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Why Do You Dance When You Walk?
‘Papa, why do you dance when you walk?’
When Aden’s 8-year-old daughter asks him this one morning in Paris, he is taken aback. The question is innocent, but the answer is not so simple. Unable to resist Béa’s inquisitive spirit, he moves silkily between memories of his from his silent, mysterious mother and the shanty roofs of his neighborhood to the malicious attack that changed his life forever and the ensuing struggle that made him a man.
Anchoring his memories is a Djibouti on the cusp of independence; a land of shifting deserts and immense heat, French-from-France ex-pats, and one lonely and sick boy finding solace in books.
Why Do You Dance When You Walk? is a poignant and timeless story of the complexity of family, the value of poetry and freedom, and the ripple effect of the traumas that stalk our movement.
When Aden’s 8-year-old daughter asks him this one morning in Paris, he is taken aback. The question is innocent, but the answer is not so simple. Unable to resist Béa’s inquisitive spirit, he moves silkily between memories of his from his silent, mysterious mother and the shanty roofs of his neighborhood to the malicious attack that changed his life forever and the ensuing struggle that made him a man.
Anchoring his memories is a Djibouti on the cusp of independence; a land of shifting deserts and immense heat, French-from-France ex-pats, and one lonely and sick boy finding solace in books.
Why Do You Dance When You Walk? is a poignant and timeless story of the complexity of family, the value of poetry and freedom, and the ripple effect of the traumas that stalk our movement.
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First published August 21, 2019
33 people are currently reading
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About the author
Abdourahman A. Waberi
34 books19 followersAbdourahman Waberi nació en la ciudad de Yibuti en la costa somalí francesa, actual República de Yibuti. Se fue a Francia en 1985 para estudiar literatura inglesa. Trabajó como consultor literario para Editions Le Serpent à plumes, París, y como crítico literario para Le Monde Diplomatique. Ha sido miembro del jurado internacional del Premio Lettre Ulysses para el Art of Reportage (Arte del Reportaje) en Berlín, Alemania (2003 y 2004).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 22, 2022
Why Do You Dance When You Walk? was an interesting book for me on many levels, not least because, prior to reading, I knew nothing about Djibouti and nothing about the migration of Jews from Africa to Israel. The story was short but intense, the narration style engaging, and I definitely came to care about the characters and their journeys along the way. It certainly provided a lot of thought-provoking ideas that stuck with me after I had closed the final page. It gets four stars from me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2025
3,5
“¿Por qué bailas cuando caminas?” le pregunta la pequeña Béa a su padre mientras la lleva a la escuela por las calles de París; cruel e inocente, ha observado que su renguera o cojera, una pierna más larga que la otra, hace que camine de manera oscilante, como si bailara.
La pregunta dispara la respuesta de Adén Robleh, en forma de una larga carta, un monólogo en el que le cuenta a esta niña parisina, ya adolescente al escribirla, la historia de su vida, marcada por la soledad de ser ignorado por sus padres, el desprecio de sus compañeros escolares, y su constitución enfermiza que llega a su tope al padecer Paralisis Infantil (poliomielitis).
Pero el pequeño Adén, en un barrio de Yibuti, cuenta con un elemento salvador: una enorme curiosidad, un hambre de conocimiento, que lo lleva a leer todo lo que tiene a su alcance.
Y en esta narración, que parece tener elementos autobiográficos, se construye una historia, exenta de sensiblería y épica, de como crecer y vivir una vida plena a partir de la adversidad.
Una novela que inicié como una lectura liviana, para descansar un poco, y con su estilo luminoso alcanza a ser una buena obra, un himno a la vida.
Abdourahman Waberi nació y se crió en Yibuti, pequeño país en el cuerno de África; viajó a Francia a realizar sus estudios superiores, donde radicó. También ha sido traducida al castellano su novela Pasaje de lágrimas (África nº 3)
“¿Por qué bailas cuando caminas?” le pregunta la pequeña Béa a su padre mientras la lleva a la escuela por las calles de París; cruel e inocente, ha observado que su renguera o cojera, una pierna más larga que la otra, hace que camine de manera oscilante, como si bailara.
La pregunta dispara la respuesta de Adén Robleh, en forma de una larga carta, un monólogo en el que le cuenta a esta niña parisina, ya adolescente al escribirla, la historia de su vida, marcada por la soledad de ser ignorado por sus padres, el desprecio de sus compañeros escolares, y su constitución enfermiza que llega a su tope al padecer Paralisis Infantil (poliomielitis).
Pero el pequeño Adén, en un barrio de Yibuti, cuenta con un elemento salvador: una enorme curiosidad, un hambre de conocimiento, que lo lleva a leer todo lo que tiene a su alcance.
Y en esta narración, que parece tener elementos autobiográficos, se construye una historia, exenta de sensiblería y épica, de como crecer y vivir una vida plena a partir de la adversidad.
Una novela que inicié como una lectura liviana, para descansar un poco, y con su estilo luminoso alcanza a ser una buena obra, un himno a la vida.
