Sunday, May 03, 2009
Humor in Africa - Popa Matumula (Tanzanian cartoonist)
Q: What do you know about the history of humor in your country?
A: Unfortunately, it’s something very difficult to get history of humor in Tanzania. It seems there is no any official writing on the subject but, according to hearsay, humor has been here since time immemorial. Generations to generations used to joke from each other. It’s something from ancestors. Though, may be, it was not in a form of cartoons.
Q: Has it ancestral roots or is it just a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality?
A: Humor has ancestral roots but because of cultural mingling in these Globalisation era there is also some, as you put in, a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality.
Q: Are there many cartoonists in your country? If yes, what are their names? Do you have their contacts?
A: Yes, there are many cartoonists in my country…I think I will communicate with some of them to ask for possibility for them to allow me to send their contacts to you.
Q: Are there any Humor Festivals in your country?
A: As far as I know, there is no such an event here.
Q: Is there any specialized humoristic press in your country? If yes, what are the names of the newspapers? Is the other press publishing cartoons?
A: We had three or four weekly humoristic tabloids here in Tanzania but, unfortunately, all of them have ceased publication. Personally, I run one of those publications, named Macho (Swahili word for eyes). This tabloid was published weekly (in 2003) by my small firm, Kamtu Ltd. We ceased publication, mostly, because we ran out of funds before a paper has managed to establish itself to many readers. Even today, some readers continue to ask us when we will restart publication. On the other press publishing cartoons. Yes, they publish. For example, we have about 15 daily papers here (including two evening published tabloids) and, almost, all of them use cartoons, from editorial cartoons to comic strips, comic stories…you name it, (Mind you, that’s not including weekly tabloids! Which are too many to compare with the daily papers. )
Q: Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to this art?
A: Cartooning has been just like my loudspeaker to air my views to my people, the world and especially decision makers. I think it was that truth that led me to dedicate myself in the field.
Q: Who are your local masters? Which are your international references?
A: My local masters were Christian Gregory and Phillip Ndunguru. Those two gifted cartoonists are now dead. Internationally, there are many cartoonists whom I admire their work but the late American cartoonist Jeff MacNelly was my most favorite.
Q: Do you think that in your graphic style there is a special African influence?
A: Yes.
Q: Can African Culture influence your way of creating humor?
A: Yes, very much! Especially when I draw cartoons about African affairs.
Q: What is your definition of humor? Which is the role of cartoon in the contemporary society?
A: Anything that can make people amuse, especially in a positive way. I think cartoon play a big role in the contemporary society. For instance many institutions use this medium on their campaigns nowadays.
Q: Do you think that your political opinions influence your cartoons?
A: In Many cases the answer is yes but in some cases I face the challenge to draw cartoons according to what a paper policy want and sometime I draw according to mainstream views.
Q: How does your country see graphic humor?
A: People (readers) appreciate them. Some enthusiasts send emails, smses, and calls to cartoonists or even letters to the paper editors to say their appreciations.
Q: How do the politicians react? Is there any official censorship? Are there any governmental or private persecutions?
A: Tanzania was a single-party nation but after the collapse of eastern bloc, some changes occurred here too. One of the changes was the establishment of the private owned media. So many papers have started then and the use of editorial cartoons also started at that time. I was the first cartoonist to draw cartoons that challenged the system through the then bi-weekly tabloid, Fahari in 1989. So you can see editorial cartoon is still a new phenomenon here, as a result some politicians don’t like them especially when cartoon has a negative opinion against them. But they are happy when cartoon has a positive opinion about them or has a negative opinion about their opponents. What hypocrisy! We have a government department dealing with media. It is this department that acting as the official censor. On persecutions, No. There is no persecution against any cartoonist.
Q: Further to political problems, are there any ethnic, religious or social problems for that censorship?
A: As cartoonists, we didn’t face those problems yet. We have tried to know and respect our guidelines!
Q: Are the ethnic issues an obstacle for a democratic laugh? And what about the religious ones?
A: Of course, there are ethnic issues that are obstacle for a democratic laugh. As you know, there is sensitivity in religious issues. Remember the issue of Danish cartoons. It’s the same here. You can’t draw everything you think about! You will have to rethink twice and then I think you will decide ‘No. This is not right to draw it will cause misunderstanding to the society!’ But if you will decide to draw that kind of cartoon, well, editors will block it!
Q: Have you ever been persecuted or went to prison?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe that humor can help with the democratization of the world?
A: Yes, I believe so!
Q: What do you think about the relationship between Africa and Europe? North and South?
A: In some cases, I think there is seriousness. In some cases, I think there is hypocrisy.
Q: Can humor be a helpful instrument in that relationship? An instrument to allow us to know better each one of us? Or do you believe that it should be done in more serious ways, through other forms of art?
