Belated Trauma and Collective Memory in Scholastique Mukasonga’s Cockroaches

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Belatedness, a concept within the framework of trauma studies, refers to the delayed recognition, processing, and expression of traumatic experiences, often shaping the formation of collective memory. The 1994 Rwandan Genocide, marked by the brutal conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi groups, resulted in mass killings and left enduring emotional and psychological scars, especially among the survivors. Scholastique Mukasonga’s memoir Cockroaches powerfully captures the lingering effects of this trauma, chronicling personal memories of displacement, fear, and irreversible loss. This research examines Cockroaches as both a personal testimony and a literary medium that preserves cultural identity while honouring the silenced voices of the dead. Mukasonga’s act of writing not only bears witness to the past but also contributes to societal healing by opening spaces for acknowledgment, remembrance, and reflection. The primary objective of this study is to explore how individual grief is transformed into narrative as a means of memory preservation and resistance against forgetting. Through a close reading of the text, supported by theoretical insights from trauma studies, the paper highlights the literary strategies employed to navigate memory and mourning. Ultimately, this research contributes to a broader understanding of literature as a therapeutic and political force in post-conflict societies, where storytelling becomes essential to emotional survival and cultural resilience.