"Art of Death" by Edwidge Danticat: Sharing Grief of a Loss

August 23, 2017. 5 pm. The Carifesta Symposium organized the book launch of Art of Death by the world renowned Hatian-American writer Edwidge Danticat. There was a much bigger crowd than the day before when Philip Nanton launched his Frontiers of the Caribbean. My colleague Ian Craig was the MC. When I arrived, the ceremony had already started with Esther Philips, poet and editor of Bim, presenting the book.

Art of Death from what I picked is essentially about Edwidge Danticat's mother, Rose, who died in 2004. The daughter was at the side of her mother when she passed away crossing the ineluctable border between life and the other world. She described her as a humble, generous and religious mother who was very dedicated to her family. A mother who made sure that Edwidge and sibling had food and proper education. Although she spent more than twenty years in the US, she never mastered the English language. At the factory where she worked, she hardly used English. She had a restricted number of words she used repeatedly in her conversations. She has a special purse bought at a two dollars store. Rose cared for her daughter and advised her never to openly show her faith in public, ie namely not to talk about God in the public space. Mother suffered the consequences of migration, exile and solitude, and conceived her own death as the symbolic end of contract with her deceased husband. In short, dying is an art. She would say in Creole: "Jusqu'à ce que la mort vienne me prendre." 

A lot of people in the audience shared her views, expressing or recognizing their own griefs when they lost their mothers. They admired Danticat's ability to describe the emotions she had in front of death. The only bad news was that the book Art of Death was not available. People were disappointed that they could not get copies of the cook signed by the writer. There were many questions from the crowd. After the official part, I went to personally greet Edwidge Danticat and make one or two selfies. I used the opportunity to remind her that we met at UWI St Augustine, Trinidad, back in 2004 at the Haitian Revolution's Conference commemorating the bi-centenary of Haitian Independence. I reminded her as well that she never answered my email. She reacted: "Je n'ai jamais changé de numéro... C'est toujours le même". She wrote it again, hoping the contact will really take place. Thank you Edwidge for your words. 

August 23, 2012. Five years ago my mother Christine Matsasu Kayengo Ngudia Miledi mia Khatu passed away in Kinshasa. What a striking coincidence to hear Danticat's topic. I initially did not want to write anything yesterday until I got to that book launch. Then, I said to myself, "Hey, why not share my grief and memory of Mama with my family, friends and readers?" I actually got inspired when I kept hearing: "Mama".
This morning I received a heartfelt message from Mrs. Schmitt: "Ein liebes Gedenken an Mama Mabana aus der Herrengasse". The only one in the whole world who sent me such a message. This is the reason why I am quoting my response:
"Liebe Traudl, das ist doch lieb von Dir. Gestern waren es fünf Jahre. Ich habe den ganzen Tag an sie gedacht, wollte aber darüber nicht sprechen. Ich habe einen Vortrag von Edwidge Danticat gehört, wo sie ūber den Tod  ihrer Mutter gesprochen hat. Kein Zufall. Ich schreibe noch ein paar Gedanken. Herzlichen Dank nochmals. C"

May her soul rest in peace!

A mama, kuna wena, tuyindulaka betu bana baku!