Abdourahman Waberi nació y se crió en Yibuti, pequeño país en el cuerno de África; viajó a Francia a realizar sus estudios superiores, donde radicó. También ha sido traducida al castellano su novela Pasaje de lágrimas (África nº 3)
March 4, 2025
4.0 Stars I read this book with a ´Read the World’ book club on Reddit, and had not even heard of this author before its selection. It turned out to be a really interesting book tho, and I’m glad I read it.
The author is from Djibouti, in east Africa, and the book is a coming of age story about a young man who had the misfortune of being born sickly and weak (and later contracting polio) in a culture that is unsympathetic to physical weakness. Even his own family was incredibly hard on him.
He was smart, however, did well in school, and thru education, eventually overcame all of these obstacles and then some. I’ll not go into the details of that because I don’t want to spoil it. But I found the book to be quite inspirational. Definitely worth a read if you are looking for something short, inspirational and that gives you a peek into another culture.
The author is from Djibouti, in east Africa, and the book is a coming of age story about a young man who had the misfortune of being born sickly and weak (and later contracting polio) in a culture that is unsympathetic to physical weakness. Even his own family was incredibly hard on him.
He was smart, however, did well in school, and thru education, eventually overcame all of these obstacles and then some. I’ll not go into the details of that because I don’t want to spoil it. But I found the book to be quite inspirational. Definitely worth a read if you are looking for something short, inspirational and that gives you a peek into another culture.
March 24, 2024
Read Around the World: Djibouti
Read
April 15, 2025i don't think there's a book title i misunderstood as badly as this one lmao i thought it'd be more happy yk like the way i dance when i walk just because i can
oh boy one should sometimes read the summary
i liked it a lot; it's a bit too short for my liking but i think it suits the story and the writing style so i ain't complaining
my only real issue is that it feels weird how the concept is that the main character is telling the story to his 7 year old daughter and yet not only is he using mature language but also doesn't skip some real tough stuff (like, there's rape mentioned for no reason). it's not a problem for me personally, obviously, but i think it doesn't necessarily work in the context of the idea behind the narrative
"One leg less anchored to the ground than the other, but so what?
No one notices this detail when I succeed in shoving it into the background.
I dance as I walk.
I walk as I dance.
And so I dance.
So I dance.
We dance, we dance."
oh boy one should sometimes read the summary
i liked it a lot; it's a bit too short for my liking but i think it suits the story and the writing style so i ain't complaining
my only real issue is that it feels weird how the concept is that the main character is telling the story to his 7 year old daughter and yet not only is he using mature language but also doesn't skip some real tough stuff (like, there's rape mentioned for no reason). it's not a problem for me personally, obviously, but i think it doesn't necessarily work in the context of the idea behind the narrative
"One leg less anchored to the ground than the other, but so what?
No one notices this detail when I succeed in shoving it into the background.
I dance as I walk.
I walk as I dance.
And so I dance.
So I dance.
We dance, we dance."
May 2, 2022
gostei da história mas não muito da forma como ela foi contada. no mais, vale sim a leitura.
Read
April 15, 2022Este libro nos relata un acto de amor. Un padre intenta responder a una pregunta, en apariencia simple, que su hija le hace: "Papá, ¿por qué bailas cuando caminas?" Pero, para responderla, él tendrá que contarle toda su historia, una historia marcada por la enfermedad, la negligencia parental, el bullying, el amor que se encuentra en las historias contadas por la abuela, y después en los libros, las marcas históricas y sociales de la colonización en Yibuti, África.
July 10, 2020
Intéressant, mais j,aurais aimé avoir plus de détails au sujet de différents événements.
March 16, 2024
Poetic, personable and powerful.
April 7, 2024
This short autobiographical novel is an answer to a curious daughter's question to her immigrant father: Why he dances when he walks. The narrative is addressed directly to her with a second-person perspective. For me, it felt like eavesdropping into their conversations as they unfold during their walks along the bustling streets of Paris. The story explores the father's childhood in Colonial Djibouti, the dynamics of his family, his experiences with disability and the companionship of books; revealing not just the events of his life but also his evolving emotions and understanding of those events.
The storytelling is not confined to a single sitting; rather, it unfolds organically over time. As she grows older, the tales he shares with her carry deeper emotional weight and heavier topics. While the novel lacks a traditional plot, it introduces a diverse cast of characters, each meticulously crafted with a distinct humanity that resonates throughout the narrative.
Overall, an enjoyable and insightful read.
The storytelling is not confined to a single sitting; rather, it unfolds organically over time. As she grows older, the tales he shares with her carry deeper emotional weight and heavier topics. While the novel lacks a traditional plot, it introduces a diverse cast of characters, each meticulously crafted with a distinct humanity that resonates throughout the narrative.
Overall, an enjoyable and insightful read.
April 18, 2025
Me ha dejado una sensación deprimente, muy bien escrito, nos cuenta la juventud del escritor pero se regodea en exceso en cada desgracia, cada situación humillante. Acompañas al niño/joven en su sufrimiento continuo de forma que es un dolor leer cada página sin ninguna concesión a la esperanza.
September 28, 2025
made me cry ofc
February 13, 2025
Bella historia, a veces me cansaba que mencionara a Bea todo el tiempo, no sé si será la traducción, pero creo que la forma de escribir no fue particularmente de mi gusto.
