‘I write to challenge stereotypes and norms…’: An interview with Mafazah Sharafuddin

✍ Aysha Tanisha
March 8, 2018

Poets are an asset to the society. Many a poets have vindicated the age-old saying, ‘Pen is mightier than the sword’, by challenging norms and addressing grievances. Poems are synonymous to eye-openers. Reality-checks via poems could be the upcoming recipe to mend a society that prevails on undercurrents of hypocrisy and insensitivity.

Mafazah Sharafuddin, the youngest among the three children of Sharafuddin Soofi and Sameena Afshan couple, is a teenage poetess, whose formal debut into the literary world took place with the recent release of the anthology of poems Labyrinths of Emotions. It is a compilation of poems she wrote when she was 13 and 14 years old. It spans over a variety of subjects including social issues, mental health and general struggles faced by adolescents. She says that her poems are mainly expressions of her thoughts that she can’t put into coherent words. 

Mafazah Sharafuddin is now a grade 11 student at a private college in Mangaluru and aspires to become a clinical psychologist. Apart from writing poems, she is passionate about reading. She is multi-talented with interest in fine art and public speaking as well.  Here are a few things Mafazah Sharafuddin said in her exclusive interview to coastaldigest.com.

CD: What is the importance of poetry in today’s society?

MS: In my opinion, there’s a grace to poetry that no other form of writing has. I think poetry challenges you to look for meaning in mundane, everyday things and that’s the sort of observation and contemplation we need.

CD: Do you have a cause that is close to your heart or a particular theme that structures your poems?

MS: Well, not one thing in particular. I’m a feminist. I also stand against racism and colorism. The condition for women all over the world hasn’t been ideal for a very long time. In India especially, we can see the whole hype on fairness’ creams and other products. We are basically told that dark equates ugly. In Hollywood too, we can see that the protagonists are mostly white. The patriarchy perpetuates these ideals for women to live by. That a women must have a voluptuous body, yet a skinny waist, that a woman should rip her body hair off in a very painful procedure on a monthly basis to look ‘attractive’. In my opinion, it shouldn’t be necessary to fight for women’s rights or black rights. People shouldn’t be deprived of opportunity based on trivial aspects of their existence. 

CD: Do you touch upon social issues that our society is grappling with, in your poems?

MS: I like to believe that I write to challenge stereotypes and norms that society pushes on people. I feel very strongly against the social culture that tells you what is ‘normal’.

CD: The poems you write convey disdain to certain social constructs. What is it that you are dismayed with and what made you turn to writing poems?

MS: The truth is that when I started writing I was just eight-year-old, meaning I didn’t have an understanding of social issues and such. But I read a poem I wrote from then, saying something like dark spots don’t make you any less beautiful. Part of the reason I’m so against these so called social constructs is, I think, remnants of that childish stubbornness that refuses to accept what I didn’t understand. Then again, there is the part of me that grew up and saw how much damage these mindsets cause in the real world, and I say without a doubt that I will stand against every illogically discriminating thing I come across. As for why I turned to writing, I’ve always been fond of literature, poetry in particular, and when I was a child I chose poetry as a way to express myself, which I continue to do today. 

CD: What got you writing? What about poets that inspired you, do you have any?

MS: My primary school teacher is actually the one who first asked me to write. More than people, however, books are what kept me writing. Poems like The Haunted Palace by Edgar Allan Poe and My Beth by Louisa May Alcott are what I recite under my breath when I’m distressed. I think literature has played such a huge role in creating the person I’m today, that I can say that it’s quite possible I wouldn’t have this book published without it. 

CD: Are you planning to write anything other than poetry?

MS: I do plan on writing prose but I get too caught up in detail to follow a complex plot. Maybe in a few years my mind will mature enough for it. 

Also Read: Mangaluru: Young poetess Mafazah Sharafuddin’s Labyrinths of Emotions released

Comments

Navaneeth Shetty
 - 
Thursday, 8 Mar 2018

Impressive achievement at an early age. she made mangaloreans proud. at a time when young girls and boys spend time on social media, smart phone and romance, this girl has exhibtted a rare emotional maturity. A leader in the making. 

