AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What does the word ‘Indaba’ mean?

It means 'meeting' or 'meeting place. Most African villages have an Indaba Tree which is comparable to a town hall, where all important meetings take place. That’s the meaning I chose for my title.
 
Are you from Africa?
 
Yes. I was born in Zambia, near the Congo border, and grew up in Zimbabwe.
 
So, you speak some African languages?
 
Unfortunately not. Both my parents were British. As a kid I was always being asked by the local village kids to teach them English. Pretty much everybody in Zimbabwe speaks English. Just as most Congolese speak French.
 
I take it you spent quite a bit of time in African villages?
 
Yes. My father was a land surveyor. And I loved going with him on his frequent trips into the bush. We’d spend weeks or even months camped in some remote area in the mountains. One of the most exciting things I remember was hearing the singing and drumming every night from nearby villages.
 
Isn’t Africa a dangerous place to be wandering around in?
 
It depends. I still have cousins who live in Zimbabwe who go hunting and fishing, and they seem to do okay. It’s probably who you know. Or perhaps there’s some truth to being under the protection of one’s Ancestors, or the Forest Gods, like the youngsters in my book.
 
Is Amma Jill really your name?
 
Sure is...at least for my grandkids it is.  ‘Amma’ actually means 'Grandma' in Iceland where some of my grandchildren were born. And as I originally wrote this book for the grandchildren, it seemed fitting. 

So, I gather it’s more than just a simple kids’ adventure story set in Africa?
 
Well, it’s always challenging trying to impart wisdom to kids. They can sniff out a sermon a mile away! It’s much more palatable coming from an ancient medicine woman or a master shaman. Plus the kids enjoy stories about Africa, so I thought I’d combine the two.
 
What was the biggest challenge in writing the book?
 
Keeping a traditional African perspective versus the crazy pace of modern life. There is an incredible amount of wisdom and magic being ignored, or worse still, wasted. After all, Africa is the cradle of civilization.
 
What part of the book did you enjoy writing the most?
 
I pretty much enjoyed writing it all. But maybe something to do with Megahni as I tend to identify most with her character...probably her interaction with the little French Boutique owner, Madame Brizard, in Cairo. It was fun writing that.
  
Who drew the pictures at the beginning of each chapter?
 
It was a joint effort with my husband. And as you can see, we both have very different styles! Fortunately one of the main purposes of the book is to promote give and take between cultures, so it worked out okay. But he kept much closer to the traditional African theme we originally agreed on.
 
Have you left the door open for any sequels?
 
Definitely. I actually envision ‘The Indaba Tree Odyssey’ as a series, so I’ve introduced several characters already, who will have bigger parts in later books.
 
Such as?

The Egyptian boy Amahl is destined to become a major player somewhere up the line. Then there’s Panya, the pygmy boy, who is about to enrol at the same school the others attend when they’re not roaming around the bush. And, of course, there’s the problem of Megahni’s missing parents still to be solved.