BABISHAI2017 POETRY FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

                                                            THE BABISHAI 2017 POETRY FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
Monday 31 July 2017  
5:30pm to 7:30pm
Femrite offices, Kamwokya
Discussion of the Babishai 2017 shortlisted haikus, led by Isaac Tibasiima, literary critic and scholar from Makerere University.
Open entry

Wednesday 2 August 2017
8:00pm – 8:45pm Uganda Time
Facebook live chat with Phillipa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa
From her face book page.


Friday 4 August 2017
Poetry@Mabira
Departure from 7:30am in Kampala for Najjembe Eastern Uganda
Trek across Mabira, lunch, poetry performances.
Fee: Two Hundred Thousand Shillings (200,000/-)
Payabale by Monday 31 July to George Kiwanuka on +256 703147862


Saturday 5 August 2017
10:00am to 11:00am
Re-Launch of the African Poetry Library
32 Degrees East/Ugandan Art Trust in Kansanga, opposite Bank of Baroda


Saturday 5 August 11:30am to 1:30pm
Poetry seminar for youth from 19-29 years,  by Mbizo Chirasha of Zimbabwe
Free entry
Register for workshops by sending 100 word bio and photo to babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com
Participants will be certified.

Saturday 5 August 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Poetry performance by leading Ghanaian poet from Ghana, Oswald Okaitei
Maisha Garden in Buziga. He will be joined by Rap Poet, Rashida Namulondo, Kitaka Alex, Caesar Obong and Wake the Poet.
Entry fee: 20,000/-




 
Sunday 6 August 2017  11:00am to 3:00pm
Launch of children’s poetry anthology
Children’s performances
Babishai champions
Uganda Museum Main Hall
Free entry

Sunday 6 August 11:30am to 1:30pm
Workshop on the craft of the spoken word, by Oswald Okaitei, The 2016 Spoken word artiste of the year, in Ghana.
Register for workshops by sending 100 word bio and photo to babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com
Participants will be certified.


Sunday 6 August 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Workshop by Kagayi Peter, leading poet, performer and trainer from Uganda
Uganda Museum
Register for workshops by sending 100 word bio and photo to babishainiwe@babishainiwe.com
Participants will be certified.

Sunday 6 August 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Babishai 2017 poetry festival sumptuous meal with sumptuous poetry
Humura Resort Kitante Close
Dinner cards at 40,000/-
Call George Kiwanuka on +256 703147862 for your card.

MEET OSWALD OKAITEI FROM GHANA-#BABISHAI2016 FESTIVAL GUEST

          Each week, we interview our guests coming for the #Babishai2016 Poetry Festival scheduled for 24-26 August 2016. In partnership with Praxis magazine, we want to share the power of poetry. This week, it’s Oswald Okaitei from Ghana, poet, performer and playwright.

1.       Oswald, thanks for agreeing to this. As a child, you acted in twenty episodes of a Ghanaian children’s drama series, By The Fireside. How old were you, what roles did you play and was that a foundation for your art?

You are welcome. I was 13 yrs to 15 years for the period of production. I played several roles. However  prominent amongst them include Agya Koo (KwakuAnanse’s good friend), The Hawk (As in the Hawk & Hen Tale), Nana YiadomBoakye (King) etc.

Yes, BY THE FIRESIDE has been the basis for my current arts status. It moulded me artistically and nurtured my interest for Ghanaian folkloric arts—especially my style of poetry.

 

2.       As a playwright who has written, directed and produced several plays including Beautyfyl Nonsense (A political comedy), Who Stole The Casket?(Emancipation tragic-comedy), When It Turns Red… (Peace play), In Man’s Libido and In The Bag Of A Woman (Social comedies) at the Centre for National Culture (Accra and Cape Coast) and the National Theatre of Ghana respectively, what is your process of engagement with themes? Do you have a cast always on standby and which is your own favourite play to-date?

Yes, Play House.kom, my Production House (a theatre company) has constant cast and crew.

All are my favourite but I think the most appreciated is IN THE BAG OF A WOMAN.

3.       You’re quite prolific.  In your emancipation-tragic comedy, Who Stole the casket?, kindly explain why it was categorised under emancipation and what you feel the play achieved? Thank you for the compliment. “Who Stole The Casket?” tells the story of how Africa lost her political authority and the journey to fetching it. The characters in the play are symbolical and in a quite simple way, explain what would seem a rather complex history.

4.       The main theme of the #Babishai2016 Poetry Festival is Abundance: Poetry from Contemporary Africa, how does that speak to you?

There are many phases (Evolved and original) of the African contemporary poetry and they have a lot to serve the society—immediate and farther.

5.       When you think of poetry in Uganda, what images come to your mind?

Ugandan tourism sites/ items.Uganda Poetry festivals, especially Babishai Poetry Festival, has done a lot of good works setting the tourism of Uganda in a portrait.

6.       During the #Babishai2016 Poetry Festival, we will hold a children’s poetry session under the sub-theme of Children’s poetry and its accessibility. How important do you think it is for African children to have poetry created for   them?

It is very vital and crucial: creating a generation of African poets who would grow to appreciate Africa and understand the role they can play in putting the African continent on the world map through poetry.

7.       What diet would you recommend for poets?

A lot of vegetables and natural foods.

8.       What are you looking forward to at the #Babishai2016 Poetry Festival?

A common platform where focus will be placed on celebrating a new generation of African poets and telling the world that beyond the known African Poetry legends, there is a promise of hope for the next generation in the field of poetry.

9.       Any parting words?

I believe that poetry has an immense contribution towards curbing the high level of unemployment in Africa and the world at large. Therefore, corporate institution/ governments should be ever ready to invest in that regard.

 Thank you Oswald.

For more festival details, email festival@babishainiwe.com