Naren Kotian
 - 
Thursday, 8 Mar 2018

Hahhaha… initially when I clicked on the link I noticed a quote from Salman Rushdie. It was like ಶಿವ ಪೂಜೆಲಿ ಕರಡಿ ಬಂದ ಹಾಗೆ… I felt pity for both Rushdie and the hijabi poetess. But when I refreshed the story Rushdie’s quote got disappeared. I realized that CD team got threats from Khumeini’s followers from Iran. Anyways congrats to the young girl. Let her develop enough courage to write against social menace like love jihad, land jihad, media jihad,…. and last but not least the poetry jihad :p

Dr.Shafeeq
 - 
Thursday, 8 Mar 2018

MashaAllah...young talent. Needs full support from society so that she in turn can encourage others to follow the steps. Good Luck

Fatima Ali
 - 
Thursday, 8 Mar 2018

Happy women’s day Ms Mafazah Sharafuddin! Congrats for the deubut book! Where it's available in Udupi?

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News Network
March 30,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 30: In continuing cases of tipplers in the southern states ending their lives due to non-availability of liquor during the lockdown, two men committed suicide in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.

The two suicides were reported in Kadaba taluk on Saturday, police said.

Tomy Thomas (50), a rubber tapping labourer in an estate at Kutrupadi village of the taluk, was found hanging at his rented house on Saturday. Thomas, a native of Kottayam in Kerala, had joined at the estate here a month ago.

Local people said he was desperately moving around in the last few days asking about places where he can get liquor. He had also not reported to work in these days. The body has been kept at the mortuary of a hospital at Deralakatte.

In another incident, a 70-year old man, belonging to Kodimbala village in the taluk, allegedly hanged himself from the branch of a tree near his house at Nakur.

The deceased has been identified as Thomas, who had left his family here 30 years ago and had been working in Kerala. He had returned here only a few years back.

Sources said Thomas, an alcohol addict, was having health problems related to withdrawal. He has been living on pavements at Kadaba without going home.

Kadaba police has registered cases in connection with the two incidents.

Incidents of tipplers committing suicide have been reported in Kerala and Telangana in the past few days. Two men ended their lives in Kerala today while a 50-year old daily wage worker jumped to death from a building in Hyderabad on Friday.

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News Network
March 31,2020

Kottayam, Mar 31: A 91-year-old and 88-year-old senior citizen couple were discharged from the isolation ward of government medical college after getting treated from COVID-19 on Monday.

"It is a testimony to the dedication and expertise of the medical staff as well as the strength of the Kerala public health system. We shall overcome," Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac tweeted as he praised the healthcare services for treating the elderly couple considered as highly vulnerable to the contagious virus.

Apart from the two senior citizens, five others suffering from COVID-19 have also been treated and discharged from the hospital.
Thomas, 91, and his wife Mariyamma, 88, who were under treatment at the Kottayam Medical College were already suffering from various age-related problems. The 91-year-old had a heart attack and severe breathing trouble when he was under treatment.

"The aged couple based in Ranni in Pathanamthitta district had got infected with the virus after coming into contact with their son, wife and grandson who had arrived from Italy. COVID-19 was confirmed in them on March 8. They were admitted to Pathanamthitta hospital. However, they were shifted to the Medical College in Kottayam the very next day as their condition was critical," the Kerala government said.

The family will have to remain in home-quarantine for 14 more days.

The Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 and the number of total coronavirus cases to 1,251 as on Monday. 

There are 1117 active cases in the country with the state of Kerala contributing the highest number of cases which stands at 202.

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 29,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 29: A three year old child lost its life after being hit by a car at Nadupadavu village under the limits of Konaje police station on the outskirts of the city today. 

The victim has been identified as Faheema (3), daughter of  Farooq, a resident of Nadupadavu. 

The mishap occurred when the girl ran towards the road when the car was entering a main road from an inner road.

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AZAM arabi
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jun 2020

DO NOT APPRETIATE THE PICTURE OF BLOOD SPLASH PUT IN BY THE DESIGNER !! BE SENSITIVE , COASTAL DIGEST IS EVEN FAMOUS AMONG CHILDREN WHO READ NEWS PAPER OR LEARNING TO !!! 

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