THE SIGN-MAKER
Illustration
‘The book is set in three cities; Nicosia, Salisbury (modern-day Harare) and Pretoria (South Africa) and the action moves back and forth between these cities. It begins in 2003 with the opening of the Ledra Palace checkpoint with Alexandra and her daughter. The reader is then transported to Salisbury, Rhodesia and the story of Garbriel (Alexandra’s father) begins. Gabriel occasionally is called to Pretoria to make signs for Apartheid. The history of these three cities is intertwined through Gabriel. ‘
illustrated by Lara Alphas
Written and commissioned by Miranda Hoplaros
‘Political instability in European colonial powers also had an impact on the lives of ordinary people living in African colonies. The 1974 a left-wing coup in Portugal led to the independence of Mozambique and brought about anxiety to Portuguese living in Rhodesia with relatives in Mozambique and Portugal. Similarly, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus devastated Cypriots living in remote parts of Africa with limited access to news.
Being a pioneer is an important part of colonisation and the scramble for Africa. Rhodesia was named after the pioneer Cecil John Rhodes and his statue was erected in the capital city, Salisbury. The Voortrekkers were Afrikaner emigrants who left the Cape Colony during the 1830s and 1840s. The city of Pretoria is named after one of these pioneers, Andries Pretorius. Gabriel is a pioneer of sorts as he leaves Cyprus for Rhodesia. The second chapter of the book shows a parallel history of the first pioneers in Rhodesia and the first Greeks to settle there without mention of the first Cypriots.’
Other themes
The movement of people either for economic reasons or due to being displaced for political reasons is something that is prominent in the world today. Many young Cypriots are moving to other countries to work because of the current economic crisis as they did in the past. In The Sign-Maker, diaspora communities are looked at. The main character, Gabriel (Laki for short) moves from Cyprus to Rhodesia in search of a better life and then ends up in South Africa like so many others after the war there. Ironically, he follows the reverse path of the pioneer column that started out in South Africa and headed towards Europe. Similarly, Mr. Patel, an Indian character in the book is in Rhodesia after being forced to flee Uganda due to Idi Amin Dada’s ‘economic war’ against Asians and Europeans. In their new adopted country, immigrants continue to follow the culture and traditions of their country of origin. A person having multiple nationalities does not fit into a neat category. We can see this with Gabriel who has difficulties identifying himself (Rhodesian, Cypriot, Greek, Rhodesian Cypriot) and Lefteris whose father is Cypriot and mother is a black Rhodesian. As a result, the Rhodesian army wishes to recruit him but as a person of mixed race, he has no benefits in his own country.