Nostalgia It is said that love is a cunning temptress. But what of nostalgia? Is she not a cruel mistress? A silent thief of the present? Of hope and contentment? Replacing them with agonizing pensive reflection and recollection through a warmer, brighter lens? Saturating what once was with the realization of what never will
Two Poems by Carmel Rawhani Read More »
The fifth edition of Kwani? Litfest, a biennial gathering of writers, artists and thinkers from across Africa, takes place from 1st- 6th December 2015. This year’s literary festival, Beyond the Map of English: Writers in conversation on Language hosts readings, performances and discussions that explore issues of language and how this relates to African experiences
2015 Kwani? LitFest Read More »
Shortly before the release of her LP Peace, Love and Light in 2013, Danielle Eog added ‘Makedah’ to her name, saying, “Makedah, the queen of Sheba is a strong feminine icon, who represents wisdom and the vision of a proud Africa which is independent and royal.” Descriptions of royalty seem to have followed
Souls & Songs present: the Birth of Makédah Read More »
Photo credit: Paul Munene & Kwani Trust 2012 At Bakwa, we’d like to close this year with our way of engagement, that is, in-depth reflections on culture. 2015 has seen Kendrick Lamar’s song ‘Alright’ become an anthem of the #blacklivesmatter protests, hailing a return to the civil rights movement and its cooperation with Black
End of Year Music Feature Read More »
Within the framework of Wiki Loves Africa (WLAf) 2015 (an annual contest where people across Africa can contribute media about their environment on Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other project websites of the Wikimedia Foundation), there will be a meetup between photographers, fashion designers and members of the Wikipedia community based in
Wikithon Cameroon 3: Wikipedia Meetup Read More »
Dzekashu MacViban [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/203817340″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=’450′ iframe=”true” /] Earlier this year, Yolanda Be Cool (an Australian band made up of Sylvester Martinez (aka Andrew Stanley) and Johnson “Durango Slim” Peterson) teamed up with DCUP on a cover of Manu Dibango’s “Soul Makossa”. This electronic dance music duo, whose name is a
“Soul Makossa” by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP Read More »
Gloria D. Gonsalves Poetry is the seed of language, sort of like what a child who is learning to communicate acquires and later develops prose. It is perhaps the reason why children enjoy so much the poetic play with words including more nonsensical constructions than adults do. A poem can make you laugh, cry, sad,
Abiola Oni discusses African writing, the tube, and the stereotypes usually associated with Africans in the diaspora with Imade Iyamu. Read Abiola Oni’s story “Strangers On the Train” here. In your story, ‘Strangers on a train’, you write about the mundane activity of travelling by tube, but infuse it with depth that
Q & A with Abiola Oni on the London Underground Read More »
We were taught in elementary school that a noun is a name of a person, place or thing. Ancient, medieval and contemporary literature has encouraged lots of conversations around persons and things, but hardly places. Yet places have marked the backbone of every narrative, every art, every work of literature, and in a
Voices: An anthology of contemporary art and literature Read More »
Prize Details There is a growing interest in literature published and discussed within African countries. Saraba Magazine, a leading literary publishing outfit based in Nigeria, has been at the forefront of this conversation by championing the work of emerging writers. The Saraba Manuscript Project will consolidate this mission. Nigerian writers resident in Nigeria or elsewhere
The Saraba Manuscript Project Read More »
