Monica Arac de Nyeko
Encyclopedia
Monica Arac de Nyeko is a Uganda
n writer of short fiction, poetry, and essays. She was educated at Makerere University
and the University of Groningen
. While at Makerere University
Arac de Nyeko was an active member of FEMRITE
- Uganda Women Writers Association, which she has credited for giving her "a place and space to write with a network of support and mentorship--handy when you are starting out." In 2007 she won the Caine Prize
for the story Jambula Tree. The story concerns two teenage girls falling in love and facing an unforgiving community because of it. One of her other noted stories is Strange Fruit, which contains an allusion to the song of the same name
.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n writer of short fiction, poetry, and essays. She was educated at Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
and the University of Groningen
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands as well as one of its largest. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...
. While at Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
Arac de Nyeko was an active member of FEMRITE
Femrite
FEMRITE - Uganda Women Writers' Association is an NGO based in Kampala, Uganda, whose programs focus on developing and publishing women writers in Uganda and—more recently—in the East African region...
- Uganda Women Writers Association, which she has credited for giving her "a place and space to write with a network of support and mentorship--handy when you are starting out." In 2007 she won the Caine Prize
Caine Prize
The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual literary award for the best original short story by an African writer, whether in Africa or elsewhere, published in the English language. The £10,000 prize was founded in the United Kingdom in 2000, and was named in memory of the late Sir Michael...
for the story Jambula Tree. The story concerns two teenage girls falling in love and facing an unforgiving community because of it. One of her other noted stories is Strange Fruit, which contains an allusion to the song of the same name
Strange Fruit
"Strange Fruit" is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday, who released her first recording of it in 1939, the year she first sang it. Written by the teacher Abel Meeropol as a poem, it exposed American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans. Such lynchings had occurred...
.