#Babishai2015, 1ST POETRY FESTIVAL in Uganda,
organized by the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation
photo credits: Zahara Abdul
photo credits: Zahara Abdul
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| Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva, Adeeko Ibukun and Professor Remi Raj |
The #Babishai2015 poetry festival, the first poetry festival in Uganda,
took place from 26 to 28 August 2015 at The Uganda Museum in Kampala. The
open-themed festival, organized by the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, was a
celebration of the #Babishai2015 shortlisted poets, awarding the winners,
sharing poetry through master-classes, performing before younger and older
audiences and launching the BN Poetry Foundation’s second anthology, Boda Boda Anthem and Other Poems: A Kampala
Poetry Anthology. The estimated number of participants in total was 250 and
the total number of countries represented was 11. There was also a welcome to
the festival discussion of the #Babishai2015 shortlisted poems led by Harriet
Anena, held at Femrite on 24th August.
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| Davina Kawuma and Harriet Anena |
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| Members at the discussion |
Being the first poetry festival brought exciting
and well-thought out sessions. On the first day, the festival began with a
dance breakfast with celebrated dance group, Batalo East. Abdul, the dance director,
opened up with a physical awakening of our bodies and minds and artists and
consumers of art. While dancing with the festival participants, Abdul engaged
in conversation about the poetry of dance and how our bodies communicate more
than we can ever think.
Abdul and Sammy Wetaala in dance session.
During poetry-in-session that evening, a monthly
session hosted by Roshan Karmali, the true meaning of liberty through art was
felt. With performances from Checkmate Mido, Fatuma’s Voice, Professor Remi
Raji, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, Khamara Ashnan, Jason Ntaro, Fortune Unlimited, Gordon
Musinguzi, Roshan herself and other celebrated poets, each piece a personal
ritual and conviction of words, rose into a unique and most memorable night.
On the 27 August, second day of the festival, we
held two master-classes. The first was by Professor Remi Raji, who is a board
member of the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation and current President of
Association of Nigerian Authors. His
class was a discussion of poetry, its craft, importance of respecting the craft
and appreciating poets that have inspired great works of a generation. He then demonstrated
the importance of pruning writing, of thinking creatively in order to write
creatively and ended with a challenge of writing a spontaneous chain poem. The
results were incredible.
Another unforgettable session was led by Ife
Piankhi and Checkmate Mido, ‘From the page to the stage.’They engaged us in role play, picking character
traits and demonstrating them without speaking. It was quite hilarious,
challenging and worthwhile. Theirs dealt with body language and the power of
silence, as we understood better
ourselves, our voices and our innermost convictions as we react emotionally.
All this played into how and why we write and perform poetry. It was
spontaneous and tricky at the same time. Kagayi Peter, one of Uganda's celebrated spoken word poets, led us through important discussions on poetry and the spoken word, challenging us into deeper understanding.
Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, who also led a master class,
used a more spiritual and soul-searching approach. He acknowledged that poets
are spiritual beings and that their poetry should manifest from that deep
spiritual connection. Kagayi Peter, a well celebrated poet from Uganda, spoke
candidly about poetry, the learning process, the spoken craft, identifying with
subject matter and production.
None of us knew that blogging poetry could be so
much fun and Magunga Williams, one of Kenya’s most celebrated bloggers and Eric
Otieno from Fatuma’s Voice. Blogging is one of the most essential forms of
communicating in our times. It’s creative, has a wide reach and potentially
positive influence. Blogging, in order to be taken seriously, requires utmost
care and consistence in order to gain credibility. #hopeyougotthat .Femrite, Black Poet and
Checkmate Mido met students, children and a few older poets, sharing challenges
and joys of writing but mostly encouraging younger writers to not give up, to
read and practice as much as they could and read widely.
In the evening, we launched Boda Boda Anthem and Other Poems: A Kampala Poetry Anthology, at
the Goethe Institut. Close to 100 guests were in attendance. The anthology,
edited by Ugandan writer, Mildred Barya, a doctoral fellow at The University of
Denver, is a selection of voices across the world, on me the theme of Kampala
City. The verses, well selected and edited, magnify Kampala’s weaknesses,
strengths and aspirations, through their imaginative images and strong diction.
Guest appearances from Daniel Omara, one of Africa’s greatest stand up
comedians, were a major highlight. Chijioke Amu-Nnadi launched the anthology
and Professor Remi Raji made an order of 30 copies for each of the states of
Nigeria represented under the Association of Nigerian Authors. Jalada Africa,
who sent reviews to several journals in East Africa, also led discussions on
the anthology and asked participants about their own imaginative depiction of
Kampala in 50 years time.
On Friday the 28th, the day began with a session
entitled, “When the earth weeps, art
also weeps.” Led by Sara Kaweesa, a board member of the Babishai Niwe
Poetry Foundation and director and founder of Arocha Uganda, she emphasized how
crucial it is for us to be stewards of thee earth and use creative messaging to
share that to the rest of the world. As artists, our responsibility is to raise
as much awareness of the dangers of global warming, littering and un-care of
the environment. Next that day was Poetry On the Mountain. In partnership with
Uganda Travel Bureau, The Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation will take poets and
thrill seekers for an excursion to The Mountains of The Moon in Kasese-Uganda. Deo
Lubega, Patron of the Mountain Club of Uganda, took us through the process of
both physical and mental preparation for the task ahead. Interested
participants registered and from June 10 to 13 in 2016, about 50 enthusiasts
will climb Mountains of the Moon and recite poetry, at an individual fee of 355
USD. For more details, visit the website or email
bnpoetryaward@bnpoetryaward.co.ug.
