30th Anniversary / Mahube Launch!!

On the evening of December 4th WABO members and literature enthusiasts gathered at Alliance Francaise to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the association and to launch the 30th anniversary edition of our literary journal, Mahube. The publication partially sponsored by Botswana's Department of Arts and Culture.

Contributors to this issue of the journal include:

David Kerr -short story

Phenyo Faith Otukile- poetry

John Mhongovoyo-poetry/short story

Wazha Lopang- short story

Nicholas Keitshokile- poetry

Tiro Sebina- poetry

Monty Fanikiso Moswela-poetry

Karabo Masalela-poetry

Ontiretse Ben Magogwe- poetry

Bobana Badisang - poetry

The people in attendance were welcomed by WABO's current treasurer, Irene Ramatala.

Irene Ramatala speaking with Arts and Culture's Tshireletso Modikwa

The programme for the evening started with a brief history of how WABO started. Poet and University of Botswana lecturer and former WABO chairperson Barolong Seboni told the gathering about why the original members decided to start an association for writers and spoke about some of the projects they started including a radio show on RB1 called Writers' Corner.

Bobana Badisang, long time member of the association, spoke about some of the projects WABO has been engaged in over the years. She also spoke about why writers' associations are so important.

Current chair of the organisation, poet TJ Dema, told the audience about the plans the present committee has for the organisation including the establishment of an office, monthly writing workshops, and the archiving of the history of the organisation.

Volunteers manning the food and drinks table

Many of the contributors were in attendance and read from their writing.

UB Lecturer and long time WABO member, Tiro Sebina, reading his poem

The vote of thanks was given by the current vice chair, Lauri Kubuitsile. The evening ended with snacks,food and conversation as attendees bought copies of Mahube and had them signed by contributors. Many people signed up for membership and paid their annual subscription fee as well. It was a fantastic evening.

TJ Dema's Poetry Translated into Chinese

NEW BOOK INFORMATION: No Serenity Here
An Anthology of African poetry in English, French, Portuguese Amharic and Arabic
translated into Chinese
edited by Kaiyu Xiao, Isabel Ferrin-Aguirre and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers
244 pages
Publisher: World Knowledge Publishers, Shanghai
October 2010
ISBN 978-7-5012-3895-8

Six months, about 1000 e-mails, one facebook chat and here it is: No
Serenity Here, a contemporary anthology of African poetry to be
launched during the Shanghai Biennale in October 2010. Original poems
in English, French, Portuguese, Arabic and Amharic will be published
alongside their Chinese translations. The volume includes Nobel
Laureate Wole Soyinka, along with voices from 25 African countries,
and was translated by a team of Chinese poets under the guidance of
Kaiyu Xiao.

Edited by Xiao in China, Isabel Ferrin-Aguirre in Berlin and Phillippa
Yaa de Villiers in Johannesburg, No Serenity Here celebrates
established writers such as Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana), Makhosazana Xaba
and Lebo Mashile (South Africa), Veronique Tadjo (Cote d’Ivoire) and
Fatima Naoot (Morocco), and introduce lesser known yet brilliant
voices like TJ Dema (Botswana), Shailja Patel (Kenya) and Tania Tome
(Mocambique), as well as Amanda Hammar and Joyce Chigiya (both from
Zimbabwe).

Besides the veterans like Soyinka (Nigeria), Kofi Anyodoho (Ghana),
Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe), James Matthews (South Africa) and
Keorapetse Kgositsile (South Africa’s Poet Laureate, whose poem lent
the title to the anthology), the volume also showcases the prodigious
talents of Shabbir Bhanoobhai (South Africa), Nii Ayikwei Parkes
(Ghana), Tolu Ogunlesi and Obododimma Oha (Nigeria), Stanley Onjezani
Kenani (Malawi) and Beaven Tapureta (Zimbabwe), Keamogetsi Molapong
and Dorian Haarhoff (Namibia), Hama Tuma and Alemu Tebeje Ayele (both
from Ethiopia).

“We read widely, but it was the contact with contemporary poets that
brought the project to life and delivered its unique vibrancy and
varied voice,” says Ferrin-Aguirre, who also worked until recently as
a programmer for the Berlin Poesiefestival and researcher for the
Literatuurwerkstatt, a global database of poets which collects
recordings of poets reciting their work in their original languages in
its Lyrikline project.

Acclaimed Chinese poet and academic Kaiyu Xiao admits in his foreword:
“the poems … would make me physically quiver as the poems shattered my
expectations.” Many of the poets are appearing in print for the first
time, and most of them for the first time in Chinese.

“African writers have made an important contribution to the world
reservoir of thought on the human condition; this is just a small part
of the literary wealth that we have to offer. China has given us so
much, and I’m proud that we are reciprocating,” said writer and
performer de Villiers.

Published by World Knowledge Publishers and commissioned by artist and
philanthropist Mr Hu, the tri-continental project also received
support from the Jiang Nan Art and Design Foundation and the Moonchu
Foundation.

WABO AGM 4th July 2010

The WABO Annual General Meeting was held on Sunday the 4th July at Falconcrest in Gaborone. There were 20 member in attendance. A report of what the last committee managed to do was presented by the outgoing chairperson, Barolong Seboni. Then elections were held for a new committee.

The gathering

The outgoing chairperson, Barolong Seboni.

Alistair Hagger counting the votes during the election.

The new committee: (from left to right)
Wame Molefhe- Secretary, TJ Dema- chairperson, Atang Mogome- additional member, Abraham Sechele II- additional member, Kelly Sorinyane- treasurer, Irene Gaone Ramatala- additional member, Lauri Kubuitsile- vice chairperson, Bakalanga Mafoko- vice secretary.