Five questions to Bigoa Chuol from South Sudan

An enthusiast and a positive thinker from South Sudan, Bigao Chuol's first visit to India was for the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters. A strong advocate for the upliftment of woman and a fighter against unconventional notions about love, womanhood and social life, Bigoa says literary fests like these are means to unravel many things and is a platform to appreciate literature. Bigoa lives in Melbourne. Mathrubhumi.com caught up with her while she was on her way for an interactive session.

Excerpts:

On Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters...

Absolutely amazing. Very well read. It's been good to hear very talented people speak. This is my second international fest. Earlier, I have attended the Dhaka Literary Festival. The difference I see in attending the two is that I'm in India. The difference is beautiful and I can hear more specific stories about the region and India in general.

On Indian writers and books...

I met a few of the Indian writers. It's been amazing. A few journalists, poets I have interacted. I like Jerry Pinto, Mumbai-based Indian writer of poetry, prose and children's fiction. Before I leave the fest venue, I am planning to get a few of the books which fascinates me. Presently, I am reading the Black Skin White Masks.

On her works...

Though I'm a South Sudanese, I live in Melbourne, Australia. I don't have any books to my credit but planning out by the end of the year. It would be a collection of poetry.

On the literary scene in South Sudan...

Though I do not live there, the place is coming out of a civil war. In terms of literacy and schooling, the picture is very bad. There is a lot of work to be done. A few women writers live in Canada but personally I do not know anyone in the country.

On upliftment of women...

I think the culture is shifting. There is a large cultural shift that is taking place in my place.

On what books mean to you...

I am inspired by many things. Inspired by many people around me who I know. Books can be a great source of inspiration, a window to a different world. That is the power of books that we may not be able to achieve it physically.