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| Maritza |
Every lunch time of the festival was filled with performances
from various artists including children. In order to fill the demand for
performance space, this was necessary. We then held a session led by Cross
Cultural Foundation of Uganda, who talked about historical buildings in the
city and how important the documentation of history is, to the preservation of
culture. Later, we were hosted by Martha Byoga aka Maritza, host on Urban T.V,
who interviewed past winners and shortlisted poets of the Babishai Niwe Poetry
prize, alongside the #Babishai2015 shortlisted poets. It was here that Rashida
Namulondo, Kelly Taremwa, Flavia Kabuye, Sophie Alal, Sheila Okongo Nyanduaki, Regina
Asinde, Adeeko Ibukun and Nakisanze Segawa, who were present. Interestingly,
while a few poets wrote their poems on the spur, all of them had to go through
the rigor of re-writing, editing and self-doubt, which still re-emphasizes the importance
for all poets, that nurturing is always key.
In the evening, was the grand finale award
ceremony. Guests filled the main hall of the Uganda Museum. Various poets
filled the stage and a documentary highlighting the Babishai Niwe Poetry
journey was played, before Professor Remi Raji, board member of Babishai Niwe
Poetry Foundation and President of Association of Nigerian Authors, announced
the top five winners.
The #Babishai2015 celebrated shortlisted poets by
name:-
Adhiambo Agoro from Kenya, Richard Otwao from
Uganda, Arinze Ifeakandu from Nigeria, Sheila Okongo from Kenya, Nick Makoha
from Uganda, Sanya Noel from Kenya, Lua Davis from Cameroon, Gbenga Adesina
from Nigeria, Famia Nkansa from Ghana, Tolase Ajibola from Nigeria, Babajide Olusegun
from Nigeria, Danica Kreusch from South Africa, Salawu Olajide from Nigeria,
Ann Waruguru from Kenya and Adeeko Ibukun from Nigeria.
In fifth place was Ghanaian poet Famia Nkansa,
for her delightful love poem, Elixir.
In fourth place was very memorable poem Like
Scented Mangoes by Nigeria’s Arinze Ifeakandu.
In third place was the irresistibly provocative
master poet, Nick Makoha from Uganda, with his poem, LHR.
In second place was the chilling and highly
imaginative poem, The Ghost of Jevangee by Sheila Okongo Omare Nyanduaki of
Kenya. She attended the Storymoja Festival in Nairobi in September.
And in first place, from over 2,000 poems, Adeeko Ibukun’s A Room With A Drowning Book,
emerged winner. The subtle politics, vivid imagery, atypical structure and
secreted message, were some of the winning points for the jury. Adeeko’s
winning prize: 1,000 USD. Along with other shortlisted poets, m prizes include
attendance at the Lagos International Poetry Festival, the Ake Arts and Book Festival,
online mentorship for six months and copies of poetry collection and
anthologies from poets celebrated world-wide. The prizes for first fifteen
winners : Copies of poetry collections and anthologies, participation in
various literary festivals continent-wide and six months online mentorship from
well-known, celebrated, remarkable poets world-wide.
We thank all volunteers, George Kiwanuka, Caesar
Obong, Sheila Abaho, Sylvia Nakiirya, Rosey Sembatya, Mirembe Kisakye, Nambozo
Norah, Joan Agaba, Christine Namubiru and Ann Apio.
#Babishai2015
winning poem
A ROOM WITH A DROWNING BOOK by
Adeeko Ibukun (Nigeria)
Somewhere
in the room a book is drowning, the floor
is
shivering with pages. You said the spine is the balance
to our two
winged hearts. Sometimes it’s the light knitting
its
letters to our hearts. I see how things hold us in their lights
so we aren’t here or there like you’re here and
somewhere
a lover holds you in her heart, light in water
teaching these lessons.
Sometimes something holds clearly what we couldn’t
say in words.
We face it to learn our silence and that again
becomes part of
our languages. Places own us like this, light
bounces off them,
turning their spears at me. Our hearts beat now and
vision takes
its shapes—the stream of consciousness, nuances as
water turn,
streamlet as novella lost in our undercurrent. I’m lost in a story now
or a story’s lost in me. Perhaps we should hang on
words so that
we do not drown. Remembering makes living its
anchor. So I asked
if it’s us you wanted to save insisting
everything is placed this way
and that way of our anniversaries, each moment achieved
as light
buried in water—so it’s here or there, past or
present, our chairs and tables,
dresser and records becoming the dykes. The mirror’s
at an angle
to the world so it does not yield all its light at
once. Everything’s our
subject before we become their subject, relying on
memories to endure.
All #Babishai2015 shortlisted poems can be
read here:
Photos of our festival can be
viewed on our blog at http://bnpoetryaward.blogspot.com
Follow us on Twitter
@BNPoetryAward
Best Wishes!
Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva
And the Babishai Niwe team.
Thanks to our partners:-
Stichting Doen, The Uganda Museum, The Uganda
Society, Urban TV, Power FM 104.1, Gilgal Media Arts, Storymoja, Novel Concepts,
Parresia Publishers, Sunday Trust Nigeria, Femrite, Sooo Many Stories, Poetry in Session, Nation
Media, Jalada Africa, Lawino Magazine, Touch FM 95.9, The Observer Uganda,
tru-IT Uganda Limited, The New Vision, Goethe-Institut, Uganda Travel Bureau,
Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda and Malaika Educare.
#Babishai2016
festival takes place from 24 to 26 August 2016 - The Uganda Museum
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