BlackPerspective.net
Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens
Afrosphere Book Authors Featured: Dazjae Zoem
October 30th, 2008
I’m starting a new series here which will feature book authors from amongst Afrosphere bloggers. First on deck is Dazjae and her book Maji.
Dazjae Zoem or PurpleZoe as we know her in the bloggosphere is a passionate writer and advocate for not so pop-culture arts and for various philanthropic endeavors.
On the latter point Dazjae is a co-coordinator in the internet based activist group the Afrosphere Action Coalition, and co-publisher of the Roots of Humanity blog and monthly ebook; which focus on humanitarian and anti-genocide issues.
Along with her latest book Maji, which is spot lighted in the interview below, she publishes a blog and online magazine that primarily focus what I would call organic culture; more positive and heartfelt music and entertainment, as opposed to the more manufactured and lowest common denominator corporate forms of entertainment.
Blackperspective.net did a Q&A with Dazjae Zoem about her mythical tale Maji :
1. Describe the book, and what it’s about?
Maji is an Omnibus of three previously published full length story volumes and a small collection of short lit, that focus on the Black and Multicultural Faery realm (Phupha being the Motherland name of the Faeries) for underrepresented culture. What starts as a curious experiment of the imagination for a young girl opens up a realm of fantasy her usually pragmatic spirit would have never dreamed of, leaving her with an overwhelming choice to accept her decision, or hide from the reality she’s faced with.
2. What is the meaning of the title?
Maji is the swahili word for water. Water is typically associated with the feminine realm that has been largely ridiculed and demonized by patriarchal culture. With it many things associated with femininity such as nurturing, dreaming, and freedom have been restricted, leaving many cutting off a vital part of themselves in favor of being drones for ‘the machine’ aspect of society. I believe our hearts need imagination as much as our bodies need water, to maintain a healthy level of vitality along our life paths. Getting back in touch with the inner child, and creating our own myths is crucial, especially in communities of color where we’ve have had myths stolen, whited out, insultingly exoticized, usurped and misrepresented. The hope is that Maji will act as a reminder that we must define our selves, traditions, and stories, if we are to avoid falling prey to the wrong vision for underrepresented communities.
3. You publish the blog Ultraviolet Underground and the Purple Magazine; how does this book relate to the content and aesthetic of those publications?
Ultraviolet Underground and Purple Magazine hold the core purpose of bringing underrepresented culture to light, so we can embrace new paradigms in communities of color, and for those in Euro communities who appreciate diversity. The stereotypical generic projects that are passed off as art in the mainstream have done alot of damage to our community, presenting toxic images for our children to misidentify with. The lack of positive imagery in news and media stations that claim to represent us in full or part, is an abandonment of expression that celebrates our beauty, reality, and above all dignity. My hope has been to display the “other-side” of the black and multi-cultural experience by sharing findings from Black Rock artists, Urb Alt artists, Afropunk artists, Conscious hip-hop, Multicultural DIY merchants, and news in general from the grassroot.
Maji is a part of the ConsciousInk effort taking place in all three mediums.
The hope with ConsciousInk is that underrepresented artists will come together to be provide positive, non-stereotypical, images of underrepresented culture through various mediums, as a network. Artists such as Lesley Ann Brown and Saudade have brought a tremendous amount of light to the movement, and T.S. Snowden graciously extended one of her stories which previously appeared in Purple Magazine’s Modern Myth issue for 2007.
4. What is your goal as a writer/artist?
Beyond self-discovery, I am driven to celebrate the diverse and unconventional beauty of my Motherland roots through literature, visual art, and possibly music (if a compatible producer ever emerges *lol*). In writing, I’ve sought to fill the gap of missing High Fantasy in Black Literature. I’m still figuring out my visual aesthetic. Musically I tend towards a kind of trip-hop holding hands with acid jazz *_^
5. Where can people purchase Maji?
Currently, Maji is available through Amazon.com, but its Meta Edition, which is planned to contain at least minimal
illustrations and embellishments, will be submitted to libraries and be available on a standard distribution list such as when it is released. One of the short stories in Maji is in plans to be expanded into a full ( albeit smaller) book with a possible 2009 release as well. More intel on that as it emerges *_^
6. What is your background as a writer?
I’ve been writing feverishly since the 5th grade, but was first published online in The Coloured Section, and later in Liberator Magazine, and Neoterra Magazine to name a few grassroots publications that fill gaps in grassroots media. I’ve done literary and visual work in marketing, but I get blissfully lost in the world of fiction.
7. Anything else you would like us to know?
Myself and the artists involved in ConsciousInk have intent that it will remind underrepresented communities of our collective creative power for self-definition. The scourge of colonization has implemented a great deal of self-hatred in America and even Malaysia, India, and other areas many don’t realize were indoctrinated with the color-caste system through similar torture vs.favoritism methods. It’s time for us to realize our beauty in its own standard, and balance out the divide that is tearing world society apart.
If ConsciousInk projects play a part in dismantling the illusion that has played both the under and over-represented against one another, it will be a vision fulfilled.
Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a part of ConsciousInk, need only bring serious intent and follow through.
Email can be sent to PurpleMag @ gmail dot com
It’s sincerely humbling to be invited to interview with you. Your forum is one I respect for its forthrightness, truth, and determined action in the black community.
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And BlackPerspective.net appreciates Dazjae coming in and sharing her work and vision with us.
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6 Responses to “Afrosphere Book Authors Featured: Dazjae Zoem”
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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This is an outstanding idea. Your Q&A with Dazjae provided insights that I never knew before about the sista!
I look forward to future featured authors … and I wish Dazjae nothing but success in her future endeavors.
peace, Villager
Thanks Villager, I’m glad it was informative.
Very interesting!
I learned a lot about Purple Zoe in this post. I will be adding her book to my future reading list.
(Which is long as I don’t know what)
Great idea Yobachi!
Thankyou Yobachi, for this gracious spotlight.
It’s very cool of you to share Afrosphere authors with your audience.
Continue to shine
-PZ
I learned alot. Thanks for sharing. I, too would like the see the Afro-community embrace more than what we are told is typical Black culture. I believe we need more arts and sciences (what I do) represented in the black mainstream culture.
keep at it. much success.
compassion is said to be the “pinnacle of all virtues”. compassion is a process of understanding yourself in relationship to others while, simultaneously fashioning knowledge and self discovery.
i have my copy of maji.
the read is an adventure into challenges of discovering the power with. miss zoem is an incredible writer who utilizes a divine selection of words that engage the reader. the rhythm is unique and the voices of each character reflect a little something my own as well as, the voices heard next door, downtown or uptown, cross states and into a vast sea of communities.
in my investigative attempts(lol) and in my reading i have found the enchantment of all black ,yellow and brown butterflies expressing their flight through ultaviolet underground. within, each post there is a mainstay of awareness and community effort.
a compassionate walk.
it is a great pleasure to read a portion of the heart of dazjae zoem.
thanks for the interview.
jubal