IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 23 May 2016

Woman issues series, BNAP Interviews Claudia Cassoma, the Angolan poet 

1. Tell us about yourself.

I was born in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Angola, in it’s capital city, Luanda, and I am the second of six children.  I’m constantly in the pursuit of a higher education and while in my praiseworthy journey I invest time in social work believing that the volunteer help those in need, contributing to a more just and united world. I have been passionate about writing from early age. I’ve explored different literary genres, but I must say that, for now, I’m mostly recognized for my poetry. I had my first book published in January of 2013 and since then I’ve celebrated several achievements in the literary world.

2. What inspires you to create?

Inspiration is not a constant; on the contrary, it’s ever changing. So whether it’s something I experienced, something I saw, heard, or even something I imagined, anything can inspire me. Life inspires me! The world I envisioned inspires me, so I go and I create it. On the other hand, that feeling that I can give someone a voice drives me deeply. It’s gratifying! 

3. As a woman writer what areas in writing/publishing you think needs a lot more to be done toward changing them, and what do you propose?

Although I’ve been writing for almost fifteen years, I’m just now entering the publishing world. And without separating the genders, I believe that it’s less arduous for the already renowned writers. You can be a good writer but when you try to create  your own platform it’s when it gets wearing. Particularly in the Angolan market, according to my own experience, it’s ridiculously difficult. I’ve had experiences with European and american publishers as well and things weren’t as thorny. In those, I found that  it’s really about your talent, so as long as you prove originality you have a spot, and that’s what’s in fault in some areas.

4. This week is Mother’s week, what did you do for your mother or the mother in you?
            It’s funny because, now, no matter the occasion, my family expects a message from me, poetry or not. So I did that. I wrote a new poem for my mom.

5. Give us your take on feminism, womanism…

There’s a lot of misconception around this subject. Anyone can be an advocate of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. The more the merrier! I agree that it is somewhat complex because we have to consider both genders equal yet different and find a common ground, so that’s the challenge. I do believe that we, woman, still have some miles to go in order to reach that equilibrium.

6. What else do you do or like doing?
            So, besides writing and volunteering, I like watching TV on my down time, going to the movies and just spending time with friends.  I love some quite too; just lay and  listen to music.

7. What kind of music are you now listening to?

Interesting question. It just so happens that today I find myself listening to a lot of underground hip hop. I found that there’s just so much poetry in them that I can’t help but listen to one after the other. I proudly listen to the music made in Angola, Kizomba, Semba, RAP happens to be my favorite right now. And I’ve always liked R&B/Soul, so I listen to that too. I guess what I am trying to say is that I have ears for all kinds of music, it just depends on my mood.

8. Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP.

Let’s start with the English one. I sent “Panties & Pots” mainly because of the reaction people had when I first recited it. It was an interesting circle, with people from different places, ages and gender, and to see the different ways they interpreted really inspired me. So when I got informed about this contest I just thought that it would be a great opportunity to talk about the issues addressed in the poem. I didn’t know people would take it so personally, but they did and I couldn’t be happier. We are in an era where the discussion is about what women were and what they are today, and what it all means. The poem is about this woman that just had an epiphany and finally understands the way she was raised and how that explains the way she lives now as a woman. What I love about the poem is that no matter the position anyone takes everyone has an opinion and they are talking about it.

            So I suggest that everybody acquires the book and read to understand exactly what I’m talking about. It’s on amazon, by that way here http://www.amazon.com/Best-African-Poets-2015-Anthology/dp/9956763489 .

My second favorite poem is Eu vou voltar (I’ll go back),  which talks about my love for my country, and how I feel about being away from everything and everyone, and just the eagerness of going back one day. The third one is a love poem, also expressing a woman’s feeling. Overall I am just honored to have these three poems on this wonderful, different and well-made anthology.

9. What areas do you want future BNAP anthologies to address?

            I can’t think of many changes you need to undergo; however, as  Achieng’ Emily discussed on her interview I think it would be interesting to see poems in other (African) languages. But just so a bigger number of people have the opportunity to read and hear our voices, I suggest a translation side-by-side. I think there’s a number of ways it can done. Otherwise, it’s amazing what you guys are doing. Keep it going!

