The rebirth of a literary dream
The story of Ba re e ne re, now probably Lesotho's premier literary festival as told by those involved from its start in tragic events.
Poetry
The promise of revelation
James Matthews has the distinction of being one of the first Black Consciousness poets and publishers in South Africa. He is the subject of a documentary by director Shelley Barry.
Elegy for Robo The Technician
Lesego Rampolokeng's tribute to an old school pioneer and one of the key builders of the South African hip hop scene.
The Book of North African Literature
Pierre Joris and Habib Tengou edit a book about the multiple beginnings, traditions and genealogies in the literatures of the many languages of the region, and the region's diasporas.
The Story of Sankofa
A former student of Kofi Awoonor remembers the famed Ghanaian writer who was killed in a terror attack by Al Shabaab in Niairobi, Kenya.
This is not only Ghana’s loss
The academic Ato Quayson remembers the celebrated Ghanaian poet and intellectual, Kofi Awoonor (1935-2013), who was murdered in a terror attack in Kenya.
Nollywood–Nigeria’s Mirror
The Nigerian poet and critic, Odia Ofeimun, on how Nollywood depicts traditional culture and religion.
Zanele Muholi’s “Mo(u)rning” | Exhibition
On Thursday, July 26, the Michael Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town had an opening: Mo(u)rning. Photographic
This sea shall be uprooted
Makoko, in Lagos, with over 100, 000 residents, is viewed as a shantytown. There’s more to it. This is the destruction of a community.
Documentary–‘I am Malawi’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA6F553L17g ‘I am Malawi’ is a short documentary by Geert Veuskens and Pieter de Vos. (Part
Parisian Africa
Younger generations of artists, many immigrants of African origin, are reconfiguring the arts in France on their own terms.
The civilizing mission of the white man
The recent controversy around Günter Grass’s criticisms of Germany's arms trade with Israel is an interesting post-script to the Namibian genocide controversy.
French Tropicalism
When it comes to engaging with French language opinions and writings in English, it’s a desert out there.
The Party is not The Nation
From that same interview that I have been so liberally cutting and pasting from this week—in
Pseudo-cosmopolitanism
More from that 2008 Comparative Literature interview with my favorite Communist poet, Jeremy Cronin. Bua Komanisi:
Slipping into individualistic comfort
The daily word of inspiration (cut and pasted from Contemporary Literature) from my favorite, comtemporary Communist,
Fascism and Aesthetics
Jeremy Cronin is my favorite Communist. Astute, intellectual and a poet. Cronin is a former political
Poetry Radio
Although it was only launched a year ago, Cape Town-based Badilisha Poetry Radio is rapidly building
Jeffrey Wright Reads Walt Whitman
This is from a minute ago, but I had to post it as it features part
Sleeping Dogs
The poetry of Ronelda Kamfer sheds light on the still marginalized lives of South Africa’s “brown communities.”