Bessie Head rose to prominence while in Botswana where she was acclaimed for her early literary works. The local newspapers posthumously praised Head as one of the greatest writers Africa has ever produced. It is through the local press that most of the local population who seem to have had links with Head expressed their sentiments in relation to Head and her art.
Head's work and her character made a powerful impact on Botswana not just in academic circles but also in other spheres of life. Patrick van Rensburg wrote (Mmegi, 19-25 June 1998), "Head is a legend in her own way and while many only know her from her works some lived, laughed, cried and shared a meal with her."
The University of Botswana's Dr. Leloba Molema illustrates this point as captured in one of the local newspapers, the Gazette of 30 April 1986, saying, "Though dead, she continues to live through us because of the process of fermentation that she has set off in us. She is part of our self discovery at both ends of the country, ourselves and our place in the world."
Read more in the Gazette of 30 April 1986, "A Great African Writer Dies in Exile" by Lesley Cowlings, pages 8-9.
Copyright © 2003 the authors.
Last updated 7 March 2004