Since the pandemic started, many people have either rekindled old reading habits or developed new ones. In fact, Instagram users might have noticed an increased social media presence by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning novelist, whose Instagram grid now consists of IGTV videos of her reading out loud. Now, stay with us here. In a New York Times’ interview published last year, there’s a quote from Chimamanda which we’ve relied on since our launch in May 2020:
“I think of this quote from Léopold Sédar Senghor: “I have always taken care to put an idea or emotion behind my words. I have made it a habit to be suspicious of the mere music of words.” And while I don’t fully agree, as I do like to read literature that is all language, I think a great book can be badly written if its content is of such power that the bad writing pales in comparison…I like the music of words but I like, more so, the meaning of words.”
Here at Ìwà Reads (IR), we emphasise the idea of “meaning”, which is why we say: read. reflect. rinse and repeat until you find nothing new between the lines.
Ìwà has its origins in Yoruba- a language predominantly spoken in South-Western Nigeria, which depending on the context refers to one’s character or behaviour. Ìwà is defined by our actions and reflects our values and beliefs, which is why there’s a Yoruba adage that says: one’s character is one’s religion (Ìwà l’èsìn). It is our one defining feature that travels beyond time.
This is the same way we see books. A work of fiction is built around the main character(s) — a protagonist or an anti-hero whose goals, dreams and aspirations we want to root for, and whose actions and motivations we become deeply troubled by. We recognise their flaws and shortcomings in ourselves, and because we know these characters before they find themselves, we form our views independent of how other characters see them. In both fiction and non-fiction, we learn a little, if not a lot, that goes a long way in shaping our behaviour and attitudes towards a particular subject. It doesn’t happen often, but when you find a good book, it never leaves you.
This is the idea behind Ìwà Reads. We want you to find the meaning behind the text. When a story moves you, we want to know why and how. What lines spoke to you? Could it be a reflection of your current reality? Why are you rooting for one character over the other?
This is also why we have created Iwari, the IR Inner Circle. When translated from Yoruba to English, Iwari means: to discover. Our inner circle is a close-knit community that seeks to dig deeper, and our platforms vary from personal newsletters to social networking platforms, depending on the degree of interaction you are willing to be exposed to.
Think of it this way: the last time you read a book, did you engage with it? When was the last time you felt a book character’s presence and in what ways did you humanise this feeling? What are your current reading habits?
Think about it and let us know what ways you want this space to improve your existing reading habits!
Lams x.
