| Who controls African Literature?
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Written by Tolu Ogunlesi
Friday, 24 July 2009 15:18 |
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Arts & Culture
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 The literary world is once again shining a spotlight on Africa. There are new prizes: the South Africa-based PEN Studzinski Literary Award for short stories, and the Penguin Prize for African Writing, a pan-African prize covering both fiction and non-fiction genres. There’s a new book series, the “Penguin African Writers Series,” which will include not only new books from emerging writers, but also classics taken over from the defunct Heinemann African Writers Series. And next year South Africa will be featured as the “Market Focus country” at the 2010 London Book Fair and African writing will be showcased at the Gothenburg Book Fair.
The African ‘Greats’–Ngugi, Soyinka, Gordimer, Okot p’Bitek– have given way to a new roster of names — Chimamanda Adichie, Chris Abani, Helon Habila, Binyavanga Wainaina, Sefi Atta, Monica Arac de Nyeko, Chika Unigwe, Brian Chikwava — who have become the new faces of contemporary African writing.
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| Algeria ready to host 2nd Pan-African Festival
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Written by Ennahar Online
Sunday, 14 June 2009 03:02 |
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Arts & Culture
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| Culture Minister Khalida Toumi stressed Saturday that Algeria was "all set" to host the second Pan-African Festival (Panaf), due to be held from 5 to 20 July 2009. National television forum's guest, Toumi said the commission in charge of the festival's preparations was about to complete its work concerning the event's organization. The preparations, she said, started in 2006, when the African Union (AU) entrusted Algeria with hosting the second Pan-African Festival. |
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| The Imported Ghanaian
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Written by Awo Sarpong Ansu, Jamati.com
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 03:03 |
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Arts & Culture
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|  Adapting to changing conditions is the theme of Alba’s book, The Imported Ghanaian, a collection of essays and cartoons about the culture shock she experienced when she relocated to Ghana after being raised abroad.
A well-travelled diplomat’s daughter who was born in London, graduated from the Cuban film school Escuela International de Cine y Television, lived in Brazil for two years, and recently vacationed in Afghanistan, Alba confesses that she was not prepared for the culture shock that she experienced when she moved back “home” to Ghana.
While she knew there would be challenges, she says wryly, “You come back and find that the Akwaaba Welcome Committee has gone on holiday.” She quickly learned that there is a difference between “being Ghanaian” and “being a Ghanaian,” and that her lineage alone was insufficient preparation for life in a country in which she is, in reality, a foreigner. |
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| The soul of another culture
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Written by The Musical Box
Thursday, 23 April 2009 09:07 |
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Arts & Culture
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|  Perhaps the most immediate and obvious question that surfaces when
Habib Koite performs on American stages is one of language. How can one
of today’s top selling world music artists communicate when he sings
almost exclusively in Bambara, the principal language of his Malian
homeland, and French?
For Koite (pronounced kwa-tee), who performs a free convocation
concert Thursday at Berea College, such seeming obstacles are almost
second nature. Once his current United States tour concludes this
weekend, the singer, guitarist and bandleader will head overseas for
spring performances in Switzerland, Germany, Zimbabwe, The Netherlands,
Belgium, Algeria and Poland.
Performing in so many countries in such rapid succession with
rhythms that mix African tradition and melodic innovation means the
world can’t help but become a smaller, more conversational place. |
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| V-Monologues - If your Vagina could talk, what would it say?
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Written by Temitayo Olofinlua, 234next.com
Tuesday, 14 April 2009 19:04 |
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Arts & Culture
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 You are surely asking: isn't that too direct a question or too difficult to answer? Well, vaginas talked at V-Monologues; if you didn't see the play, you would wonder: what would they say?
Pain, constrained pleasure, unlimited suffering, generations of subservience, unknown secrets, unexpressed desires, oppressed thoughts, restricted movement, violence, or would they be afraid and refuse to talk? Well, vaginas talked and they spoke volumes.
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