March 22, 2025
The Question: The story begins with a young girl asking her father, "Papa, why do you dance when you walk?"
The Answer: The father then explains that the polio he contracted at age seven weakened his right leg, making it difficult to walk normally and participate in activities like riding a bicycle or scooter.
This is book No 140 in my World Reading Journey - Country Djibouti.
TFAI is mentioned in the book.
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas was the name given to present-day Djibouti between 1967 and 1977, while it was still an overseas territory.
Djibouti gained independence from France in 1977, but still maintains close ties with the country, including a significant French military base situated within Djibouti's Red Sea territory, which represents the largest French military presence in Africa.
From AI!!
Praise
"The moving confession of a father who explains his handicap to his daughter"
"A beautiful dance lesson between a father and his daughter"
"I really enjoyed this book especially the heartfelt, moving conclusion"
"Waberi remembers the shifting desert of Djibouti, the Red Sea, the shanty roofs of the houses in his neighborhood"
Summary
Why Do You Dance When You Walk is an autobiographical novel about a man who tells his daughter about his life after she asks about his disability.
The book is about the man's childhood in Djibouti, where he was the smartest kid in his school but was called a runt and a skinflint.
The book is about the man's struggle to become a man and the values he learned, such as the value of poetry, silence, and freedom.
Author
Abdourahman A. Waberi was born in Djibouti in 1965 and teaches French literature at the University of Washington.
4 stars
The Answer: The father then explains that the polio he contracted at age seven weakened his right leg, making it difficult to walk normally and participate in activities like riding a bicycle or scooter.
This is book No 140 in my World Reading Journey - Country Djibouti.
TFAI is mentioned in the book.
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas was the name given to present-day Djibouti between 1967 and 1977, while it was still an overseas territory.
Djibouti gained independence from France in 1977, but still maintains close ties with the country, including a significant French military base situated within Djibouti's Red Sea territory, which represents the largest French military presence in Africa.
From AI!!
Praise
"The moving confession of a father who explains his handicap to his daughter"
"A beautiful dance lesson between a father and his daughter"
"I really enjoyed this book especially the heartfelt, moving conclusion"
"Waberi remembers the shifting desert of Djibouti, the Red Sea, the shanty roofs of the houses in his neighborhood"
Summary
Why Do You Dance When You Walk is an autobiographical novel about a man who tells his daughter about his life after she asks about his disability.
The book is about the man's childhood in Djibouti, where he was the smartest kid in his school but was called a runt and a skinflint.
The book is about the man's struggle to become a man and the values he learned, such as the value of poetry, silence, and freedom.
Author
Abdourahman A. Waberi was born in Djibouti in 1965 and teaches French literature at the University of Washington.
4 stars
July 25, 2019
Pourquoi tu danses quand tu marches c’est ce que demande une petite fille vive , espiègle à son papa , elle a remarqué qu’il ne marchait comme tout le monde et elle lui pose la question avec ses mots d’enfants qui vont faire mouche .
Le père raconte alors son enfance dans ce pays d’enfance qui est Djibouti alors encore sous protectorat français , les premières années d’école , les brimades faites par le plus fort jusqu’à la chute dans la cour de l’école le premier jour de la rentrée , la souffrance du genou blessé mais surtout l’humiliation subie qui ne s’effacera jamais .
Des années plus tard la maladie s’installe , le diagnostic sera posé , polyo mais c’est trop tard le mal est incurable faute de médecine préventive, pas de vaccin .
Les souvenirs continuent , après la révolte due à son état , plus de jeux d’enfants , pas de vélo , il y a la découverte des mots , de la langue française, le jeune garçon lit tout ce qui lui tombe sous la main , bande dessinée en piteux état , publications diverses comme des pages de journaux , même des Nous deux , et cette évocation m’a fait sourire car j’en ai lu en cachette chez une de mes grands mères .
L’auteur rend un bel hommage à la langue française , à son amour inconditionnel à la lecture , bel hommage également à ses racines africaines surtout à sa grand mère conteuse née , qui sans savoir lire ou écrire l’a bercé de mots , d’histoires .
Avec le temps vient l’apaisement et quel meilleur exercice que s’adresser à sa fille pour qu’elle comprenne mieux ce père qui a définitivement choisi la vie , la vie qui se danse comme la fameuse chanson de Stromae .
Vous l’aurez compris , ce livre est un coup de cœur , je n’ai qu’une envie , découvrir l’auteur un peu plus.
Le père raconte alors son enfance dans ce pays d’enfance qui est Djibouti alors encore sous protectorat français , les premières années d’école , les brimades faites par le plus fort jusqu’à la chute dans la cour de l’école le premier jour de la rentrée , la souffrance du genou blessé mais surtout l’humiliation subie qui ne s’effacera jamais .
Des années plus tard la maladie s’installe , le diagnostic sera posé , polyo mais c’est trop tard le mal est incurable faute de médecine préventive, pas de vaccin .
Les souvenirs continuent , après la révolte due à son état , plus de jeux d’enfants , pas de vélo , il y a la découverte des mots , de la langue française, le jeune garçon lit tout ce qui lui tombe sous la main , bande dessinée en piteux état , publications diverses comme des pages de journaux , même des Nous deux , et cette évocation m’a fait sourire car j’en ai lu en cachette chez une de mes grands mères .