A: Somehow it can be a helpful instrument. But still it depends on response you get from your targets. It is the response that can put you in a position to know if you are on the right track or it should be done in more serious ways or through other forms of art.
Q: If you succeed to laugh with everybody, can Peace be a universal reality?
A: If there is no hypocrisy at all, yes, Peace can be a universal reality.
ABOUT POPA
Cartoonist and illustrator, Popa Matumula, was born on Wednesday, June 25th, 1969 in Kilwa, Lindi region in Tanzania. After completion of his secondary (Technical) education in 1987, he started his career as a freelance book illustrator and a cartoonist for a local comic magazine and newspapers.
Popa, also known as Kamtu, after his creation of a famous local cartoon character, Kamtu, has been in this field since then.
The cartoonist, who was the first in Tanzania to draw editorial cartoons that challenged the system under the then one-party political system through bi-weekly political tabloid, Fahari, in late 80s, has contributed his cartoon services for almost all leading newspapers in Tanzania. Among them are Sunday News, Majira, Mtanzania, The African, The Citizen, Business Times, Uhuru/Mzalendo and in the two weekly comic (& satire) tabloids, Sanifu (where he was among the key founders) and a short-lived Macho, the tabloid that was published by his own firm, Kamtu Ltd.
Also his cartoons have published in a number of publications abroad. Publications such as New African (UK), Newsweek (Korea edition), Los Angeles Times, The Post Star, Highsmith (US), KOSA Report, eins Entwicklungspolitik (Germany), Farafina (Nigeria)…
His cartoons, also, have exhibited in various exhibitions, those including Political Cartoons & Caricatures in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), Volkerkundemuseum Frankfurt (Germany), 2000 Political Elections in Tanzania, 2001 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), 2002 & 2003 Press Freedom Day, Malaga University (Spain), 2007 & 2008 World Press Cartoon (Portugal), 2007 London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)
In 2001, he was one of the winners (Honorary mentioned) of the UN editorial cartoons competition- United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award.
In 2007, he was the winner of Tanzania’s The Edward Moringe Sokoine Journalism Award (in cartoon category).
Hail from Morogoro, Popa, who does not take meat or smoke, believes that his editorial cartoons are his loudspeaker to express his views to the World.
He humiliates with the truth that only 20% of the World population benefit from 80% of the World’s wealth while 80% of the population scramble for remaining 20% of the wealth.
He resides in Dar Es Salaam.
A: Unfortunately, it’s something very difficult to get history of humor in Tanzania. It seems there is no any official writing on the subject but, according to hearsay, humor has been here since time immemorial. Generations to generations used to joke from each other. It’s something from ancestors. Though, may be, it was not in a form of cartoons.
Q: Has it ancestral roots or is it just a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality?
A: Humor has ancestral roots but because of cultural mingling in these Globalisation era there is also some, as you put in, a contemporary formula of European importation of facing reality.
Q: Are there many cartoonists in your country? If yes, what are their names? Do you have their contacts?
A: Yes, there are many cartoonists in my country…I think I will communicate with some of them to ask for possibility for them to allow me to send their contacts to you.
Q: Are there any Humor Festivals in your country?
A: As far as I know, there is no such an event here.
Q: Is there any specialized humoristic press in your country? If yes, what are the names of the newspapers? Is the other press publishing cartoons?
A: We had three or four weekly humoristic tabloids here in Tanzania but, unfortunately, all of them have ceased publication. Personally, I run one of those publications, named Macho (Swahili word for eyes). This tabloid was published weekly (in 2003) by my small firm, Kamtu Ltd. We ceased publication, mostly, because we ran out of funds before a paper has managed to establish itself to many readers. Even today, some readers continue to ask us when we will restart publication. On the other press publishing cartoons. Yes, they publish. For example, we have about 15 daily papers here (including two evening published tabloids) and, almost, all of them use cartoons, from editorial cartoons to comic strips, comic stories…you name it, (Mind you, that’s not including weekly tabloids! Which are too many to compare with the daily papers. )
Q: Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to this art?
A: Cartooning has been just like my loudspeaker to air my views to my people, the world and especially decision makers. I think it was that truth that led me to dedicate myself in the field.
Q: Who are your local masters? Which are your international references?
A: My local masters were Christian Gregory and Phillip Ndunguru. Those two gifted cartoonists are now dead. Internationally, there are many cartoonists whom I admire their work but the late American cartoonist Jeff MacNelly was my most favorite.
Q: Do you think that in your graphic style there is a special African influence?
A: Yes.
Q: Can African Culture influence your way of creating humor?
A: Yes, very much! Especially when I draw cartoons about African affairs.
Q: What is your definition of humor? Which is the role of cartoon in the contemporary society?
