Véronique Tadjo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Véronique Tadjo
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| Born | 1955 (age 69–70) Paris, France
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| Alma mater | University of Abidjan; Sorbonne |
| Occupation | Poet, novelist, artist, educator |
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Notable work
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Latérite (Red Earth); A vol d'oiseau (As the Crow Flies); Mamy Wata and the Monster |
Véronique Tadjo (born in 1955) is a talented writer, poet, novelist, and artist. She comes from Côte d'Ivoire, a country in West Africa. Véronique has lived and worked in many different countries across Africa and around the world where people of African descent live. Because of this, she feels a strong connection to all of Africa and its people. This feeling, called Pan-Africanism, often shows up in her stories, poems, and art.
Contents
About Véronique Tadjo
Her Early Life and School
Véronique Tadjo was born in Paris, France. Her father was from Côte d'Ivoire and worked for the government. Her mother was a French painter and sculptor. Véronique grew up in Abidjan, the biggest city in Côte d'Ivoire. She traveled a lot with her family when she was young.
She earned her first university degree at the University of Abidjan. Later, she got her doctorate degree from the Sorbonne in Paris. Her studies focused on African-American Literature and Civilization. In 1983, she went to Howard University in Washington, D.C., in the United States. She was there on a special scholarship called a Fulbright scholarship to do research.
Her Career as a Writer and Teacher
In 1979, Véronique Tadjo decided to teach English. She taught at a secondary school in Korhogo, a town in northern Côte d'Ivoire. After that, she became a lecturer at the University of Abidjan. She taught there in the English department until 1993.
Her first book of poems, Latérite / Red Earth, came out in 1984. This book won a literary prize. In 1992, some of her writing was included in a famous book called Daughters of Africa. This book was put together by Margaret Busby.
In 1998, Véronique took part in a special project. It was called "Rwanda: Writing for the sake of memory." She joined a group of African writers who visited Rwanda. They went to learn about the terrible events of the Rwandan genocide. Her book L'Ombre d'Imana (The Shadow of Imana), published in 2000, came from this trip.
Véronique Tadjo has also led many workshops. These workshops teach people how to write and illustrate children's books. She has done this in many countries, including Mali, Benin, Chad, Haiti, Mauritius, French Guiana, Burundi, Rwanda, the United States, and South Africa. In 2006, she was part of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
She has lived in many different cities around the world. These include Paris, Lagos, Mexico City, Nairobi, and London. After 2007, she lived in Johannesburg, South Africa. There, she was the head of French Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Awards and Special Recognition
Véronique Tadjo has received many important awards for her work. She won the Literary Prize of L'Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique in 1983. In 1993, she received the UNICEF Prize for her children's book, Mamy Wata and the Monster. This book was also chosen as one of Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century. It was one of only four children's books on that list.
In 2005, she won the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire. This is a very important literary award in Africa. In 2016, she received the Bernard Dadié national grand prize for literature. Her book In the Company of Men, published in 2021, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction.
In June 2024, the University of St Andrews in Scotland gave Véronique Tadjo a special honorary degree. It was a Doctor of Letters (DLitt), which is a high honor for her contributions to literature.
Her Books
Véronique Tadjo writes different kinds of books. She writes poetry, novels, and books for children.
Poetry Books
- Latérite (1984): This book was also published in English as Red Earth – Latérite.
- A vol d'oiseau (1986): This book was translated into English as As The Crow Flies.
- A mi-chemin (2000)
Novels
- Le Royaume aveugle (1991): Translated as The Blind Kingdom.
- Champs de bataille et d'amour (1999)
- L'ombre d'Imana: Voyages jusqu'au bout du Rwanda (2000): Translated as The Shadow of Imana: Travels in the Heart of Rwanda.
- Reine Pokou (2005): Translated as Queen Pokou.
- Loin de mon père (2010): Translated as Far from My Father.
- In the Company of Men (2021)
Children's Books
- La Chanson de la vie (1990)
- Lord of the Dance: An African Retelling (1993)
- Grandma Nana (1996)
- Masque, raconte-moi
- Si j´étais roi, si j´étais reine: Translated as If I Were a King, If I Were a Queen.
- Mamy Wata et le Monstre (1993): This book won the UNICEF Prize. It was also published in English as Mamy Wata and the Monster.
- Le Grain de Maïs Magique (1996)
- Le Bel Oiseau et la Pluie (1998)
- Nelson Mandela: "Non à L'Apartheid" (2010)
- Ayanda, la petite fille qui ne voulait pas grandir (2007)
See also
In Spanish: Véronique Tadjo para niños