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES, Week of 16 May 2016

Mother’s Week and Women Issues edition

A woman of few words, Achieng’ Emily deeply reflects on what it means to be a woman, her writing, what inspires her

1.      Tell us about yourself

I love emotions because they simply remind me how to live. I draw a lot from any place of simplicity. And this dispels the silence in me, through writing.

2.      What inspires you to create?

The scary thought that if I do not create, I might lose the idea and someone else picks it.

3.      As a woman writer what areas in writing/publishing you think needs a lot more to be done toward changing them, and  what do you propose?

I feel we need to give way to more female voices that leap off the page a little bit more. Voices that make life complete. Unapologetic voices that surprise.

4.      This week is Mother’s week, what did you for your mother or the mother in you?

Being away from home made me take lots of quiet thoughtful moments throughout the day to appreciate her. And I suddenly felt real compassion surge through me. The effect was great. A world without women would have brought us all to a strange existence.

5.      Give us your take on feminism, womanism…

I feel invisibility is something that has been quite hard to escape. Even powerful women with names experience it.  I just want a world where we can step out of this locked set of mind.

6.      What else do you do or like doing?

I love walking to scatter my thoughts and feel a sense of renewal. If I am stationed in one area for a long time, I feel the need to walk or my head will just explode.

7.      What kind of music are now listening to?

I don’t have a specific. I get new discoveries every single day.

8.      Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP

My poems were born from that needy feeling of trying to justify my absurdity. The enthusiasm and energy of finding a balance even in imperfection.

9.      What areas do you want future BNAP anthologies to address?

African Languages.

http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/best-new-african-poets-2015-anthology

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 9 May 2016

John Attah Ojonugwa

 

1.Tell us about yourself:

My name is Ojonugwa John Attah. I am a Nigerian poet and short story writer. I also write football reviews and compose text messages. I teach English Language and literature. I have a poem in the Best New African Poets Anthology and I have been published on notable literary platforms in Nigeria, Uganda, The USA amongst others.

2.Tell us about the poetry scene in your country:

Poetry is a large genre in my country. These days, people get involved unlike in the past when only those involved were the poets and those who loved poetry events. The promotion of poetry is something that has been done gradually since many persons in the past believed only prose was the thing and if you weren't writing prose, you were never read. Right now, poetry is gaining ground with the number of poetry festivals, poetry workshops, award ceremonies and seminars organized for children and adults alike. The spoken word is also gaining ground as well.

3.What influences your creativity?:

My creativity is influenced by a lot of things. One of them is nature. Whenever I see trees, the sun, the moon, animals, the birds and feel the general movement of nature, I pick up something. These days, I take photographs of nature with my phone until I get a camera as a birthday gift! Secondly, people, situations and events influence my creativity. There is a part on social media and then there is a daily interaction with the tea man somewhere, the tout on the road, the tomato seller and all others. This is why I love meeting people and experiencing several situations which are likely to develop the innate part of me that tends to keep those experiences for future use. Another influencing factor on my creativity is music. It just does not matter the genre. Sometimes, it depends on what I am doing or on what I am thinking about. The music could be hip hop, blues, jazz, gospel, reggae or pop. It depends on what I listen to at a moment or what I am doing at the moment. Sometimes, I love it quiet or alone to help me think more to create.

4.How do you get around life and your creativity, how do you achieve balance between these, living and creativity?:

Combining life and creativity can be so interesting. One thing that improves my creativity is my daily interaction with all that life consists of. It is not good enough to disengage both from each other and feel alright. Life goes with creativity and that is what I feel. One thing for me is to live my life daily interacting with those I meet and with the animals or things I encounter and to an extent, bring them into my
writing.

