Zamenga Batukezanga (1933–2000) was a Congolese writer and philanthropist. Zamenga's work explored African culture. He's been named the "most popular Congolese writer" of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Career

Zamenga Batukezanga was born in nkobo- Luozi

Bas-Congo Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Matadi. History At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

. In the 1950s, he did his graduate studies at Mangembo and in 1960, a scholarship allowed him to study at l'

Université libre de Bruxelles The (French language, French, ; lit. Free University of Brussels; abbreviated ULB) is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the ''Solbosch'' campus (in the City of Brussels and Ixelles), the ''Plain ...

, in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. Back in Congo in 1965, he was appointed Director of Student Social Work. In 1977, he opened a center for the rehabilitation of young people with physical disabilities (Kikesa), which he headed until 1981. In 1984, he was appointed director general of the National Society of Congolese publishers, composers and authors.

Later life and legacy

Towards the end of the 1980s, Zamenga decided to leave everything. He refused a post at

Unesco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

in 1986 to devote himself entirely to writing and philanthropic works. He spent the last years of his life in his native region, serving the poor. He died on (age 67) in

Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...

''Zamenga Batukezanga, 5 ans déjà depuis sa disparition !''
Ne Nzau Diop, Le Potentiel, 25 juin 2005 Every year, the Zamenga Batukezanga Literary Prize is awarded to a Congolese writer under the age of 40.

Selected works

*''Souvenir du village'', 1971 *''Bandoki'', 1973 *''Carte postale'', 1974 *''Village qui disparaît dans les promesses'', 1975 *''Les îles Soyo'', éditions Zabat, 1979 *
Lettre d’Amérique
', 1980 *
Un Croco à Luozi
', 1980 *
Psaumes sur le fleuve Zaïre
', 1985 *
Un Blanc en Afrique
', 1988 *
Pour une démystification: la littérature en Afrique
', 1989 *
Un boy à Pretoria
', 1990 *
Laveur des Cadavres
', 1992 *
Pour un cheveu blanc
', posthumous work, 2005 *
La Mercèdes qui saute le trou
', posthumous work, 2005

Award

*1985: Grand Prize of the 20th anniversary of the 2nd Republic of Zaire for all of his literary work.

Legagy

* Phambu Ngoma-Binda,
Zamenga Batukezanga : Vie et Œuvre
', Éditions Saint Paul Afrique, 1990, 80 p * Wyatt Mc Gaffey, �
Zamenga of Zaire: Novelist, Historian, Sociologist, Philosopher and Moralist
», in ''Research in African Literatures'', vol. 13, 2 (Summer, 1982),
Zamenga of Zaire: "Novelist, Historian, Sociologist, Philosopher and Moralist" on JSTOR

References

External links

Zamenga sur congocultures.net

Larousse à propos de Zamenga Batukezanga
{{DEFAULTSORT:Batukezanga 1933 births 2000 deaths 20th-century male writers People from Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo poets Democratic Republic of the Congo writers in French