I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I grew up with the need to bring a notebook wherever I went so that nothing could escape my pen. When my parents were reading biblical bedtime stories to me, I imagined my name printed on the covers and admired the people who wrote those stories. Later, I became an art laureate in my country, the tropical African island of Mauritius. I joined the University of Northampton for a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing. I graduated in 2020 and immediately started my PhD at the University of Salford. I completed my doctoral journey under the loving guidance of my supervisor Prof. Ursula K. Hurley.
I have published poetry, short stories, and papers. I am working on publishing a nonfiction novel-length experimental piece, Words from World Watchers (gathering lived experiences of the occult in Mauritius). My current focus is on better understanding my writing approach – Method Writing. It is quite an uncanny technique as I ‘become’ (or embody or ventriloquise) the people I write about in order to write for and with them. I combine this approach with my decolonising values and Dadirri to create a space for marginalised topics and people to be heard.
I joined Salford as a doctoral researcher and navigated through a few roles. I was Equality, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) Lead for Decolonising research at the Doctoral School, qualitative research lead for the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Centre (LTEC). I received a few awards for my contribution to research but post-PhD, I am Impact and Engagement Fellow for the South African Modernism 1880-2020 project. This role includes devising and delivering teaching and training to A-Level learners and their teachers to support efforts to decolonise the English Literature A-Level, and undertaking impact evidence gathering alongside other engagement activities. You can also keep an eye out for news from us here or via our website.
Research Interests
Dadirri (Deep Listening); Decolonising; Experimental writing; Indigenous research methodologies; Mauritian folklore and religion; Method Writing; Nonfiction; Occult; Uncanny
Modules I teach
Post/Colonial African Literatures; Regional and World Literatures