Le miel d'Harar - Translation

Lilly is raised in Morocco by a Sufi. She is British. She is seventeen when she leaves on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Harar, Ethiopia. There, she is welcomed by the women and becomes integrated into their lives . . . Then come the events that ravage the country after the Emperor is deposed. It is a very dark period in Ethiopia’s history. Hundreds of thousands of people flee what is called the Red Terror. Lilly finds herself in London, where she in turn welcomes women and families. Le miel d’Harrar is a brilliant story in which human warmth allows women, men and children to survive.

Tonight I want to remind you that a novel and a translated novel are two completely different works. They are different of course because the author of the original novel is free to let his or her imagination run wild, whereas the translator must rein his or hers in. This is also why translation, especially literary translation, is sometimes such a challenge. The translator must step aside to respect the work and find the right words to recreate it. I am speaking on behalf of my fellow translators, whom I salute—tonight, the finalists for this award in particular.

Thank you to the Canada Council for the Arts, Her Excellency and the members of the jury; thank you to Camilla Gibb, the author of Miel d’Harrar, without whom I would not be here tonight; thank you to Pierre Fillion, my editor, and Sophie Cardinal . . . And I especially want to thank the organizers of these festivities, who make these moments last a lifetime in our memories.