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.

Call for African Women Poets

Here is a call for submission from African women poets posted at Kwani.
From the guidelines:

"Poems may focus on any of the following: the work life, motherhood, wifehood,
children, the state and nation, war, Africa’s wealth or lack thereof, poverty,
HIV-AIDS, prison, freedom, celebration, grief, happiness, border crossings,
marriage, birth, the environment, loss, love, trans-nationalism, migration,
gender, race, class, and any other topics or issues that interest African women
globally."

The deadline is December 31, 2010.
Send submissions by email to: Anthonia Kalu (kalu.5@osu.edu); Folabo
Ajayi-Soyinka (omofola@ku.edu); Juliana Nfah-Abbenyi (jmphd@ncsu.edu), there is also a snail mail address in the guidelines.

Invitation to a Book Launch!!

Readings by Luso Mnthali, Gothataone Moeng, and Lauri Kubuitsile.
SEE YOU THERE!!!

Join Our Facebook Group

Let's get Botswana writers talking! Join our Facebook page.
See you there!

Call for Submissions for 30th Anniversary Issue of Mahube

Dear Writers,

This year marks an exciting time for WABO. The association is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The new executive committee is calling for submissions for a 30th Anniversary edition of our literary journal, Mahube.

What we’re looking for:

- poems (max of 3)

-short stories under 2000 words

-black and white photographs (one to be used on the cover, others to be used inside)

- creative non-fiction under 2000 words

The deadline for submissions is the 30th of September, 2010. Email all submissions to botswanawriters@gmail.com. Only those arriving at this email address will be considered.

Only emailed, typed submissions will be allowed.


Please note: people who made submissions for Mahube in the last two years need not re-submit as their submissions will be considered for this issue. All submissions must be accompanied by a letter declaring that all submitted works are the original works of the author with whom all copyrights lie and have never been published in part or in full elsewhere. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Please inform the WABO Executive Committee if they are accepted for publication.


Provide a page with your full name, email address, postal address and at least one contact number.

All decisions regarding acceptances will be communicated by 22nd October, 2010. Contributors whose work is published will receive one free copy of Mahube.


Looking forward to seeing what our writers can do!

The Executive Committee

WABO

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.

WABO AGM

Botswana writers,
Next weekend we will be having our annual general meeting to elect a new executive committee who can chart a new and exciting course for our organisation.
Hope to see you there!!

Date: Sunday 4th July 2010
Time: 10 am
Venue: Falconcrest, Gaborone

ALL ARE WELCOME! BRING YOUR FRIENDS!