L’auteur rend un bel hommage à la langue française , à son amour inconditionnel à la lecture , bel hommage également à ses racines africaines surtout à sa grand mère conteuse née , qui sans savoir lire ou écrire l’a bercé de mots , d’histoires .
Avec le temps vient l’apaisement et quel meilleur exercice que s’adresser à sa fille pour qu’elle comprenne mieux ce père qui a définitivement choisi la vie , la vie qui se danse comme la fameuse chanson de Stromae .
Vous l’aurez compris , ce livre est un coup de cœur , je n’ai qu’une envie , découvrir l’auteur un peu plus.
June 24, 2023
A father walks his daughter to kindergarten in Paris one morning, when she asks "Why do you dance when you walk?" What follows is a beautiful, complex story of a childhood in Africa, and the challenges of a child with a disability.
An autobiographical fiction telling of a childhood in village Djibouti, facing poverty, physically and emotionally absent parents, and his layered and influenced understanding of his body and disability. The people who love and nurture him. The bullies who harm and torment him. The pivot from wanting to play sport with his class, to finding reading, the library, and the gift of writing.
Such beautiful writing, a tale lovingly told to a daughter by her father. Of a world away, about his experiences and how it has been for him. From unsettled baby, to the fever that damaged his body, to the vivid first day of school and a moment etched into his memory forever.
The tender reminiscing of the nurturing people in his life. His love of the household maid. The idea that his oral storytelling grandmother was a library, which was lost when she died. The descriptive moments of meeting her mother.
This is a poignant, delightful read, filled with truth and hardship, love and resilience, leaving an overwhelming sense of joy.
An autobiographical fiction telling of a childhood in village Djibouti, facing poverty, physically and emotionally absent parents, and his layered and influenced understanding of his body and disability. The people who love and nurture him. The bullies who harm and torment him. The pivot from wanting to play sport with his class, to finding reading, the library, and the gift of writing.
Such beautiful writing, a tale lovingly told to a daughter by her father. Of a world away, about his experiences and how it has been for him. From unsettled baby, to the fever that damaged his body, to the vivid first day of school and a moment etched into his memory forever.
The tender reminiscing of the nurturing people in his life. His love of the household maid. The idea that his oral storytelling grandmother was a library, which was lost when she died. The descriptive moments of meeting her mother.
This is a poignant, delightful read, filled with truth and hardship, love and resilience, leaving an overwhelming sense of joy.
May 11, 2023
O livro é bom, a história é muito boa. Eu realmente fiquei interessada em saber mais da vida do protagonista.
Maaaaas...
A forma que ele ia inserindo outros assuntos meio que saindo da história principal não me prendeu muito. Me vi pulando alguns parágrafos do meio pro fim.
É um livro bom, mas não para mim.
Maaaaas...
A forma que ele ia inserindo outros assuntos meio que saindo da história principal não me prendeu muito. Me vi pulando alguns parágrafos do meio pro fim.
É um livro bom, mas não para mim.
June 8, 2023
J’ai trouver le sujet flou et vaste on reçoit be coup d’information sur ça vie qui en fin de compte ne nous servent que peu voir pas du tout pour la compréhension du livre. De plus ce livre est extrêmement descriptif or c’est un livre cour donc on s’accroche peu aux personnages.
Je n’ai absolument pas aimé cette lecture
Je n’ai absolument pas aimé cette lecture
July 5, 2024
Read around Africa : Djibouti
I love a book set on the backdrop of colonialism and African Independence. Idk it scratches an itch for me.
Aden is the first born son of a Djiboutian family navigating the city while he navigates his own disability. The book is dedicated to his daughter as he tells her about the country of his childhood and all the women who raised him.
His mother a nervous woman who’s first child had battled illness and second had succumb to death was wholly unprepared for how to treat a child with a disability. Aden mistook this discomfort for hatred and this sets the book into motion.
The book follows a linear narrative starting with his childhood as he faces bullying and the silence of his house. “I had to stay put, without moving, without shedding a single tear. But it was impossible. I was born with moist red eyes. ” only finding comfort in his grandma Cochise and her stories of the unyielding nomadic landscapes of Djibouti. We follow him as he grows from a feverish child to an imaginative and excited learner who philosophies life.
As he enters school and learns from French from France teachers his imagination and ideas broaden and he finds solace and escape from the bullying and torment of his classmates in his head and his reading and writing. He imagines a world outside his little country dotted by the Red Sea. He imagines a world outside of his impoverished neighbourhood. He imagines life in France.
Aden writes this book as if it were a journal, rather than describing specific moments in detail he instead shows the readers how he felt in each stage of his life and he captures it beautifully. He writes not from a place of hurt but rather acceptance and understanding for everyone in his life. We understand his parents, his grandma and the maid despite the few glimpses we get of them. His writing style is nostalgic and draws you in. “ Memories pour in from all over. Memory is an imperious force, a current that carries everything away in its path. Impossible to control, impossible to escape from. At this very moment, it makes me relive what I saw and experienced then, and my heart bleeds and I’m soaked in sweat.”
