Khilath Online: SHORT STORY REVIEW: "The Undertaker’s Apprentice" by Hana Gammon from South Africa for the Commonwealth short story prize

Saturday, June 17, 2023

SHORT STORY REVIEW: "The Undertaker’s Apprentice" by Hana Gammon from South Africa for the Commonwealth short story prize

Gammon’s regional prize winning short story (read here) for the African region to Commonwealth’s short story prize seems to be a coming of age story with nostalgia for a childhood innocence that was lost.

The story explores a poignant relationship of a group of children with two adult men, sharing life’s mysteries and death’s confusions.

Unlike some stories which spell out everything for the fear of being misunderstood, Gammon shows no fear and leaves one mystery to the reader’s imagination: what exactly is inside the undertaker’s “black box”?

I couldn’t figure it out myself and it may be because I am not smart enough for her wit although I am not too worried about it.

2 comments:

Anonymous6:11 AM
I also couldn’t figure out what was inside the box
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Anonymous 2:03 AM to "މަޖާކުރަން ދިވެހި ފިލްމް ބަލަން ދިއުމުގެ ކުރިން ސިނަމާއަށް ދާ އެހެން މީހުންނަށްވާނެ އުނދަގުލާމެދު ވިސްނާލިން ހެއްޔެވެ؟ ":އުމުރުން 60 އަހަރުވަނީ. އަހަރެންނަކީ 70ގެ އަހަރުތަކުން ފެށިގެން ސިނަމާއިން ފިލްމް ބަލަން ޝައުގުވެރިވާ މީހެއް. ދިވެހިންގެ މެދު ސިނަމާއަށް ދިއުން ނުވަތަ ބައިސްކޯފް ބަލަން ދިއުމަކީ ވަރަށް ސާދާ ސަގާފަތެއް އޮތް ކަމެއް. އެހެންނަމަވެސް މިހާރު ސިނަމާ އަށް ނުވަތަ އޮލިމްޕަހަށް ވަދެ ދިވެހި ފިލްމެއް ބެލޭނެ މާހައުލެއް ނެތް. ސިނަމާގެ ބޮކޮތައް އަލި މަޑުކުރާ ހިސާބުން ފެށިގެން ހޯބޯލަވާ ހަޅޭއްލަވަން ފަށާ. ސްކްރީންއިން ފެންނަ މަންޒަރުތަކުގެ ރަނިންގ ކޮމެންޓްރީފަށާ. ފޯނުތަކުން ސްކްރީން ރެކޯޑް ކުރާންފަށާ. ސޯސަލްމީޑިއާއަށް ފިލްމުގެ މަންޒަރުތައް ޕޯސްޓް ކުރަންފަށާ. ފިލްމްގައި އުޅޭ ދެމީހަކު ގާތްވެލާ ކޮންމެފަހަރަކު ރޯއައުގުރާނަ ގޮވަންފަށާ. ހޯލުތެރެއަށް ރިހާކުރާ ރޮށި ވައްދައިގެން ކައި ހަދާ. ހޫނުފެން ތަރުމޯޒާ ކަޕް ނޫޑްލސް ވައްދައިގެން ކައިފި. ބާތުޑޭ އެއް ފާހަގަ ކުރަން ހޯލަށް ރިހާކުރު ފުރައިޑް ރައިސް ވައްދާ ކައި، ކޭކުގައި އުއްބައްތި ރޯކޮށްގެން ލަވަކިޔާ ބާތުޑޭ ފާހަގަ ކޮށްފި. މިހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ހޯލުގަ ހުރި ސިކިއުރިޓީ ކެމެރާ ތަކުން ފެނޭ. އެކަމަކު އޮލމްޕަހުގެ މެނޭޖްމަންޓުން ޝައުގުވެރިކަމާއެކު ފިލްމް ބަލަން ވަންނަ މީހާއަށް ފަހި މާހައުލެއް ގާއިމްކުރެވިފައި ނުކުޅެދިފަ ވަނީ ޤަވާއިދާއި އުސޫލު ތަންފީޒު ކުރަން ބޭނުން ނުވާތީ. މިއިހުމާލަކީ ގަސްތުގަ ރޭވިގެން ސިނަމާއަށް ދިއުމުގެ ރޫހު ނަގާލުމަށް ކުރާކަމެއް.

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- Anonymous 1:07 PM to "MALDIVES ARTIST IPHPHA'S MUST-SEE EXHIBITION AT NATIONAL ART GALLERY": Isn't art also sinful in Islam? Read this disturbing article: https://vaguthu.mv/news/1077760/ Whatever these irrelevant Maldivian NGOs are doing to get attention to themselves and attempt to make themselves relevant to our contemporary society, no Maldivian will ever give up football, art, and music. They can't live without those. This Conservatism of Maldives' island communities due to fear-mongering by Sheikhs after the tsunami may prevail in rural societies but not on the urban "mainland" - the Greater Male' Region. I think it has something to do with urban vs. rural communities. Rural communities have smaller populations who know each other and therefore is easier to spread Conservative values. Urban centers contain large populations of strangers and therefore it's not easy to spread conservative values. Nobody protests the rise of the new Maldivian musicians, artists, and football players who are becoming successful sensations on both mainstream media and social media. Unless the government imposes Wahhabi ideals by force or for some reason like Afghanistan and Iran the majority of the Maldivian population embrace Wahhabism, I don't think there is any reason to fear these Islamic NGOs trying to forcibly impose Salafi lifestyles on Maldivians.

