The Tribulations of a Postcolonial Writer in New York

Extract

I belong to a region of the world where there are efforts to dictate to writers their choice of language, the material they should treat, and the way in which they should approach it. Where I come from, the writer is constantly summoned, called on, to put forth edifying, uplifting opinions on everything, so as to raise the morale of the people. For example, after the victory of the Antillean athlete Marie-José Pérec at the Olympic games, when I declared to France-Antilles that I considered it an individual success and not a victory for Caribbean woman and a celebration of her power, I was vilified, dragged through the mud for months.