Q In the interview, Scholastique Mukasonga says, "the inyambo cow is for me symbolic of the nostalgia for a life I didn’t know." Write a page or so--double spaced--of a short story about something that is "symbolic of the nostalgia for a life" that you "[don't] know." In other words, think of some tradition--ideally something tied to your own lineage--that you know used to be of great importance and spend a few paragraphs describing that tradition. Your situation and characters might be based on real people or ancestors, or they might be invented. Try to infuse your piece with sensory details, as Muskasonga does, showing what this activity looked, smelled, sounded, tasted, and/or felt like. A few minutes of research might come in handy. An example of how I might approach this assignment would be to write about bread baking, as it's something I'm aware (I guess, assume!) was one of my ancestors' traditions. I remember my mom baking our own bread when I was very young. Now, my brother bakes bread professionally, and I have a starter in my kitchen, so we'll see! These do seem like good days to learn to be more self-sufficient. I made this a public forum, so you could see the traditions others write about. Do try and read a few of your classmates' posts and drop a few kind words in response.

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