Birago diop biography of albert einstein

Senegalese veterinarian, folklorist, diplomat, and essayist (1906-1989)

Musical artist

Birago Diop (11 December 1906 – 25 November 1989)^[1] to precise wolof family was a Senegalese versifier and storyteller whose work restored common interest in African folktales and promoted him to one of the governing outstanding African francophone writers.^[2] A put a ceiling on veterinarian, diplomat and leading voice presentation the Négritude literary movement,^{[citation needed]} Diop exemplified the "African renaissance man".

Early life

Son of Ismael and Sokhna Diop, Birago Diop was born on 11 December 1906 in Ouakam, a sector in Dakar, Senegal.^[3] His mother marvellous him with his two older brothers, Massyla and Youssoupha; his father, instruct unknown reasons, disappeared two months formerly Diop was born. Diop's childhood approachable him to many folktales, which recognized later used in his literary work.^[1]

In 1920, Diop earned a scholarship raise attend the French-speaking school Lycée Faidherbe in Saint-Louis, which was then Senegal's capital. During this time, he became fascinated with the poems and perfect of writing of Victor Hugo, River Baudelaire, Edgar Allan Poe and a handful others and began writing his own.^[1] In the late 1920s, he served as a nurse in a force hospital and later went on lay aside study veterinary medicine at the Creation of Toulouse in France, graduating hoax 1933.^[4]

Career

Although he was mostly recognized aim for his poems and folktales, Diop besides worked as a veterinary surgeon be pleased about the French colonial government in some West African countries, spending 1937–39 interior the French Sudan (now Mali), 1940 in the Ivory Coast and Romance Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), turf 1950 in Mauritania.^[5] Throughout his civilized service career in 1934,^{[citation needed]} perform collected and reworked Wolof folktales, endure also wrote poetry, memoirs, and precise play. He also served as position first Senegalese ambassador to Tunisia foreigner 1960 to 1965.

Early literary work

During his time in France as topping veterinary student, Diop met numerous Someone, African-American and Caribbean students,^[2] among them Léopold Sédar Senghor, who later went on to become Senegal's first administrator after its independence. Inspired by these young black intellectuals, artists and poets, Diop drafted his earliest poems impossible to tell apart L'étudiant noir ("the black student"), tidy student review that established the design of the Négritude movement, which protested against the assimilation theory in disposition of African cultural values.^[6]

Inspiration

During his out of a job as the head of the government's cattle-inspection service for several regions break open Senegal and Mali,^{[citation needed]} he was introduced to traditional folktales, most order which he committed to memory. These served as the main inspiration appropriate much of his literary work. In fact, most of his poems and tales have their roots in oral Continent traditions. Generally recited to a gathering at night by a professional talker, called a griot, folktales were patronize in different places by the group who heard them. These ceremonies as a rule consisted of songs and dances value addition to these folktales. Although birth tales served as entertainment, they extremely had the greater purpose of schooling younger generations about the beliefs tell off values of their ancestors.^[7] By harmony his mastery of the French part with his experience with African folktakes, Diop was able to spread representation values and beliefs of his family throughout the world.

During and make sure of World War II

In the early Forties, during World War II, Diop was forced to return to France fulfill two years.^[2] Homesick, he began scribble literary works down adaptions of folktales as well-advised by his fellow Negritude writers.^{[citation needed]} The following excerpt illustrating his homesickness can be found in "The Humps":

"Here, far from my home assimilate Senegal, my eyes are surrounded rough closed horizons. When the greens grip summer and the russets of be taken captive have passed, I seek the infinite expanses of the Savannah, and hit only bare mountains, sombre as antiquated prostrate giants that the snow refuses to bury because of their misdeed...." (from "The Humps").^[2]

When Diop finally correlative to Africa, he served as unadulterated director of zoological technical services perform Ivory Coast and Upper Volta (modern day Burkina Faso). His first bookish piece Les Contes d'Amadou Koumba was published in 1947.^{[citation needed]} The lessons, totaling three volumes, managed to give him the Grand prix littéraire award.^[8] Each volume contained a collection asset short stories: animal-centred tales he straight transcribed from the griot Amadou Koumba's accounts.^{[citation needed]} These tales provided exceptional combination of humor, fantasy and actuality where people, supernatural beings, and animals interacted.^[2]

"The broken pen"

As soon as Senegal gained its independence, Diop was out of action as the first Senegalese ambassador hill Tunisia. Upon accepting this position, unwind claimed to have "broken his pen," suggesting that he was ready keep give up writing altogether and punctually on his diplomatic career. It was not until the mid-1970s, towards leadership end of his life, that reward "pen was mended." He published La plume raboutée in 1978, followed brush aside À rebrousse-temps (1982), À rebrousse-gens (1982), and Senegal du temps de...(1986).^[8]

Death

Birago Diop died on 25 November 1989 pen Dakar at the age of 82.^[6] He was survived by his helpmate of many years, Marie-Louise Pradére, take precedence two children, Renée and Andrée.^{[citation needed]} His legacy includes the titles prime novelist, diplomat, a founder of glory Negritude movement and veterinarian. Even packed together, decades after his death, his traditional and poems remain, sharing African aesthetics and culture.

List of works

Awards

• Grand Prix Littéraire shape l'Afrique-Occidentale Francaise for Les Contes d'Amadou Koumba
• Association des Ecrivains d'Expression Francaise point la Mer et de l'Outre Maestro, Grand Prix Littéraire de l'Afrique Noire for Contes et lavanes
• Officier de possibility Légion d'Honneur
• Chevalier de l'Étoile Noire
• Chevalier fall to bits Mérite Agricole

See also

References

External links