5.What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry-making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?:

I will choose to speak about the problem of poetry-making in the African continent because it is very important. Prose and drama took early centre stage in and around the continent. Poetry was initially seen by many as a genre filled with complexities in language, imageries and all. Many refused to dedicate their time to interpreting in their own words, the content of poems they come across. This withdrawal led to a lot more problems. Although the continent keeps rising in this area, a lot still needs to be done. One problem I feel needs to be addressed is that of an early contact with poetry from childhood for many school children. At the primary or basic level, nursery rhymes like "Twinkle, twinkle little star" and "Old Roger" could be taught before other poems from poets around the continent and beyond are taught at intermediate and tertiary education levels. At that point, the learners would have encountered the poems and works of old poets like William Shakespeare, John Milton, Robert Burns, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, PB Shelley and co while kicking on with modern poets like Chimalum Nwankwo, Tendai Rinos Mwanaka, Shittu Fowora, Jumoke Verissimo, Damian Opata, Daniel Chikwuemeka, Chuma Mmeka, Ejiofor Ugwu and the numerous poets brought to the limelight through the publication of various anthologies of poetry in and around the world. If we begin from the grassroots, poetry will become more than a national or continental genre and not be limited to only those who read, write or critique it. This is the type of transformation the continent needs. Poets are as well not properly recognized, promoted and awarded. This has to change but we must start somewhere.

6. If you were a poem, what type of form will you be in and why?:

Waoh! That is a tough one there. If I were a poem? Well, I do not have a particular form which I love. When I initially started poetry, I loved the sonnets of Shakespeare and the pattern as well but I prefer the nature of poems these days. They barely follow a certain pattern as each person tries to develop something beautiful instead of being limited to a particular form or content.

7. What type of sports are you into?:

I love football. Although I am a Chelsea fan, I love football without borders. I prefer people discussing or arguing about football with some bit of sense and not negativity, taking in the truth no matter how painful and learning further by listening to the opinion of others whether favourable or not. I also love volleyball and basketball but I love watching and playing football more!

8.Tell us about your poem(s) in BNAP:

 I have a solitary poem in BNAP. It is titled "I Have Been Watching You." The poem is written from the point of view of a young man whose lover has done something terrible and wants to own up but remains silent. This silence makes the poetic persona to speak in these words to his lover: "I have been watching you/I know you want to say something/But you don't want to or are afraid to do so.." The lover concludes by saying "But I will keep watching you!" It is a poem I love and for it to appear in the
anthology is an achievement.

9.What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology in the future editions, marketing, editorial etc?:

First of, I would like to register my gratitude to Tendai Rinos Mwanaka and Daniel da Purificação for the consistent efforts in searching for good poets as well as good poems from the continent and beyond and creating a melting pot out of our varied creativity in all its forms and themes. There were challenges no doubt but the successes recorded thus far have been amazing. Although there are successes all around, there are places the anthology can still improve. One of them is in the area of promotion both of the BNAP anthology and the contributing poets. As I speak, a lot of the contributors in certain parts of the continent are yet to hold the anthology in their hands which should have been before other readers and reviewers did. The marketing as well needs to be improved upon. Besides Amazon, if there are other retail outlets, there should be co-opted into the distribution of the anthology. If possible as well, let there be publishers in at least four to five African countries so that the production and marketing stress will reduce and the anthology get to the contributors and other readers in time. All the best to all the contributing poets for the future. I am happy to have featured in this wonderful anthology!

Thank you for the interview.

IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES: Week of 2 May 2016

Kariuki wa Nyamu aka Nyamu KJ

Tell us about yourself…

My name is Kariuki wa Nyamu aka Nyamu KJ. I am a poet, radio playwright and editor who hails from Mwea, Central Kenya. I am also a high school teacher of English and Literature. I am glad to have been irrigated academically in two countries; Kenya and Uganda. I am a Makerere University graduate with honours in English, Literature and Education. I have won creative writing competitions at school, university and national level. My poetry is published in several best selling anthologies. Apart from poetry and radio plays, I also write film scripts, short stories, satirical pieces as well as Children’s tales. I am also a skilled verse and public speaking coach, film enthusiast and music lover. Above all, I am a practicing Christian and son of an evangelist.

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country…

For a long time, Kenya has had many renowned poets who have been anthologized in myriad Africa’s bestselling poetry books. This informs us that poetry writing in Kenya has been vibrant. However, in contemporary Kenyan poetry scene, page poets have apparently been overshadowed by spoken word poets. In fact, the vivacious performances by spoken word poets are sought after thus very trendy especially among the youth. Nevertheless, page poets are still relevant in contemporary Kenyan society although the rate of publication of poetry books is considerably low as compared to other Literature genres like novels, plays and short stories. There are also innumerable poetry forums and events which feature both page and spoken word poets hence offering them exposure.

