Cheikh Hamidou

Cheikh Hamidou Kane (born 2 April 1928) is a Senegalese writer best known for his 1961 novel L'Aventure ambiguë (Ambiguous Adventure), about the interactions of western and African cultures. Its hero is a Fulani boy who goes to study in France, where he loses touch with his Islamic faith and his Senegalese roots. The novel was awarded the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire in 1962.

Biography Born in Matam, Senegal, Kane had a traditional Muslim education, before going to Paris, France, to study law at the Sorbonne, subsequently receiving degrees in law and philosophy from the École Nationale de la France d'Outre-Mer. In 1959, he returned to Senegal and served in the government. He also worked in Lagos, Nigeria, and in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as an official of UNICEF.

His autobiographical novel L'Aventure ambiguë was published in 1961, winning the Grand Prix Littéraire d'Afrique Noire the following year. His next novel, Les gardiens du temple, was published in 1995.

Kane was awarded the 2019 Grand Prix des Mécènes.