In exactly ten days, speakers, exhibitors, performers, curators, academics, writers, bloggers and more from various African countries and the Diaspora will be in Kampala for the Writivism Festival. Now in its fifth year, Writivism is Uganda’s leading literary festival, and this year will take place at The Square between August 17 and 20.
On the 2017 theme – Reinventing the Future - Writivism writes:
For a very long time, we have been told, irrespective of how old one is, that we are the future. For all of us, the future has come. We are in the future. This year, as we look back at our roots and recent history as an initiative, we would like to gather around the question of the future. We are in the future. How are we reinventing it? Is our future that foretold by the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals? Is it the apocalyptic prediction by some religious cults and carried out through at leas one known suicide mass killing? How are Africans reinventing the future? Join us in answering these questions through various artistic interventions?
… and the schedule to address this theme of Reinventing the
Future, and the line-up of guests is hawtttt!!!
There will be keynote addresses from E C Osondu,
Thando Magolozana, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Daniel Kalinaki. In his keynote
speech, Daniel Kalinaki - author, journalist and media executive – will explore
the relationship between the media, literature, the arts, business and
politics. While Thando Mqgolozana, founder of the Abantu Book Festival, will
talk about the importance of decolonisation of literature and his role in
changing the cultural politics of literary production in South Africa and
beyond. What does decolonisation mean, outside South Africa?
Also expect launches of very exciting books and literary magazines, including Jalada
and Transition’s Fear Issue, Jowhor Ile’s After Many
Days, JJ Bola’s No Place to Call Home, Mzililkazi wa
Afrika’s Nothing Left to Steal, Sundown, Set Me on Fire,
Butterfly Dreams, and A Igoni Barrett’s Blackass.
During the festival, there will be panel discussions on East Africa’s new novels, Sooo Many Stories will present a panel on the dangers and strategies for writers dealing with sex as a theme in their creative work; while Huza Press and Mawazo Institute will consider the sustainability and future of the mentoring and creative writing workshop culture in Africa. Salooni, the Ugandan pop-up hair salon and art installation that explores the politics woven through and straightened out of black hair, will also be at the Festival.
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| Salooni - a multi-disciplinary experiential art project created by four female Ugandan artists (Kampire Bahana, Darlyne Komukama, Aida Mbowa and Gloria Wayamuno. Image via Okayafrica |
But wait, there’s more. Short Story Day Africa’s one day Flow workshop
will be there; aspiring writes can also pitch their novel stories to
publishers; and as this is a space for all there will also be academic roundtables
on cultural archives, spoken word, literary magazines and newspapers, and
building audience. This year’s Arts Management and Literary Activism (AMLA)
workshop will cover themes on literary festivals, online magazines, literary events and literary adaptations. Soo Many stories also has tot tales for the kids, as
well as school, hospital and market visits.
There are also opportunities to watch some really cool performances
and films. Actress and playwright Kemiyondo Coutinho will perform her one woman
show Kawuna…you’re it!, which interweaves three stories surrounding HIV and the
stigma it presents and gives voice to the silenced women affected by this
disease and their hope for the future. There will also be a screening of Music is our Weapon - a film portraying the philosophy, history and fight-for-justice of the band, Sarabi, one of the most enthralling band in Kenya and their growing influence across the world.
I had the absolute pleasure of being in
Kampala last year for the Writivism Festival and
it seems they are going from strength to strength - I mean, there's
a blogger’s hour (say what, now?! I would so be there, if I was in
Kampala). It is also amazing that in Reinventing the Future, the festival
is also integrating some Kampala based events that exist beyond the
festival, such as AKA Dope and Makerere University’s poetry night. I
mean, there’s even The Gathering, which is describes as a regular feast of
poetry, music and conversation, accompanied by beer and roast meat. It's a
pretty cool way to reveal the everyday literary landscape in
Kampala.
So, if you're in or around Kampala, between August 17 and 20 - can I just say I am extremely
jealous about the excitement that will take place over those 4 days!! Find out more on the Writivism website.
