Literature Forum: Amka Space – Guest Muthoni Likimani, Apr. 27 2013 @ Goethe-Institut Library

Date & Time: Saturday, 27th April 2013, 10.00 – 1 pm
Venue: Goethe-Institut Library
Entry: Free

The Literature Forum brings together upcoming women writers and literary critics to share and discuss stories, poems and current literary trends with the aim of enhancing their creativity. The forum provides a space to listen to the voices of established and budding female writers – voices of women with a passion for literary adventure.
AMKA and the Goethe-Institut organise the monthly readings in the library of the Goethe-Institut every last Saturday of the month.

Participation in the forum is open to both men and women.

During this month’s session, the veteran writer, journalist and publisher, Muthoni Likimani, will be the guest-speaker.

SWAN EVENT POSTER 2013

Events: Support Women Artists Now Weekend! Mar. 30-31 2013 @ Phoenix Theatre & Kuona Trust

SWAN EVENT POSTER 2013
The Support Women Artists Now (SWAN) weekend is designed to showcase the power and diversity of women’s creativity.
On Saturday the 30th of March the SWAN weekend starts with poetry, spoken word, music and dance performances at the Phoenix Theatre from 9 am to 3 pm. On Sunday the 31st of March visual artists will showcase and sell their art, and music performance will be held at the Kuona Trust from 11 am to 7 pm. Entry is absolutely free.

Featuring: Achieng Abura, Amileena of TPF IV, Shish and Tanya of Tahidi High, Tabitha Wa Thuku, Rabbo of Tatuu, the Papa Shirandula crew, Lydiah Dola, Iddi Achieng, Veronica Wanjeri, Wahu and Masallah amongst others.

Please contact kenyanswanday@gmail.com for additional information.

Venue: Phoenix Theatre
Date: Saturday the 30th of March from 9 am to 3 pm. Entry is free.

Venue: Kuona Trust
Date: Sunday the 31st of March from 11 am to 7 pm. Entry is free.

She Leads

Screening & Performance: The Desert Flower, Mar. 12 2013 @ Alliance

She Leads
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKgaXGMPJDs] The Desert Flower by Sherry Horman (2009) – 120 Min
Tells the true story of a super model Waris Dirie, who escaped a childhood nightmare in Somalia and become a global supermodel.

Performance
Namatsi is a spoken word artist who fuses her poetry with Song. She will represent a selection of poetry/songs from her first album entitled ‘Nirvana’, a delicious array of spoken word and melodious tunes… real food for the soul, taking the audience away from the daily hustle of life.

S Chin

Book-reading & Poetry Performance: An Evening with Staceyann Chin, Feb. 15 2013 @ Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel

S Chin
Date: February 15, 2013
Venue: Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel
Time: 7:30 pm
Tickets: Advance* Kshs 1000 & Gate Kshs 1500

* Advance tickets are available at the NEST (directions here), the BONK shop at the Junction Mall (Ngong Road) and the Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel.

About Staceyann
A proud Jamaican national, Staceyann’s voice was featured on “The Oprah Show,” where she spoke candidly about her experiences of growing up on the island and the dire consequences of her coming out there. Through her work she seeks to question the oppression and the limitations of identity, race, class, sexuality and belonging. In addition to performing in and co-writing the Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Chin’s work has been published in the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian.

Staceyann has toured internationally, held poetry workshops worldwide and performed in London, Denmark, Germany, South Africa – and now, Nairobi.

For more info: the Nest website

Hardcover copies of Staceyann’s memoir – “The Other Side of Paradise” – are available at the NEST, and will be on sale during the event at Kshs. 1,800.

WORD UP

Word Up Live!, Jan 19 2013 @ Dass, Westlands

WORD UPWORD UP LIVE! takes place every 3rd Saturday of the month at Dass The Ethiopian Restaurant in Westlands.
The main purpose of the event is to give exposure and market both upcoming and established Poets, Musicians & all other forms of artistic arts. Established artists are given an opportunity to come and talk about their Video, CD launchs, their next Concerts and also mentor upcoming artists.

