Andoumboulou and Vorfreude
stories hidden in words and new pages waiting to be inked
Andoumboulou, from a Dogon myth, means “a rough draft of human being, the work-in-progress we continue to be.” And don’t we shape ourselves with words when we scribble stories. We write and write and satiate our souls. We know the river within us cannot be paused. What we can do is only- make the river richer, with time, with each passing word. And we know we need it in us- to stir us and enlighten us.
Nathaniel Mackey says about Andoumboulou: “I didn’t find out about that aspect until I read The Pale Fox, Marcel Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen’s study of the Dogon, which talks about the Andoumboulou as an earlier form of human being, kind of a trial form that didn’t work out.” Andoumboulou is a metaphor for us — a rough draft of humanity.
Now Vorfreude. It comes from vor (“before”) and Freude (“joy”). And means something along the lines of “joyful anticipation.” Vorfreude is the joy you experience while you are looking forward to something.
Both are connected with each other. Both can be thought of separately. Both breathe life into English Language.
We hope these words strike a chord within you, and make you write. Really write. And sometimes that’s all we can do.
