Velvet Seekers

written by Kwabena O. Akurang-Parry

Africans Orbiting These Parts
This novel deals with Contemporary African Diaspora lived-experiences in the Western world, conceptualized as “These Parts.” It is inhabited by three main contemporary African Diaspora characters whose composite experiences of dialogic reminiscing and monologic reflections inform the architecture of the narrative of despondency, morbidity, and alienation. At the core of the story are struggles that Africans go through overseas and the ways that such struggles shape their consciousness and perspectives on both the Western world and Africa The quest for the “Velvet.” a metaphor designating “Western” materialism serves as a magnet that lures Africans overseas. Paradoxically. the “Velvet is also a watershed of hopelessness and uncertain future for Africa. Although, the setting of the story is overseas or “These Parts.” characters ruminate over their experiences in Ghana, both before and after their sojourn overseas. Thus, in many ways, Ghana serves as an epistemic site symbolizing Africa as a whole The story is written for the general public, but will be indispensable on the book shelves of students of African History, African Studies, Diaspora Studies, Hegemony and the Postcolonial Studies, Heritage Studies. Cultural Studies, and Migration and Transnational Studies.

Kwabena O. Akurang-Parry

KWABENA O. AKURANG-PARRY, a Ghanaian poet and novelist, is Professor of African History, African Heritage, and World History. He received his PhD in History from York University, Toronto, Canada. Currently he is Visiting Scholar at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana, Legon Ghana