Benjamin Zephaniah face to face

[Guest guest]

Dear colleagues,

The attached reminiscence published in today's

Telegraph is based on an interview I did with the British poet, Benjamin

Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah, last Monday. Amongst other achievements, Benjamin

Zephaniah has written 20 books, has been Writer in Residence at the Africa

Arts Collective in Liverpool and Creative Artist in Residence at Cambridge

University. He has produced musical recordings and has acted in films. He is

a vegan and has written the foreword to Keith Mann's book, 'From Dusk til

Dawn'. Benjamin Zephaniah is a supporter of direct action in animal rights

activism. According to him, individuals who are using direct action to save

animals are resorting to extreme measures in response to extreme situations.

I found his stance thought provoking since he expressed sadness at the

recent police firing in Bengal that killed at least 20 people and also

considering his cousin, Michael Powell, died in police custody in 2003.

Benjamin Zephaniah is opposed to all forms of use of animals in

entertainment, including horse riding and elephant polo. His rejection of

the OBE in 2003 made headlines and led Rod Pryce, Director of the British

Council in India, to say, " Benjamin refused the OBE in 2003. More than

anything else, this gesture was a reaffirmation of the values of freedom of

expression, human rights and democracy that he is the first to acknowledge

are intrinsic to Britishness. For his outstanding work in enshrining values

- what else can one call his work-he has been honoured by several

institutions, the most touching of which is perhaps the naming of a ward

after him in Ealing Hospital in London. "

I asked Zephaniah about it. " I write to connect with people and not to win

state awards, " he told me. " I do not think I did anything great by rejecting

the OBE, " he added. " I just said no, and I just explained why. " Before

taking his leave, I could only congratulate him on his brilliant activism

and thank him for the permanent pleasure his literary works have provided so

many of us.

Regards,

 

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070328/asp/telekids/story_7571919.asp

My Fundays

*Benjamin Zephaniah* He is one of Britain's most well known poets and human

and animal rights activists. He rejected the OBE in 2003, making

international news

 

I first encountered poetry when I was five years old. My mother would play

records of Jamaican poems. My mother is from Jamaica and my father from

Barbados. I was born in Handsworth in Birmingham, UK, and spent part of my

childhood in Jamaica. When I was eight, my parents separated and I went to

live with my mother. In 1968 I gave my first performance in a church, and by

the age of 15, I was getting noticed in my hometown for my art.

 

I went to a school where I was the only black student and it was then that I

developed a bond with animals. A cat came up to me one day when I was alone

and I was so glad to have him for company. The next day he brought his

friends with him and thereafter, I was always pleased to have them around

me. That experience inculcated the notion of compassion in me and I became a

vegan (someone who abstains from animal protein) at the age of 13. As a

child, I used to think that poets were boring. It was also during my

childhood that I discovered the seeds of creativity in myself. There was one

artist whom I really liked, a musician called Big Youth, a sort of a reggae

DJ.

 

I used to go to a kid's home and play until one day, his sister said that

their father did not want me to come because I was black. So I realised that

life was about fun, but it was also about sadness; it was about pleasure,

but also about pain and I grew up knowing the reality — the good and the

bad.

 

I became a poet after I left school at the age of 14. My childhood made me

realise the importance of respecting life in all its forms. I have written

two books for children, *Talking Turkeys* and *Funky Chickens*. I feel that

India has a very diverse culture and I would advise children here to learn

to live with each other and grow up to be internationalists. Please also

remember that poetry should not only say something, but it should also be

fun.

AS TOLD TO SHUBHOBROTO GHOSH