Tigann. The crossing of a woman against the wind by Mélanie Pérès

At the end of reading this book, I concluded that it is appropriate for International Women's Day. The book traces the fight, perseverance and resilience of a woman whose future would, it seems, already be traced by her past and that of her mother before her. As a literature buff, there are so many things to say and analyze in this novel, but I will try not to say too much so as not to spoil things. Translated from Mauritian Creole and published in 2022, here is first the summary:  

Tigann. The crossing of a woman against the wind by Mélanie Pérès

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Summary :  

Tigann hasn't had the easiest life. His innocence is shattered in the face of his father's incestuous acts and his mother is unjustly imprisoned for protecting him. As a teenager, the young girl becomes pregnant and has to face the contempt of traditional Mauritian society and poverty. Desperate to escape, she turns to God, Madame Kola's witchcraft and fleeting relationships.  

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Music 🎼  

Music is an excellent way to remember certain key moments in your life and I find that Mélanie Pérès brilliantly highlighted this in the novel.  

The lyrics of the Mauritian Creole songs mentioned in the novel remind readers of long-forgotten songs, but also of the memories associated with them. To immerse us in the traditions of Mauritius, the book begins with the cult lullaby sung by many Mauritians to put children to sleep, “mo pase Larivier Tanie” (I stroll near the Tanié river). We are immediately immersed in an atmosphere of nostalgia, but instead of reminding Tigann of a wonderful memory from his childhood, the song reminds him of the malicious acts committed by a man who was supposed to protect his innocence, his father.  

Furthermore, the lyrics of the songs reflect the traditional thoughts of a certain era, such as the fact that having a boy was an achievement unlike having a girl which was synonymous with misfortune, “si win tifi, win maler” (a girl, a misfortune). The small pauses in the story to reference a classic song from Mauritius highlight the culture, belief and prejudices of society.  

The woman in the spotlight ♀️  

The title of the novel “The Crossing of a Woman Against the Wind” immediately gives us information about the situation of the woman in this story, the one who goes against something, who fights against what is before her. destined. I think that the expression “against the wind” can have various interpretations on the fight led by the main character. For my part, it implies Tigann's fight against prejudices and family, religious and societal constraints.  

From a very young age, the eponymous character had to fight against man's malicious intentions and this did not get better as he grew up. She had to put up with the ignominies that a man can do to a woman. However, although the title of the novel indicates that the story revolves around Tigann, it is important not to put aside the fate of the other female characters in the novel such as Tigann's mother or Aunt Fifi. They too had to suffer the horrors of man. This shows the strength of character, patience, and love of the woman in the face of the atrocities they suffer from the individual of the opposite sex.  

In addition to this, the narrator's point of view allows us to see her torments and her helplessness in the face of adversity. Apart from societal constraints, we could speak of psycho genealogy in the case of Tigann. The mother's worries and torments were indirectly transmitted to her, the mother also mentions it during a conversation, “The grief has kept us tied hand and foot since my arrival in Mauritius, this grief is transmitted from generation to generation. generation." The mother conveys an important message through her conversation with Tigann about perseverance and the strength of women. Despite the difficulties encountered, the violence and the heartbreak, each woman in this novel continued to move forward, hence I think the choice of the term “crossing” in the title. They not only passed on their grief to the next generation, but also their strength of character and Angel, Tigann's daughter is proof of that.  

I'm going to stop on this note for fear of spoiling things for you. I hope I have made you want to read or reread Tigann. The crossing of a woman against the wind by Mélanie Pérès. For my part, I know that this book will remain engraved in my memory thanks to the way in which the author has painted the female character, the small references made to the habits and customs of Mauritius and the classic songs of Mauritius that we tend to forget. Thanks to this novel, we are able to jump onto the floor of Maurice and imagine the way of life of a certain category of people in society.