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Noël Nétonon Ndjékéry

ノエル・ネトノン・ンドジェケリ

Noel Netonon Ndjekery

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1956-12-25 （Moundou, Chad）
Nationality
Chadian, Swiss
Languages
French
Residence History
Grew up in Moundou, Chad → Settled and lives in Switzerland

Career

Occupations
writer, computer scientist
Active Years
1999-
Influenced By
Aimé Césaire, Ahmadou Kourouma, Gabriel García Márquez, Arthur de Gobineau

Education

—
Mathematics
Studied mathematics; specific institution and years not publicly documented

Awards

Grand Prix littéraire national du Tchad
2017
Result: 受賞
Prix Hors Concours
2022
Work: There Is No Rainbow in Paradise
Result: 受賞
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
2022
Work: There Is No Rainbow in Paradise
Result: 受賞
Prix Lettres frontière
2023
Work: There Is No Rainbow in Paradise
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Sang de kola

1999 Novel

A debut novel addressing migration, memory of homeland and cultural transmission, written from a Sub-Saharan perspective.

migrationmemorycultural transmission

Chadian Chronicles

2008 Novel

Works focusing on daily life and history of Chad, emphasizing local storytelling and lived experience.

local societyhistoryoral storytelling

Mosso

2011 Novel

A narrative intertwining characters' inner lives with social conditions, depicting social contradictions and personal conflicts.

individual vs societyidentity

Au petit bonheur la brousse

2019 Novel

Stories rooted in rural and bush life, mixing humor with a sharp perspective.

rural lifehumorsurvival

There Is No Rainbow in Paradise

2022 Novel

A work that epitomizes his Sub-Saharan outlook, dealing with migration, history and the legacy of colonialism.

colonialismmigrationhistory

The Blind Spot of the Dream

2024 Novel

A recent novel examining the blind spots of dreams and overlooked events in memory.

memorydreamoversight

The Descent into Hell

1993 Short story collection

An early short story collection containing tales of social shadows and personal anguish.

anguishsocial critique

The Mongol Minute

2014 Short story collection

A collection of short stories notable for linguistic sensibility and striking episodes.

languagevignettes

The Oxpecker on the Zebu's Hump

2021 Short story collection

Short stories that reflect human society through animals and landscapes, with allegorical elements.

allegorynaturesociety

Bibliography

  • La descente aux enfers (1993)
  • Sang de kola (1999)
  • Chroniques tchadiennes (2008)
  • Mosso (2011)
  • La minute mongole (2014)
  • Au petit bonheur la brousse (2019)
  • Le pique-boeuf sur la bosse du zébu (2021)
  • Il n'y a pas d'arc-en-ciel au paradis (2022)
  • L'angle mort du rêve (2024)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
oral, storyteller-influenced prosenarration reflecting a Sub-Saharan African viewpoint
Recurring Motifs
nostalgiamemorymigrationlegacy of colonialismoral tradition and literacy

Legacy

As a Chadian writer based in Switzerland, he has helped convey a Sub-Saharan African perspective to an international audience. He has won multiple notable awards and serves as an important voice for literature from the region.

Quotes

  • With his work, he aims to "bring to all continents his sub-Saharan way of looking, feeling and speaking about the world."
    Source: Wikipedia article and interviews (e.g. Le Monde) (2024)

Trivia

  • Born on December 25, 1956.
  • Studied mathematics and worked as a computer scientist in Switzerland.
  • Started writing poems and short stories as a teenager, influenced by Chadian griots.