I think the most beautiful moment in the book was when Aden had been dancing all night long and decades after he left home for France he “Suddenly, I thought of my parents. My mother’s features came into focus on my retina, like a non-digital photo fresh out of the stop bath. I think she was encouraging me to keep on clapping. My father looked hieratic, silently staring at me with his watery, old man’s eyes. Our non-verbal exchange stretched out and deepened. At his sides, my Grandma Cochise and my aunt were conferring. They were blessing me, I think. In the background, Ladane was there, too. Luminous. She winked at me and then sent me a burst of positive vibes, to use one of your favourite expressions.” And even though they had all passed he felt that they were blessing him and were proud of the life he had lived so far almost patting him on the back which was so heartwarming. He was able to let go his his painful past and accept it and remember those who had loved him warmly. The ending felt peaceful and reassuring. He found his way and place in the world.
I love a book set on the backdrop of colonialism and African Independence. Idk it scratches an itch for me.
Aden is the first born son of a Djiboutian family navigating the city while he navigates his own disability. The book is dedicated to his daughter as he tells her about the country of his childhood and all the women who raised him.
His mother a nervous woman who’s first child had battled illness and second had succumb to death was wholly unprepared for how to treat a child with a disability. Aden mistook this discomfort for hatred and this sets the book into motion.
The book follows a linear narrative starting with his childhood as he faces bullying and the silence of his house. “I had to stay put, without moving, without shedding a single tear. But it was impossible. I was born with moist red eyes. ” only finding comfort in his grandma Cochise and her stories of the unyielding nomadic landscapes of Djibouti. We follow him as he grows from a feverish child to an imaginative and excited learner who philosophies life.
As he enters school and learns from French from France teachers his imagination and ideas broaden and he finds solace and escape from the bullying and torment of his classmates in his head and his reading and writing. He imagines a world outside his little country dotted by the Red Sea. He imagines a world outside of his impoverished neighbourhood. He imagines life in France.
Aden writes this book as if it were a journal, rather than describing specific moments in detail he instead shows the readers how he felt in each stage of his life and he captures it beautifully. He writes not from a place of hurt but rather acceptance and understanding for everyone in his life. We understand his parents, his grandma and the maid despite the few glimpses we get of them. His writing style is nostalgic and draws you in. “ Memories pour in from all over. Memory is an imperious force, a current that carries everything away in its path. Impossible to control, impossible to escape from. At this very moment, it makes me relive what I saw and experienced then, and my heart bleeds and I’m soaked in sweat.”
I think the most beautiful moment in the book was when Aden had been dancing all night long and decades after he left home for France he “Suddenly, I thought of my parents. My mother’s features came into focus on my retina, like a non-digital photo fresh out of the stop bath. I think she was encouraging me to keep on clapping. My father looked hieratic, silently staring at me with his watery, old man’s eyes. Our non-verbal exchange stretched out and deepened. At his sides, my Grandma Cochise and my aunt were conferring. They were blessing me, I think. In the background, Ladane was there, too. Luminous. She winked at me and then sent me a burst of positive vibes, to use one of your favourite expressions.” And even though they had all passed he felt that they were blessing him and were proud of the life he had lived so far almost patting him on the back which was so heartwarming. He was able to let go his his painful past and accept it and remember those who had loved him warmly. The ending felt peaceful and reassuring. He found his way and place in the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2024
Récit autobiographique d’Aden, un garçon grandissant à Djibouti, né dans les années 1960. Son père, très travailleur, est surtout absent. Aden est chétif, maladif, et sa mère ne le comprend pas, et lui témoigne peu d’affection. Il est proche surtout de sa grand-mère, Cochise, qui le comprend tout en étant exigeante, et, bien qu’analphabéte, a une culture immense. Il est souffre-douleur à l’école, et à 7 ans il se fait cogner par le voyou de la classe, à la suite de quoi il attrape le polio.Il a la jambe estropié, ce qui explique pourquoi il “danse quand it march”. Il s’évade dans la lecture et, plus tard, l’écriture, grâce à la protection de profs qui voient son talent et son potentiel. Arrivé au bac, il obtient une bourse pour aller en France, où il réussit.
Éctit sous la forme d’une lettre à sa fille Béa, qui lui pose la question titulaire, le livre se concentre sur son enfance malheureuse, et passe très rapidement sur son passage au lycéé et la fac, ne disant rien sur son parcours professionel par la suite.
C’est un beau récit qui met en scène la tension éternelle pour tous les immigrés entre son pays d’origine et son pays d’adoption. Ça illustre aussi la difficulté de contrer la fuite des cerveaux. Aden est très attaché à son pays et son quartier d’origine, mais ils ne le lui rendent pas, et finalement c’est en France qu’il est acceuilli et choyé, et qu’il réussit. Mais nous restons un peu sur notre faim pour une réfléction plus approfondie sur ces questions, cruciales pour l’Afrique francophone.
Éctit sous la forme d’une lettre à sa fille Béa, qui lui pose la question titulaire, le livre se concentre sur son enfance malheureuse, et passe très rapidement sur son passage au lycéé et la fac, ne disant rien sur son parcours professionel par la suite.