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- Anonymous 2:28 PM to "MALDIVES ARTIST IPHPHA'S MUST-SEE EXHIBITION AT NATIONAL ART GALLERY": Yes, there is a difference between Salafis and Wahhabis, although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Here's a breakdown: Salafis: A broader term referring to a movement that seeks to follow the practices of the "Salaf al-Salih," the righteous predecessors of Islam, particularly the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. Focus on strict adherence to the Quran and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet). Can be diverse in their interpretations and practices. Not all Salafis are extremists. Some advocate for a more puritanical lifestyle, while others focus on education and reform within the existing Islamic framework. Wahhabis: Followers of the teachings of Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, an 18th-century Islamic scholar from Najd, Arabia. Considered a specific branch of Salafism with a stricter interpretation. Emphasize monotheism (tawhid) and reject practices they see as innovations (bid'ah). This can include veneration of saints, visiting shrines, and certain Sufi practices. Wahhabism is the dominant religious ideology of Saudi Arabia. Here's an analogy: Think of Salafism as a large circle, and Wahhabism as a smaller circle within it. All Wahhabis are Salafis, but not all Salafis are Wahhabis.

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- Anonymous 10:51 AM to "NATIONALISM AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS": I can understand the need for a financial expert to decide the Maldives' economic future but when we put a businessperson to head the parliament's financial committee, isn't that a gross conflict of interest? Check the one comment by a commentator to this article which reflects my view: https://vaguthu.mv/news/1069285/ ... Remember Qasim was finance minister where he had access to information on all state-owned enterprises (SOE), some of which his Villa company was competing against.

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- JJ Gayland 5:12 PM to "THE IRONY OF BEING HUMAN": We crave connection, yet yearn for solitude. We judge others freely, while preaching empathy. We prioritize possessions over genuine relationships. This inherent contradiction is what makes being human so ironic. For years, I've distanced myself from those who embody this dissonance. They prioritize expensive gadgets over simple gestures of friendship. They preach understanding but lack self-awareness. As I approach 50, peace of mind reigns supreme. I actively avoid negativity and surround myself with those who uplift me. The irony lies in our shared humanity. We all carry emotional baggage, myself included. While I cannot fix others' problems, I commend those who seek help. The stigma associated with mental health is slowly fading, and that's a positive step. This journey of self-discovery, from self-medication to embracing professional care, has been a long one. I'm grateful for those who supported me and for the growing awareness of mental health issues.

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- Anonymous 6:47 AM to "I AM STILL REELING FROM WATCHING Killers of the Flower Moon LAST NIGHT": The ‘white supremacist colonial’ narrative, like nearly all historical phenomena, is a result of random historical chance occurrence. The chaotic processes that shape human history favoured the people of an island off the coast of Europe, hitherto insignificant in the bigger human history, to conquer half the planet during the 18th & 19th centuries. The result of that now is that billions of people including you & me think, speak, read, write and even dream in their language through concepts & devices that were created by them. Without their legacy you and I are effectively bereft of our faculties of thinking & communicating. This may sound crude but the reality is that effectively all of us are to a large extent rendered deaf & mute. No?

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- Anonymous 9:41 AM to "LIFE IN PICTURES: PEACE 🤲": Us Muslims are ok with Hindus becoming Zoroastrians or Jews becoming Christians & vice versa. Change religion as frequently as you change your undies. Be my guest. But if you even by accident become a Muslim you can’t leave the faith. If you do we want to kill you. If you are an evangelical Christian you need to do everything to get Jews to rebuilt their Second Temple. End of times somehow can’t come if that isn’t done. Even if you are an atheist but of Jewish ancestry you still believe Moses’ Yahweh promised the land of Israel to the Jews.

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- Anonymous 5:47 PM to "INDIA IMPLEMENTS CITIZENSHIP LAW OPPOSED BY MUSLIMS BEFORE ELECTION": How do you differentiate an ochlocracy from democracy? There is no defined & fool-proof way to do that. Democracy even by definition is mob rule. Democracy & ochlocracy are one & the same thing. 🤔 No? In democracies like India, Maldives & elsewhere, we are seeing the impairment of the civil process & the eroding of of the purported powers of the entire polity with virtual impunity by the majority mob. India is a democracy. And Indians are 80% Hindus. It is only natural that the Hindu mob would rule that country. We often forget that no Maldivian ever wants to give any space in the Maldives for a non-sunni Muslim. Hindu Indians are simply claiming for themselves that same right they believe is fair & justified. Any thoughts?

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- Anonymous 2:11 PM to "MP JABIR AND 2,000 YEARS OF MALDIVES' PROFANITY": We could be mentally retarded if all the thousands of people who sat on those holhuashis by the beach, throughout those 2000 years, mostly thought and talked of one of the most lowest animalistic desires and focused mainly on developing their vocabulary of profane words instead of marvelling, admiring or immersing themselves in the great natural beauty surrounding them. It is a sad situation if we cannot let the beauty and marvels we see around us transform us into remembering or recognising the greatness of their Creator who produced such natural beauty and allow such thoughts to increase our piety and make us refrain from doing what is hated in Islam. If we don't ignore the religious aspect of using profanity, having a language rich in auguraana and admiring who uses it a lot is nothing to be proud about.

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