Photo by Matthew Narea
Questions by Kyla Jamieson
Get to know writer Natasha Ramoutar, whose story “Where We Keep the Bodies” is published in our latest issue! Make sure to pick up a copy and consider subscribing to PRISM, so you’ll never miss an issue!
What’s happening around you—either right around you or outside of where you are?
I work on the second floor of a corporate building. Right now, there’s a pigeon intently staring at me from the other side of the window, and a few rays of sunlight trickling through the cracks in the blinds.
Why do you live where you live?
Part of why I live in Scarborough is because of necessity—I live at home and that’s where my parents chose to settle.
Even if I wasn’t living at home, I feel like I would choose to live here. Scarborough is such a vibrant place. It has a really strong arts community and boisterous youth culture. We’re also close to some great nature spots—the Rouge Valley and the Scarborough Bluffs for example.
What are you looking forward to this week?
I’m giving a class visit at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Professor Andrew Westoll invited me to speak to his Creative Writing as a Profession class. UTSC gave me so much as a writer, and I’m really grateful and humbled to be able to give back in some small way.
What advice would you give an aspiring or emerging writer?
I am an emerging writer, so it seems funny to give advice to my peers!
My suggestion would be to always be open to revisions—both in class and when publishing. Every editor and/or teacher goes into revisions with the intention of making your piece better. Heavy revisions don’t mean that the piece was bad, just that it could be better.
The caveat to this is that if an editor has suggested a change that really misinterprets your piece, stand your ground and fight.
What’s your morning routine?
I hit the snooze button at least three times before getting up, showering and getting dressed, then dashing out the door to catch the train for work.
When I was more organized, I used to meditate for a few minutes and free-write in a journal. I’m hoping to add that back into my routine sometime soon.
What’s the first story or poem you remember writing, and how does it relate to your current work?
When I was in grade four, I had just learned the word “waft” from some book I was reading. We had to write a short story, and I wrote a scene about a girl named Nalini running through an orange grove—”the scent of oranges wafting through the air.” I remember this story because my teacher and peers were very impressed by the language. I also remember it because I made an intentional choice to name the girl Nalini. I didn’t have many books —if any at all—about brown girls when I was younger. Writing a character that I identified with felt powerful.
I think “Where We Keep the Bodies” was written with that same intention—to see some semblance of myself and my community.
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the way my core group of writing friends are supportive and not competitive. Leanne Toshiko Simpson, Adrian De Leon, Oubah Osman, Chelsea La Vecchia, Téa Mutonji—these are all people I really trust from UTSC. It’s easy for writers, especially marginalized writers, to feel as though they’re always pit in competition with one another because of the scarcity of opportunities. Instead of fighting for the top spot, everyone in this group has always taken the approach of uplifting all of us together.
What’s one risk you’re glad you took?
When I was 22, I participated in my first Muay Thai demonstration fight. I was anxious the whole day leading up to it and completely blank in the ring, and ended up being knocked down less than a minute in. I was so embarrassed and upset with my performance.
Training for and participating in that fight taught me a lot about managing my body, my mind and my emotions. After being kneed in the ribs and having all the air knocked out of me, then still getting up to finish the fight, I feel like I can do anything.
Is there any advice you like ignoring?
“Stay positive” is, in my opinion, one of the most terrible pieces of advice to ever exist. While validation and hope can be good things, unrealistic optimism and “stay positive” style messages can invalidate people’s struggles. It can make people who have confided in you feel as though they haven’t been heard.
Is there a public space you’re fond of? Describe it.
I am a total nerd for libraries, and one of my favourite branches to be at in Toronto is the Toronto Reference Library. The layout of the floors and stairways feels winding and wondrous. I also love that the elevator is completely transparent, which gives you a great view of the patrons below. Even The Weeknd gets how cool it is.
Do you have a favourite word? Or a least favourite word? What is it and why do you like/dislike it?
I love the word ethereal. I’ve always had an affinity to words that have a kind of magical feel to them, and ethereal definitely fits this category. I am also fond of the way the word sounds with its vowel-heavy composition.
Do you have any “vices”? What’s the relationship between your vices and your writing?
My most prominent vice is that I have a huge sweet tooth. When I’m writing I’ll often have something sweet nearby—a cup of tea, some Werther’s soft chews, some chocolates, an apple cider. In my poetry, the theme of sugar and sweetness comes up often, and I try to think about the material in a wider socio-political context.
Natasha Ramoutar is an Indo-Guyanese writer by way of Scarborough (Ganatsekwyagon), in the east side of Toronto. Her work has been included in projects by Diaspora Dialogues, Scarborough Arts and Nuit Blanche Toronto and has been published in The Unpublished City II, Room Magazine, Living Hyphen and more.