What influences your creativity?

I spent my formative years in the countryside before we moved to town. The former environment is certainly favorable for creative writing due to its serenity. I also grew up in a very creative environment where our grandmother could routinely tell us stories. The tradition of storytelling which she instilled in me has had a lasting literary impact in my life as a creative writer and poet. My mother is also a proficient storyteller and singer. She inspires me a lot. I must say that my creativity has also been influenced by accessibility of novellas, novels, plays, poetry books, right from primary school. I used to read one novella after another, something that significantly improved my creative writing skills. Besides, our teachers could also engage us in outdoor storytelling sessions especially in hot afternoons. This led to constant writing of imaginative compositions that largely impressed my teachers, classmates and family. So, you can see my creative writing skills have a long history. In my high school days, I immensely enjoyed reading, analyzing and writing poems, something that boosted my creativity. Studying Literature at both Advanced and university level in Uganda also influenced my creativity due to more exposure to world’s Literature. I also love traveling, especially long journeys, and this significantly influences my creativity a great deal in that I conceive great ideas that later turn into poetry.

How do you get around life and your creativity, how do you achieve balance between these, living, and creativity?

Well, I must say that my creativity helps me to live a rewarding life. My pains are turned into gains while my pressures are turned into pleasures. Besides, I always relate well with creative people who inspire me a great deal. Still, engaging in lively interactions and intelligent talks with my family, friends, colleagues and students also boosts my creativity. So I have never erected fences to separate my life from creativity.   

What do you feel is lacking in writing, or poetry making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?

It deeply pains me when I realize that mentorship in the field of poetry is still deficient. Few renowned poets of African descent, whether living in Africa or in the diaspora, have bothered to nurture budding poets. I can affirm that there are countless undiscovered poets in the villages, towns and cities who have no idea that they are sitting on their poetic writing potential. Can you imagine it took me two decades for society to realize that a poet was born? Well, I all along knew that there is great poetic writing potential in me but I lacked mentorship until I moved to Uganda for my Advanced Level Education. This mentorship continued when I proceeded to Makerere University for my undergraduate degree. That aside, I am greatly indebted to associations such as NABOTU, FEMRITE, African Writers’ Trust and Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation for offering me steadfast mentorship. Allow me to also appreciate the efforts of my teachers and lecturers at St. Lawrence Creamland Campus and Makerere University respectively for the unwavering inspiration and mentorship. Having said that, I would like to urge all accomplished African poets to nurture especially the budding poets by holding training and mentorship workshops as well as helping them to get published. With this, African poetry will grow immensely.  

If you were a poem, what type or form will you be in, and why?

I would have wished to be a love poem because I believe in Love.

What type of sports are you into?

I love athletics a lot. I also get pleasure from walking fast, whether alone or with company. Basically, this boosts my creativity since I conceive grand ideas that I later use to craft my poetry.

Tells us about your poems in Best New African Poets Anthology…

I conceived the first poem, “The Extraordinary Love Poem,” in one of my senior Literature classes; as I was explaining to my students the meaning of each mentioned stylistic device. If you interact with it closely, you will realize that the persona mentions stylistic devices and artistically relates them with the love experience while illuminating what each is. Frankly speaking, this poem is very close to my heart. The second poem “Palaver” explores modern African societies which are for the most part in ruins. The third poem “Love’s Art and Love-craft” superbly uses form, structure and language to tell the story of uncertainties of love. Basically, since their publication, I have greatly enjoyed enormous literary exposure. I convey my gratification to the editors of BNAP Anthology for their munificent efforts of editing and publishing this book.

What do you think can be done to improve BNAP anthology, in the future editions; marketing, editorial etc?

I humbly propose the idea of holding regional book launches of the future editions which will further inform the public about the poetry book, so that we can have West African, Northern Africa, Southern Africa and East African book launches held in major cities of the respective regions of the continent. This will market the book extensively as well as acting as a platform of inspiring young and upcoming poets into writing. The editors can also consider involving poets from the respective regions in a programme that aims to nurture young talents especially high school and university students. Trust me, there is great talent there. Another thing that needs improvement concerns distribution of the book in major cities of the continent and out of Africa, that is, if funds allow, since in this edition, the distribution has been limited.