/ 14 October 2011

Mali and mystery

Mali And Mystery

I am 26, but I lead the life of a 53-year-old. That’s what everybody keeps telling me anyway. I live right in the heart of the city of Jo’burg.

The only time I ever get out of my flat is when I go to work or when I go for a stroll in the city. Otherwise, I spend the rest of my time cooped up in that kennel, tapping away at the computer, begrudging my crazy characters their colourful ­personalities.

I love music. I’m something of an omnivore where the consumption of music is concerned though. I listen to most, but not all kinds of music.

I believe that the people of West Africa (that will be Senegal, Mali, Benin, Guinea and one or two of their neighbours) make the most beautiful music anywhere on Earth. The finest tune-makers in the world are Malian, end of story.

Toumani Diabate, the late Ali Farka Toure, Bassekou Kouyate, and of course the legendary Salif Keita, are all Malian.

But, of course, Malians are not the only ones who make fine sounds. Papa Wemba is Congolese, Baaba Maal and Yossour N’dour are Senegalese, Khadja Nin is Burundian, and Malatji (The First Prince) and Morafe (the ­Motswako rap group) are South African. I just love Towdee Mac. That is the kind of music I listen to.

Of course, I listen to lots more. Dobie Gray, Peter Gabriel, Sade, Anita Baker, Diana Ross, Fergie, Corinne Bailey Rae, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, to mention a few, are some of my favourite international artists.

Food? Let me see. I eat the same food all the time. Pap is my staple food and I eat it almost every day. Pap and meat. Pap and wors. Two colours. A meal does not get simpler than that.
I live alone and I cook for myself. I get takeaways every now and then, but I try to cook at least four times every week.

I love junk food too. I am still trying to build some kind of relationship between myself and veggies. Not doing too well at the moment.

I watch a lot of TV. I am a Rhythm City junkie, I never miss an episode. I watch a lot of football, too. My favourite teams are Arsenal and BidVest Wits and, believe it or not, Bafana Bafana. I try to watch all their matches.

Watching football is how I while away most of my weekends. Some of my other favourite programmes on TV are Tonight with Trevor Noah, LYNN News with Loyisa Gola, One Day Leader, Top Billing and Imani the Divine Spark.

It goes without saying that I am a keen reader. The last book I read, a few days ago, is Henning Mankell’s Faceless Killers, a fine whodunit set in Sweden.

I love mystery. I own lots of Perry Mason books, Erle Stanley Gardner being my favourite author of all time. JM Coetzee, Dambudzo Marechera, Camilo José Cela and Mia Couto are some of my other favourite penmen. Mia Couto is the most gifted author in the world today. I just love the spirit of Africa in his books.