TOBI'S DESK

Africa Writes 2018 Programme Friday 29 June – Sunday 1 July British Library & Rich Mix, London DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAMME From Friday 29 June to Sunday 1 July 2018 we’ll be bringing together over 60 of the most influential voices in contemporary writing from Africa and its diaspora, for the seventh edition of Africa Writes! This exciting literary weekend features writers from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Somaliland, Uganda, South Africa, UK, USA and Zimbabwe, highlights themes of history, memory and spirituality, and presents the writers who are changing the face of African literature. Headline events The festival opens on Friday 29 June at the British Library, with Yomi Ṣode ’s one-man show COAT exploring themes of identity, migration and displacement. COAT is an honest and emotional story of Junior, a child born in Nigeria who leaves behind a life he loved to move to London at the age of 9. Whilst cooking up a stew on stage, Sode confronts the difficul...

Africa Writes Young Voices Showcase Saturday 30 June 09:45 – 11:30 FREE Breaking new ground: our education programme poets and their school groups present exciting work from this year’s workshops. from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2stdkRQ

Why African Literature Matters Saturday 30 June 12:00 – 13:30 FREE Where is Africa in the UK literature curriculum? We discuss with educators championing diverse reading lists with Farrah Serroukh, Deirdre Osborne, JC Niala and Joanna Brown.       from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2IYlGfj

Mostly Lit LIVE – On Race, Identity & Belonging Saturday 30 June 12:00 – 13:15 Afua Hirsch discusses her new book Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging with Alex Reads, Reckless Rai and Derek W from the award-winning books and pop-culture podcast. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2sum9KX

The Hundred Wells of Salaga by Ayesha Harruna Attah Saturday 30 June 13:30 – 14:00 UK launch of Attah’s third novel. Immerse yourself in the rhythms, relationships, desires and struggles in women’s lives in 19 th century Ghana. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2IYlCw5

Meet the Publishers Saturday 30 June 13:45 – 15:15 Come and pitch your work, and hear industry insider tips with Candice Carty-Williams, Layla Mohamed, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Aki Schilz. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2sufrF1

African Literary Figures in Georgian & Edwardian London Saturday 30 June 14:15 – 15:30 Discover the remarkable stories of Phillis Wheatley & A.B.C. Merriman-Labor with Ade Solanke, Danell Jones, S.I. Martin & Emma Dabiri. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2kGZhop

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi Saturday 30 June 15:45 – 16:30 Exploring the metaphysics of identity and being, and the mysteries of self. Irenosen Okojie chairs this pre-launch of Emezi’s highly-anticipated debut. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   Image credit: Elizabeth Wirija from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2suXmX8

Cameroonian Literature 101 Saturday 30 June 16:30 – 17:30 Come and explore a wealth of books from Cameroon. With Dzekashu MacViban of Bakwa Magazine in conversation with Zahrah Nesbitt-Ahmed. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   Image credit: Bakwa Magazine from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2kBEnqw

Elsewhere, Home by Leila Aboulela Saturday 30 June 16:45 – 17:15 A new collection from the award-winning novelist. Intimate stories of longing and exile from Khartoum to London, the Gulf to Aberdeen. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2svbAaA

Hargeysa International Book Fair Pop-Up Saturday 30 June 17:15 – 18:45 Launching the Hargeysa Breeze poetry collection from Somaliland with Mpalive Msiska, Martin Orwin, Bill Harbert and Jama Musse Jama. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   Image credit: Kate Stanworth from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2kGZb01

The Making and Re-making of Zimbabwe Sunday 1 July 11:30 – 12:45 Discussing history, memory and inventive new ways of telling the nation’s story with writers Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and Panashe Chigumadzi. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2suc6FL

2018 Caine Prize Conversation Saturday 30 June 17:30 – 18:45 Meet the shortlisted writers Nonyelum Ekwempu, Stacy Hardy, Olufunke Ogundimu, Makena Onjerika, and Wole Talabi. Included in Weekend Pass and Saturday Day Ticket .   Image credit: Caine Prize from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2IZb7sq

African Books to Inspire Sunday 1 July 15:15 – 16:30 Writers Akwaeke Emezi, Ayesha Harruna Attah, Troy Onyango, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and Panashe Chigumadzi talk about the books that have inspired them. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2stvUt1

Africa in Translation Masterclass Sunday 1 July 14:30 – 16:30 | £15, £12 For budding and seasoned translators interested in African literary translation, with Wangui wa Goro, SIDENSI. Please email ras_events@soas.ac.uk for booking info. Please note, this event is not included in the  Weekend Pass /  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2IYjgNL

Lives of Great Men by Chiké Frankie Edozien Sunday 1 July 14:30 – 15:00 Contemporary snapshots of those living and loving as gay African men, triumphing and finding joy in the face of adversity. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2H8Rqs9

Books In Your Ears: On Literary Podcasts Sunday 1 July 14:00 – 15:15 With contributors from Not Another Book Podcast, BakwaCast, No Bindings, 2 Girls & A Pod and Africa in Words. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .     from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2J3UFaw

Loving Womxn: Deliberate and Afraid of Nothing Sunday 1 July 13:00 – 14:15 Queer womxn’s narratives in Africa and the diaspora with Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Trifonia Melibea Obono and Liv Little. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2HaCz0I

Small Magazines, Literary Networks & Self-Fashioning in Africa and the Diaspora Sunday 1 July 12:30 – 13:45 Exploring magazines in contemporary African literary culture with Enkare Review, AFREADA, Bakwa Magazine and others. Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2kD3U2r

Progressive Pasts: The Afrofuturist Ideologies of Black Panther in Literature, Art and Fashion Sunday 1 July 12:00 – 13:30 Interactive workshop with Ifeanyi Awachie and Moha Lami Audu (FUNCTION) & Ziki Nelson (Kugali). Included in  Weekend Pass  and  Sunday Day Ticket .   from Africa Writes https://ift.tt/2H6RR6v