Interviews on “poetry & refugees” – 7 – Fiston Mwanza Mujila

Fiston Mwanza Mujila was born in Congo in 1981 and moved to Austria without the need to flee his country. He gives us his view on living and writing in exile.

Photo: Gäel Turine4

 

Lyrikline Blog (LB): Where do you come from and why did you leave your country of origin?

Fiston Mwanza Mujila (FM): I was born in Lubumbashi, in Democratic Republic of Congo. I left my country for curiosity reasons. I always wanted to discover the world, to learn new languages, to expand my knowledge…

LB: What impact on society or politics can a poem have? Do oppressive regimes have to fear poetry?

FM: All dictatorships hate the truth. The truth is like a mirror. And dictatorships see in truth their own death. A poem conveys a vision of the world or any truth can frighten a totalitarian regime…

LB: In your view, is it the task of a poet also to be a chronicler or witness of his/her time?

FM: „My mouth will be the mouth of the misfortunes that have no mouth, my voice, freedom of those sagging in the dungeon of despair“ wrote Aimé Césaire in his magnificent book of a return to the homeland. In my view the poet can’t be insensible to the suffering of others…