Voice of a Revolution

This week, I'm honored to chat with Dr. Ngugi wa Thiong'o, celebrated novelist, playwright, and theorist, and one of the foremost writers of Kenya. Dr. wa Thiong'o's work tells of the bloody impact of colonialism and the struggle for decolonization, particularly the war for independence in Kenya, which he lived through. For his controversial play, I Will Marry When I Want, he was imprisoned by the government of Kenya and was later released due to Amnesty International naming him a Prisoner of Conscience. Dr. wa Thiong'o writes primarily in his native language, Gikuyu, and his influential book, Decolonizing the Mind, states the vital importance of creating literature in the native language of colonized countries. Dr. wa Thiong'o has written over 30 novels, books, and plays, and is now a Distinguished Professor of comparative literature at UC Irvine.