C’est un beau récit qui met en scène la tension éternelle pour tous les immigrés entre son pays d’origine et son pays d’adoption. Ça illustre aussi la difficulté de contrer la fuite des cerveaux. Aden est très attaché à son pays et son quartier d’origine, mais ils ne le lui rendent pas, et finalement c’est en France qu’il est acceuilli et choyé, et qu’il réussit. Mais nous restons un peu sur notre faim pour une réfléction plus approfondie sur ces questions, cruciales pour l’Afrique francophone.
March 24, 2025
reading around the world one book at a time 2025: djibouti
Romanzo raccontato come un memoir, un autore di successo racconta alla sua figlia seienne della sua infanzia nel Gibuti quando ancora si chiamava TFAI (Territorio Francese degli Afar e degli Issa).
Quando Bea, la figlia, gli chiede perché sembra che balli quando cammina, il padre inizia a dipingere la sua storia durante le loro camminate. Fin da piccolo fu un bambino gracile e infermo, motivo per il quale nessuno nella sua famiglia si sorprende quando in seguito alla poliomielite perde l’uso di una gamba. Il poco affetto ricevuto a casa e l’impopolarità nella sua scuola lo rendono un bambino taciturno, sulle sue, e un avido lettore.
Nel romanzo lo seguiamo nei suoi successi scolastici fino al momento in cui riceve una borsa di studio per andare a studiare in Francia, dove sembra staccarsi volontariamente dalla sua famiglia e dalla sua infanzia.
Immagino alcuni aspetti del romanzo siano autobiografici, ma a parte il contesto storico-geografico e il fatto che sia un famoso scrittore non saprei cos’altro sia effettivamente reale. Nonostante questo la storia sembra essere molto personale, tanto che l’ultimo quarto sembra un’accozzaglia di aneddoti di relativo successo (a quanto pare a un certo punto diventa super amico di Stromae e abbiamo una lunga descrizione di lui che si diverte a un suo concerto, che se è reale è un vantarsi smoderato, e se non lo è diventa una fanfiction self-insert),
Romanzo raccontato come un memoir, un autore di successo racconta alla sua figlia seienne della sua infanzia nel Gibuti quando ancora si chiamava TFAI (Territorio Francese degli Afar e degli Issa).
Quando Bea, la figlia, gli chiede perché sembra che balli quando cammina, il padre inizia a dipingere la sua storia durante le loro camminate. Fin da piccolo fu un bambino gracile e infermo, motivo per il quale nessuno nella sua famiglia si sorprende quando in seguito alla poliomielite perde l’uso di una gamba. Il poco affetto ricevuto a casa e l’impopolarità nella sua scuola lo rendono un bambino taciturno, sulle sue, e un avido lettore.
Nel romanzo lo seguiamo nei suoi successi scolastici fino al momento in cui riceve una borsa di studio per andare a studiare in Francia, dove sembra staccarsi volontariamente dalla sua famiglia e dalla sua infanzia.
Immagino alcuni aspetti del romanzo siano autobiografici, ma a parte il contesto storico-geografico e il fatto che sia un famoso scrittore non saprei cos’altro sia effettivamente reale. Nonostante questo la storia sembra essere molto personale, tanto che l’ultimo quarto sembra un’accozzaglia di aneddoti di relativo successo (a quanto pare a un certo punto diventa super amico di Stromae e abbiamo una lunga descrizione di lui che si diverte a un suo concerto, che se è reale è un vantarsi smoderato, e se non lo è diventa una fanfiction self-insert),
June 7, 2025
Pourquoi tu danses quand tu marches ?
« Ma mère voulait un bel enfant, vigoureux et sain, peu importe le sexe. Papa la tige voulait un garçon formidable pour ouvrir le bal de la lignée. Je n’ai assouvi ni le désir de l’un, ni le vœu de l’autre. J’étais une énigme, pas l’aîné bien portant voué à un avenir prometteur dont ils rêvaient tant. »
Superbe mémoire (autobiographique ? je ne trouve pas les détails) d’un homme dans sa quarantaine qui raconte sa vie d’enfance au Djibouti à sa fille qui l’interroge « pourquoi tu danses quand tu marches papa ? ».
A travers les personnages de ses parents un peu distants, sa grand-mère plus grande que nature, son éducation, le moment charnière où il a contracté la poliomyélite, et pour finir son voyage en France pour continuer son éducation. L’auteur nous peint une image de sa vie depuis les années soixante avec les changement de politiques turbulente de la région a l’arrière-plan.
Je dirais pour ceux qui ne sont pas trop intéressés par l’histoire, ceci n’est pas un roman historique plutôt une histoire personnelle qui témoigne de l’amour des gens qui ont fait partie de sa vie.
Le livre termine parfaitement pour moi sur un concert de Stromae « Alors on danse ! ».
J’ai vraiment eu beaucoup de plaisirs à lire ce livre, je l’ai d’ailleurs dévoré sur un après midi.
Je veux aussi mentionner la dédicace parfaite à la fin aux rampes d’escaliers, escalateurs et ascenseurs.
