from Australian writing.
“There are so many misconceptions and political investment in talking about African migrants as a recent phenomenon.
“I think we don’t really understand much about diaspora in Australia, explaining to people that the entire population of the Caribbean originated from West Africa.
“It’s just learning about the lives of others, what goes on in African-Australian homes, in African-Australian communities, what kinds of challenges do people face as recent migrants or just simply because of the colour of their skin or differences in culture.”
The publication will be aimed at both a general readership and high-school level readers.
Clarke said having her short story collection Foreign Soil in the VCE syllabus had given her the opportunity to go into Year 12 classrooms and discover there is an interest among young people in experiences other than their own.
“Then those who do come from an African diaspora background have the opportunity to get to talk about their stories.
“What we get through the media is the idea that all African migrants are from troubled, war-torn backgrounds and form gangs, this is a chance to say look here are 20-30 stories that are quite different and just acknowledging that diversity in this small community will debunk a lot of myths and a lot of hysteria.”
Submissions should be between 1000 and 3000 words and must be received by June 1.
Further details: www.blackincbooks.com.au
