The African presence in the world of comic books and graphic novels is sparse, but Ivorian author Marguerite Abouet is changing that. Thanks to her characters Aya and Akissi, both from the suburbs of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, a new generation of role models is on the way.
Abouet has just released the seventh volume of her series “Aya de Yopougon”. Hundreds of fans came to the Angoulême international comics festival in January to meet her and get their books signed.
The series, illustrated by French artist Clément Oubrerie has been translated into 15 languages and been adapted for television and the cinema.
“Young people are my first readers,” Abouet told RFI at the festival. “I created characters to give them another image of Africa that they don’t often see and I love it when they say things like: ‘Oh is that how it is?'”
When she came to Paris as a 12-year-old, Abouet said she was astounded by the questions her curious classmates asked her about whether the country had houses or schools.
While she had grown up inundated with images of western lifestyles thanks to TV shows like Dallas, her French counterparts had had no such thing.
Through the young heroines of Aya and Akissi, Abouet found a way to recount her childhood in Yopougon, a suburb of Abidjan, with its cafés, busy streets and bustling markets.
The characters act as Abouet’s alter egos and carry the message that “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Her mission to describe Africa for young readers has morphed over the years into a broader message about the value of education in general, especially for girls.
Ambassador for culture, education
“Aya is an activist,” Abouet said.
“She wants things to evolve, especially for women. She’s fighting for that, not in a nasty way but in a peaceful way – she’s a great ambassador for culture and education.”
Abouet says strong women have had a significant influence on her. Free, independent women like her own mother, or South African singer Miriam Makeba, who refused to remain silent.
“Educating young girls is my cause because, as we all know, it’s not easy to be a young girl today in Africa, or anywhere else for that matter.”
With her non-profit organisation “Des Livres pour Tous” (Books for everyone) she has established five libraries in Côte d’Ivoire to share the love of reading with kids who do not have easy access to books.
The organisation also proposes educational activities such as drawing, making things, dance and learning about ecology.
“I loved the exhibition,” Maya told RFI after visiting “La vie comme elle va” – an exhibition dedicated to Abouet’s “universe” inside the Quartier Jeunesse pavilion at the Angoulême festival.
It’s a haven for young children and parents alike, who are encouraged to touch things, draw on panels and even smell food items, presented in the décor of a typical atmosphere of a local market.
“I recognise my culture and it’s also great that people get to see Côte d’Ivoire in a different light and see how it really is. The expressions, the way people act, that’s very important for me.”
Maya has read all of Aya’s adventures, while her nephew has avidly been following the adventures of Akissi, a series that began in 2010, illustrated by Mathieu Sapin. This character too has been adapted to the big screen, recorded with voice over actors based in Côte d’Ivoire.
Abouet also created a series around a young Parisian girl called “Bienvenue”, illustrated by Singeon.
“I talk a lot about women and young girls, their struggles, the weight of tradition, lack of freedom.
“I really want to change things and make a point through entertaining people, without being didactic,” say words from Abouet, quoted on a sign at the entrance to the exhibition.
The series she wrote for Senegalese television called “C’est la Vie” was a key example of this, she explains.
“This was an amazing tool, it was screened in several villages and this was followed by debates about the roles of women and men and their relationships,” she enthused.
“It’s the first step towards changing attitudes and behaviour in society.”
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