Theme: Afro-Jazz Night

Date: 19th January Time: 6:30-9:30pm Entry: 300 ksh

Featured Artists & Poets: Jemedari Muziki, Makeeda & Band, RixPoet, Teardrops, Raya Wambui, Ricardo Benon, Blaq Hawq, Chagala, Gazlum Mfalme. Mc: Pierra Mackenna
For Advance Tickets or Directions Call: Ricardo Benon on 0701606346

Sitawa

Poetry + Music: Sitawa Ignited, Dec 15 2012 @ Business Lounge, The Junction #sitawaignited

Sitawa

#sitawaignited is a monthly an evening of poetry, wine and everything in between from discussions, dance, laughter, tears and so much more hosted by poet Sitawa Wafula. Ksh 300

The poets to rock the stage are Sitawa, Immah Reid, Samo the Almighty, Carol Milka, Emmillia, Sokoanalyst, Kelvin Kaesa, Ngatia B
(Open mic poets still open)

Music by Liron and a guest artist

Displays by Moral Apparel

…and goodie bags from Events by Sitawa, Up Nairobi and Healthy Woman

hori_POSTER

[Update] Kwani? LitFest 2012: Stories of the Horn of Africa, Dec. 9-16 2012 @ Various Venues

hori_POSTER
Festival Dates: December 9 -16, 2012
Events Line Up: Public Lectures, Writers in conversation, Readings, Performances, Art Exhibitions, Film Screenings
Venues: various venues – Kifaru Gardens, Kwani? Garden, National Museum, University of Nairobi, Goethe Institut, Kuona Trust, Habesha, Kibera, KICC Helipad, Eastleigh, South B [map below]

Update: All the events scheduled to take place at University of Nairobi have been moved to the National Museum

Kwani Lit Fest Map
Entry to most of the events is Free

Download litfest_programme

Focus: Stories of the Horn of Africa with participating Countries – Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan & Kenya

Some of the writers confirmed for the festival are: Hadraawi – Somalia, Warsan Shire – Somalia, Sayadin Hersi – Somalia, Awes Osman – Somalia, Said Juma Hussein – Somalia, Chehem Watta – Djibouti, Meaza Worku – Ethiopia, Jamal Mahjoub – Sudan, Alemseged Tesfai – Eritrea, Nawal El Saadawi – Egypt, Kojo Laing – Ghana, Helon Habila – Nigeria, Deqa Abshir – Somalia/Kenya, Fawaz El Said – Sudan, Yassir Ali – Sudan, Altayeb Daw Elbeit – Sudan, Ermais Ekube – Ethiopia

A Snap Shot of the Programme
Date: December 9, 2012
Venue: Kifaru Gardens
Time: 2-10 pm
Music by: Waayaha Cusub and Kato& Band
DJ Set by: DJ Zelalem
Entry: Free
Date: December 10, 2012
Venue: Goethe-Institut Nairobi, Monrovia Street
Time: 2.30 – 8 pm
Entry: Free
Date: December 11, 2012
Venue: University of Nairobi National Museum
Time: 2– 7 pm
Entry: Free
Date: December 12, 2012
Venue: Louis Leakey Auditorium, National Museum
Time: 2.30-8 pm
Entry: Free
Date: December 13, 2012
Venues: Hotel Intercontinental, Taifa Hall (University of Nairobi) & Louis Leakey Auditorium, National Museum
Time: 2.30– 7.30 pm
Entry: Free
Date: December 14, 2012
Venues: Louis Leakey Auditorium (National Museum) & Kuona Trust
Free Entry
Date: December 15, 2012
Venues: Louis Leakey Auditorium (National Museum) & KICC Helipad
Entry: Free (National Museum)
Entry: Ksh 1,000 (KICC Helipad)

About
The Kwani? Literary Festival is organised by Kwani Trust on a biennial basis where the literary leaders of Kenya, enriched with visiting writers from around the world, turn their attention to one salient subject and explore it through the lenses of the continent’s past, present and emerging literatures. In 2012, the Litfest will focus on several geopolitical trends and shifts in Kenya’s immediate north to host literary conversations with the Horn of Africa.
It thus aims to act as a platform where the story of the Horn of Africa can be told, to an extent, not taking the political crisis narrative as the only story that exists.
Additionally, the pan-African exchange programme of Goethe-Institut Moving Africa will bring a further eight African writers to Nairobi.

For the exact programme please visit the 2012 Kwani? Litfest website: http://litfest.kwani.org
More information on Moving Africa: http://www.blog.goethe.de/moving-africa/