« Ma mère voulait un bel enfant, vigoureux et sain, peu importe le sexe. Papa la tige voulait un garçon formidable pour ouvrir le bal de la lignée. Je n’ai assouvi ni le désir de l’un, ni le vœu de l’autre. J’étais une énigme, pas l’aîné bien portant voué à un avenir prometteur dont ils rêvaient tant. »
Superbe mémoire (autobiographique ? je ne trouve pas les détails) d’un homme dans sa quarantaine qui raconte sa vie d’enfance au Djibouti à sa fille qui l’interroge « pourquoi tu danses quand tu marches papa ? ».
A travers les personnages de ses parents un peu distants, sa grand-mère plus grande que nature, son éducation, le moment charnière où il a contracté la poliomyélite, et pour finir son voyage en France pour continuer son éducation. L’auteur nous peint une image de sa vie depuis les années soixante avec les changement de politiques turbulente de la région a l’arrière-plan.
Je dirais pour ceux qui ne sont pas trop intéressés par l’histoire, ceci n’est pas un roman historique plutôt une histoire personnelle qui témoigne de l’amour des gens qui ont fait partie de sa vie.
Le livre termine parfaitement pour moi sur un concert de Stromae « Alors on danse ! ».
J’ai vraiment eu beaucoup de plaisirs à lire ce livre, je l’ai d’ailleurs dévoré sur un après midi.
Je veux aussi mentionner la dédicace parfaite à la fin aux rampes d’escaliers, escalateurs et ascenseurs.
January 30, 2024
This journey takes us through past of a man as he recounts his childhood experiences and trauma, to explain his life to his daughter. The themes i found in this book include : love, loss, stigmatization, resilience, poetry, neglect, colonialism & independence.
✰
The writing style adapted in this book is different from what i am familiar with, but i had no difficulty getting accustomed. The main character, Aden, went through neglect and stigmatization due to his disability. He narrates to his young daughter, how he was the subject of ridicule among his peers and often felt isolated in his family. This story is set in Djibouti at the edge of colonization, and the gain of independence.
I found the blend of christianity and islam interesting as Aden was on a quest to make meaning of life by drawing similarities between religious stories and reality. This story highlighted the liberating power of literature and it made me, as a reader, feel really good.
✰
final notes :
I was confused at the beginning of this book, but it all started to make sense. The vivid descriptions also helped my imagination as i could picture what the author meant, easily. This book has also given me some sort of exposure to Djibouti’s history : a part of the world i didn’t know about till i read this book.
✰
The writing style adapted in this book is different from what i am familiar with, but i had no difficulty getting accustomed. The main character, Aden, went through neglect and stigmatization due to his disability. He narrates to his young daughter, how he was the subject of ridicule among his peers and often felt isolated in his family. This story is set in Djibouti at the edge of colonization, and the gain of independence.
I found the blend of christianity and islam interesting as Aden was on a quest to make meaning of life by drawing similarities between religious stories and reality. This story highlighted the liberating power of literature and it made me, as a reader, feel really good.
✰
final notes :
I was confused at the beginning of this book, but it all started to make sense. The vivid descriptions also helped my imagination as i could picture what the author meant, easily. This book has also given me some sort of exposure to Djibouti’s history : a part of the world i didn’t know about till i read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2019
Pour cette rentrée littéraire 2019, Abdourahman A. Waberi nous livre un roman de transmission avec « Pourquoi tu danses quand tu marches ? » paru chez JC Lattès. Pour répondre à cette question posée par sa fille un jour sur le chemin de l’école, Abdourahman A. Waberi va dérouler les souvenirs de sa jeunesse à Djibouti dans les années 70, dans le quartier du Château d’eau avec ses parents, Papa la tige et une mère un peu jeune et trop fragile, et sa tendre grand-mère Cochise.
Alors lorsque le garçon grandit plus sensible et plus fragile que les autres, avec une patte qui traîne, sa tendre grand-mère Cochise est autour de lui pour l’entourer. L’enfant qui, sans soin minima, aurait pu rabâcher toute sa vie sa rancœur s’il n’avait rencontré la tendresse pour s’ouvrir aux mots. Pas uniquement, ceux de la littérature mais ceux de « Paris Match », de « Nous Deux », des lettres qu’il va écrire, de ces liens épistolaires qu’il va ne cesser de développer. Tous ces mots lui ouvrent des possibles avec la rencontre d’enseignantes qui changeront le regard des camarades sur le petit estropié.
Jusqu’à la réponse à la question posée par sa fille, le rappel des souvenirs m’a semblé un peu long et désordonné.
La suite ici
https://vagabondageautourdesoi.com/20...
Alors lorsque le garçon grandit plus sensible et plus fragile que les autres, avec une patte qui traîne, sa tendre grand-mère Cochise est autour de lui pour l’entourer. L’enfant qui, sans soin minima, aurait pu rabâcher toute sa vie sa rancœur s’il n’avait rencontré la tendresse pour s’ouvrir aux mots. Pas uniquement, ceux de la littérature mais ceux de « Paris Match », de « Nous Deux », des lettres qu’il va écrire, de ces liens épistolaires qu’il va ne cesser de développer. Tous ces mots lui ouvrent des possibles avec la rencontre d’enseignantes qui changeront le regard des camarades sur le petit estropié.
Jusqu’à la réponse à la question posée par sa fille, le rappel des souvenirs m’a semblé un peu long et désordonné.
