News

• Oprah at the 2016 Babishai Poetry Festival in Uganda

  A few months back, I won the Babishai & Story Zetu twitter competition for an all expense paid trip to Uganda.

  Time came and I set on the trip. Babishai was so much more than I thought it would be. I had only been to Uganda once before. 

  The first session for day 1 was the Ngoma Drum sessions which involved us freestyle drumming for a while. I used to do freestyle drumming at Afrika in Wellington and this session was home. Next was the story telling using drums. You had to think of a story, add a drumbeat to it and leave it halfway for the next drummer to continue. Nonetheless. Fun fun fun

  

  The panel talk on Explorations of Landscapes of the Mind, Body and Soul of Feminism in African Poetry was very insightful. Surrounded by strong feminist voices of the African literary scene, a lot was put in perspective in regards to female expectations, the different manifestations of female voices in writing, the power of feminine sexuality in African society and writing and a whole load more.

  

  My favourite part of the festival was the contacts I made. Meeting and spending people who make dents in the African literary scene and the way poetry and writing is perceived, makes you grow in your craft and helps you view things from multiple perspectives. 

  I am eternally grateful for the experience. Thank you Babishai.