A: Anything that can make people amuse, especially in a positive way. I think cartoon play a big role in the contemporary society. For instance many institutions use this medium on their campaigns nowadays.
Q: Do you think that your political opinions influence your cartoons?
A: In Many cases the answer is yes but in some cases I face the challenge to draw cartoons according to what a paper policy want and sometime I draw according to mainstream views.
Q: How does your country see graphic humor?
A: People (readers) appreciate them. Some enthusiasts send emails, smses, and calls to cartoonists or even letters to the paper editors to say their appreciations.
Q: How do the politicians react? Is there any official censorship? Are there any governmental or private persecutions?
A: Tanzania was a single-party nation but after the collapse of eastern bloc, some changes occurred here too. One of the changes was the establishment of the private owned media. So many papers have started then and the use of editorial cartoons also started at that time. I was the first cartoonist to draw cartoons that challenged the system through the then bi-weekly tabloid, Fahari in 1989. So you can see editorial cartoon is still a new phenomenon here, as a result some politicians don’t like them especially when cartoon has a negative opinion against them. But they are happy when cartoon has a positive opinion about them or has a negative opinion about their opponents. What hypocrisy! We have a government department dealing with media. It is this department that acting as the official censor. On persecutions, No. There is no persecution against any cartoonist.
Q: Further to political problems, are there any ethnic, religious or social problems for that censorship?
A: As cartoonists, we didn’t face those problems yet. We have tried to know and respect our guidelines!
Q: Are the ethnic issues an obstacle for a democratic laugh? And what about the religious ones?
A: Of course, there are ethnic issues that are obstacle for a democratic laugh. As you know, there is sensitivity in religious issues. Remember the issue of Danish cartoons. It’s the same here. You can’t draw everything you think about! You will have to rethink twice and then I think you will decide ‘No. This is not right to draw it will cause misunderstanding to the society!’ But if you will decide to draw that kind of cartoon, well, editors will block it!
Q: Have you ever been persecuted or went to prison?
A: No.
Q: Do you believe that humor can help with the democratization of the world?
A: Yes, I believe so!
Q: What do you think about the relationship between Africa and Europe? North and South?
A: In some cases, I think there is seriousness. In some cases, I think there is hypocrisy.
Q: Can humor be a helpful instrument in that relationship? An instrument to allow us to know better each one of us? Or do you believe that it should be done in more serious ways, through other forms of art?
A: Somehow it can be a helpful instrument. But still it depends on response you get from your targets. It is the response that can put you in a position to know if you are on the right track or it should be done in more serious ways or through other forms of art.
Q: If you succeed to laugh with everybody, can Peace be a universal reality?
A: If there is no hypocrisy at all, yes, Peace can be a universal reality.
ABOUT POPA
Cartoonist and illustrator, Popa Matumula, was born on Wednesday, June 25th, 1969 in Kilwa, Lindi region in Tanzania. After completion of his secondary (Technical) education in 1987, he started his career as a freelance book illustrator and a cartoonist for a local comic magazine and newspapers.
Popa, also known as Kamtu, after his creation of a famous local cartoon character, Kamtu, has been in this field since then.
The cartoonist, who was the first in Tanzania to draw editorial cartoons that challenged the system under the then one-party political system through bi-weekly political tabloid, Fahari, in late 80s, has contributed his cartoon services for almost all leading newspapers in Tanzania. Among them are Sunday News, Majira, Mtanzania, The African, The Citizen, Business Times, Uhuru/Mzalendo and in the two weekly comic (& satire) tabloids, Sanifu (where he was among the key founders) and a short-lived Macho, the tabloid that was published by his own firm, Kamtu Ltd.
Also his cartoons have published in a number of publications abroad. Publications such as New African (UK), Newsweek (Korea edition), Los Angeles Times, The Post Star, Highsmith (US), KOSA Report, eins Entwicklungspolitik (Germany), Farafina (Nigeria)…
His cartoons, also, have exhibited in various exhibitions, those including Political Cartoons & Caricatures in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda), Volkerkundemuseum Frankfurt (Germany), 2000 Political Elections in Tanzania, 2001 Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), 2002 & 2003 Press Freedom Day, Malaga University (Spain), 2007 & 2008 World Press Cartoon (Portugal), 2007 London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)
In 2001, he was one of the winners (Honorary mentioned) of the UN editorial cartoons competition- United Nations Ranan Lurie Political Cartoon Award.
In 2007, he was the winner of Tanzania’s The Edward Moringe Sokoine Journalism Award (in cartoon category).
Hail from Morogoro, Popa, who does not take meat or smoke, believes that his editorial cartoons are his loudspeaker to express his views to the World.
He humiliates with the truth that only 20% of the World population benefit from 80% of the World’s wealth while 80% of the population scramble for remaining 20% of the wealth.
He resides in Dar Es Salaam.