La suite ici
https://vagabondageautourdesoi.com/20...
October 20, 2025
The author's little daughter asked him the question that would become both the title and the inspiration for this book, and the answer is simple: as a child, Waberi contracted polio and one of his legs was left with limited function. From that experience came this novel, and although it's always difficult in these situations to determine how much is drawn from personal experience and how much is wholly fictional, it's still a very convincing account.
Aden, the novel's protagonist, is asked the same question by his own daughter, and his response encompasses a childhood spent in Djibouti. He was - as he himself often admits - something of a whiner as a kid, and this does come across. Frankly I think that polio is probably a damn good reason to whine. Yes, a lot of kids had it worse, no iron lungs for him, but still. His story of growing up in Djibouti is beautifully told, anyway, even if that life was often marred by disability and anxiety and a pack of neighbourhood bullies. There's something very lyrical about Waberi's style that makes it appealing to read, and the optimistic ending is a welcome one.
Aden, the novel's protagonist, is asked the same question by his own daughter, and his response encompasses a childhood spent in Djibouti. He was - as he himself often admits - something of a whiner as a kid, and this does come across. Frankly I think that polio is probably a damn good reason to whine. Yes, a lot of kids had it worse, no iron lungs for him, but still. His story of growing up in Djibouti is beautifully told, anyway, even if that life was often marred by disability and anxiety and a pack of neighbourhood bullies. There's something very lyrical about Waberi's style that makes it appealing to read, and the optimistic ending is a welcome one.
November 16, 2024
No caminho da escola, Beá, de 7 anos, pergunta para seu pai, Aidan, porque ele dança enquanto anda. A partir daí, Aidan conta sua história, de forma honesta, com certo grau de poesia. Ele começa na sua infância pobre em Djibouti, pequeno país africano que foi colônia da França até 1977, quando teve muitos problemas de saúde e sofreu muito bullying . Aidan fala sobre seus pais, que eram bastante distantes porque ele não atendeu às expectativas. Conta sobre sua avó, que ele adorava e fala sobre as dificuldades para sobreviver sendo tão sozinho num lugar pobre. Ele é muito devotado à leitura e estuda bastante, chega a graus que poucos conseguem e migra para a França, onde estuda numa universidade.
A narrativa da história acaba por ajudando o personagem a entender, perdoar e seguir em frente sem as amarras do passado. Aidan vence a tudo por meio do estudo e da dedicação, sai de seu país e tem uma vida de sucesso e tranquilidade como resultado de seu esforço.Uma história bonita, mas algumas partes me cansaram um pouco. Gostei...
A narrativa da história acaba por ajudando o personagem a entender, perdoar e seguir em frente sem as amarras do passado. Aidan vence a tudo por meio do estudo e da dedicação, sai de seu país e tem uma vida de sucesso e tranquilidade como resultado de seu esforço.Uma história bonita, mas algumas partes me cansaram um pouco. Gostei...
November 28, 2024
📖 Título: ¿Por qué bailas cuando caminas?
✍🏻 Autor: Abdourahman Waberi
✏️ Páginas: 179
📚 Editorial: Editorial Empatía
Una novela que parece autobiográfica del escritor yibutiense Abdourahman Waberi.
La trama parte tras la inocente e incisiva pregunta de la hija, que caminando al colegio como todos los días ve rengueando a su padre y le pregunta: ¿por qué bailas cuando caminas?
Acto seguido volvemos al pasado y a esa tierra lejana al costado del Mar Rojo, que en la década del setenta era una colonia francesa.
En dicha colonia los “franceses de Francia” tienen privilegios y una mejor calidad de vida que quienes son “franceses locales”.
Una novela que a través del dolor muestra no sólo la historia de una familia, sino también el devenir de un pueblo. A través del protagonista vemos una excepción a la regla en todo sentido. Aunque se habla de una infancia complicada, al ser un recuerdo se siente atenuado por el paso del tiempo.
“Si nuestro pastorcito había podido escapar de aquel destino horrible, fue porque sabía levantar su cabeza hacia el cielo y soñar en grande.”
✍🏻 Autor: Abdourahman Waberi
✏️ Páginas: 179
📚 Editorial: Editorial Empatía
Una novela que parece autobiográfica del escritor yibutiense Abdourahman Waberi.
La trama parte tras la inocente e incisiva pregunta de la hija, que caminando al colegio como todos los días ve rengueando a su padre y le pregunta: ¿por qué bailas cuando caminas?
Acto seguido volvemos al pasado y a esa tierra lejana al costado del Mar Rojo, que en la década del setenta era una colonia francesa.
En dicha colonia los “franceses de Francia” tienen privilegios y una mejor calidad de vida que quienes son “franceses locales”.
Una novela que a través del dolor muestra no sólo la historia de una familia, sino también el devenir de un pueblo. A través del protagonista vemos una excepción a la regla en todo sentido. Aunque se habla de una infancia complicada, al ser un recuerdo se siente atenuado por el paso del tiempo.
“Si nuestro pastorcito había podido escapar de aquel destino horrible, fue porque sabía levantar su cabeza hacia el cielo y soñar en grande.”
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