1. Your work, your life, are informed by post-colonialism. As is your Self. Can you tell us about your encounters with po-co, how and why it makes sense to you, and how it informs how you live your life?
I came of age during the 60s but with my childhood interests in African American writers of fiction and poetry there was a consistent subtext for the fight for recognition, both as a valued contributor to ones locale, region and the world, and the great joy and honor it was to participate in a long tradition of peoples of the African diaspora. I embraced the concept of the African Atlantic world and saw this rich, yet ignored, culture that was brought to the American continents as something I was part of. Even though somewhat flawed, Amieé Ceasere and former President of Cote d’Ivoire (both writers) evolved the culture concept of “Negritude” which was a praising of our “blackness,” our “Africanness” with open arms. On the other hand there were freedom fighters Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), Nigeria’s independence, the Black Panthers (whose tactics I didn’t particularly like), and Dr. Ron Karenga, founder of the US Org. and today’s widely celebrated Kwanzaa. Dr. Karenga was very much a cultural nationalist, but a bit militant. I liked a man that could intelligently argue his points, not just out shout somebody or wield a gun to get his respect. In the 1970s I decided I no longer wished to carry the family name that had in all likelihood been my family’s slaveowners. (My father has accepted my decision yet I had to send him copies of my legal documents and I’m sure he was disappointed in my name change since I was named after both grandfathers.) I also have Cherokee background and there were issues there about a Cherokee and and African woman marrying, again with names changed out of necessity (a couple generations ago). So, to end this initial answer, during the this somewhat mixed up lifetime of mine I have found that even though we are all human, culture is one thing that differentiates us, yet provides for fascinating ways to learn about the world in which we live. Artists work within the cultural realm and therefore I think I’m in my element, along with many others.
2. The US National Endowment for the Arts offers you a fellowship worth US$40k a year for 3 years. Donor constraints require your term to be served in the US, but not in any place you’ve ever been resident. Where would you go and why?
(Any place I’ve been a resident, meaning city, county, or state? I’d hope that would only mean city, although you can re-specify if you like.) This would be a beautiful opportunity. First year I’d spend in Edgefield, County, South Carolina. Charleston, SC and New Orleans were the two major ports into which slaves were brought (into the U.S.). I would like to research my own family’s history and see how it works out with family rumored to be in the Bahamas. These people and connections would be worked into very interesting series of visual and textual works. The following year would be spent in Atlanta. As the ‘mecca’ of African American education and culture in the south, I would love to live and work there and see what happens. I’ve been there several times and every time I come away feeling very positive about the city and environs. The final year I would have to reserve until the last portion of the second year because Atlanta might be worth staying longer. If I had to go on to another city, I guess the most obvious choice would be NYC because it is still the most important city in the U.S. for visual art and I would definitely want the opportunity to exhibit the work of the 2 previous years in the proper venue.
3. What makes you weep? Why? One thing that really gets to me is child abuse of any kind. Hearing a young child describe something really tramatic can make me shed tears. I’m not sure why but, I guess it comes from seeing the comforting gestures of many of my family members.
4. Name every synonym for penis that you can. Phrases or words, in English (foreign words that appear in English usage are ok). Jeeeze… I’m not good at this but, here goes. Cock, dick, schlong, rod, penga, boner, tinkle, peter, ? Sorry, that’s the best I can do.
5. On the day my life changed forever…(finish please) Since my life is not punctuated by highly dramatic events I would have to say it was the day my mother died. She and I were very close, unlike my father at the time. After her death he began to reach out to us kids and now we have a very warm, loving relationship. I’m very sad it took my mother’s death for that actualization.
