HE Alejandro Rosselli Londoño of Colombia (Photo: Suhaimi Yusuf/The Edge Malaysia)
Options: We understand there is an exhibition to celebrate the centenary of The Vortex. Please tell us what we can expect from it.
Alejandro Rosselli Londoño: The exhibition opened on Sept 19 at the BookXcess bookstore in MyTown Shopping Centre. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the publication of La Vorágine, or The Vortex in English, its main objective is to introduce Malaysian audiences to this magnum opus of one of the most influential Colombian and Latin American authors, José Eustasio Rivera (1888-1928). The exhibition focuses on the central aspects of the novel, which tells the love story of Alicia, a woman from a wealthy family, and the poet Arturo Cova. As they elope to the Amazon jungle, the couple encounter all the vicissitudes of nature, characters that embody Colombia’s diversity.
The display is divided into two spaces, which contain a photographic presentation of the book’s cultural impact and the historical period it embodies. The first, located at the entrance of the store, presents the importance of the work from the context of Colombian and Latin American literature as well as an analysis of the author’s literary style and the limits between his own life experiences and his work. The second space, in the piazza area, allows visitors to discover the characters of the novel, their humanity and their relationship with nature, the true protagonist of The Vortex.
Rivera is a great name not only in Colombia, but also Latin America. How do you plan to introduce more Malaysians to him?
This centenary celebration of The Vortex offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce Malaysian audiences to Rivera’s work. Indeed, the author is not only a representative of Colombian and Latin American letters but also one of the great connoisseurs of the Amazon region and Colombian geography, as he was appointed to the border commission between Colombia and Venezuela in 1922.
Given that both Malaysia and Colombia are mega-biodiverse countries, this exhibition will be an excellent starting point for readers to find similar landscapes and common threads between our national realities. Through it, we hope to highlight Rivera’s influence and life’s work, which is a fascinating account of the dynamics of rubber tapping in the region and a vivid portrait of Colombia’s soul. Furthermore, we have collaborated with the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics of Universiti Malaya to translate the text of the show into Malay, thus making it easier for attendees to interact with.
Why do you think Malaysians should read The Vortex as well as Rivera’s other great work, Tierra de Promisión?
The Vortex will give Malaysians not only a taste of the adventures of a man exploring the Colombian Orinoco and Amazon basins but also learn the history of the struggle that many men and women experienced while searching for fortune during the rubber boom, the harsh realities of the ‘green hell’ and the abuses of rubber barons at the beginning of the 1900s. This exposure, we hope, will help Malaysians appreciate the history of this natural resource that has contributed so much to the building of this beautiful nation. Both are books that will help curious readers appreciate nature and its mysteries further, and hopefully inspire many to get in touch with our natural world and its beauty.
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This is your first posting to Malaysia. Do you see many parallels between Malaysia and Colombia?
Malaysia and Colombia share many things in common. Both countries contribute a large proportion to the world’s biodiversity through our rainforests and marine ecosystems. The rubber tree, for example, is originally from the Amazon basin and the highest diversity of the genus is found in the western Amazonian rainforest. This is highly relevant to the industry given this genetic diversity is key to developing new varieties of rubber that may be more productive and resistant to extreme environmental conditions and pests. Moreover, during the history of rubber production as an industrial crop and since its introduction to Malaysia in the 1870s, several expeditions to collect seeds from Amazonian varieties have taken place, resulting in the creation of new hybrids that are now widely used in Malaysian plantations.
Both countries too face the challenge of protecting these forests in a context of fast economic growth and with the necessity to recognise, involve and reward the ancestral jungle guardians, the indigenous peoples. This presents a good chance for our nations to align our common interests in this issue, which will happen late next month during the Biodiversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia, where we hope our ministers of natural resources can discuss and present common solutions to the current biodiversity crisis.
What are you reading right now?
As an avid traveller, I am constantly drawn to books that narrate stories of adventurers, the places they visit, the people they meet and the learnings derived from such journeys. Within this subject, I am now reading Alexander von Humboldt’s outstanding Personal Narrative of a Journey to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Continent, and Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk, a beautiful description and personal story of one of the world’s most historical and enigmatic places. Also, and with the aim of learning more about modern Malaysia and its future, I have just begun reading Globalization: Perak’s Rise, Relative Decline, and Regeneration by Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak.
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What are the three books you always reread?
The first is The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom. The short verses that contain invaluable lessons from the Buddha are my forever companion and guide to self-knowledge and tranquillity. The second is Rayuela, or Hopscotch, by Julio Cortázar, a masterpiece of Latin American literature — a brilliantly written, fun and nostalgic novel about an expatriate in Paris, his unrepeatable and mysterious love partner, and his return to Buenos Aires. The third is Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, whose stoic views are of great value on how to cope with these hectic and accelerated times.
What are you listening to right now?
Evolution by The Wailers. I love reggae, and finding a new release by this iconic band was just fantastic. Also El Rock de Mi Pueblo by Carlos Vives and la Provincia — a masterpiece by one of Colombia’s greatest artists and his band. It takes me back to the time I was doing my postgraduate studies in the US.
Colombia is renowned for its coffee. Where would you go to get a good cuppa in Kuala Lumpur?
Every coffee lover should definitely visit Miss Coco café at Wisma Noble Land in KL’s Changkat neighbourhood. There, you will find unique speciality coffees from Colombia with coveted and unique varieties such as Gesha, Pink Bourbon, Caturra and Wush Wush. You can also indulge in delicious chocolates from both Venezuela and Malaysia.
Describe your idea of a perfect weekend.
Spending it with my girlfriend at my beach cabin in Nuqui, Chocó, a small town on Colombia’s amazing Pacific coast, with the jungle to our backs and the ocean in front, going whale watching and savouring fresh grilled snapper with coconut rice and fried green plantains.
The ongoing Vortex exhibition at BookXcess MyTown in Jalan Cochrane, KL, ends on Oct 19.
This article first appeared on Sept 23, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
