{SALON NAIROBI}

In the spring 2007, Salon opened in Nairobi via a transatlantic connection established between Salon founder, Nita Noveno, and Kwani? Readings founder, June Wanjiru Wainaina. Since then, Salon Nairobi has grown into a unique, well-rounded gathering that not only engages the audience, but leaves one with a sense of pride at the achievements of Kenyan writers in reflecting the rights, and the wrongs of the Kenya they live in and love.

{ON TAP TO READ}

Nairobi | July 20, 2008

Four readers, four unique voices, in a tranquil outdoor setting. An evening of entertainment for discerning lovers of the written word.

Gitura Kamau is a young Nairobi theatre and film actor who has recently begun to direct his own movies. His first feature film, "Wangai's Cross," was shot in Nairobi and premiered June 18th, 2008. Kamau is currently involved in several film projects, including his second film, "Odohoz."

Makena Ringera (formerly known to use 'Jackline' but discarded it after discovering herself to be African) took pen to paper at age 15. The result of that effort was 'The Mystery of the Twin Webs', a fantasy novel laced with thrilling adventures, a pinch of romance and some bad grammar. Good luck sent Makena across the Atlantic to Amherst College in 2006 where she is a devote Economics student. Having learned a thing or two in creative writing classes, she is working on a rewrite of 'Twin Webs'.

Al Kags is the publisher of The Quarterly Colour Series of Poetry, a poetry ebook series that is now distributed virally to over 160,000 people all over the world. He has been writing since he was twelve and has been a regular columnist and feature writer in various publications both in Kenya and Internationally.

Peter Chepkonga grew up in Eldoret and can run very fast. He writes for KASS magazine.

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{SALON NAIROBI BLOG}

Kenya’s Post Election Crisis: Finding Meaning

Recently received this important request from an editor at Kwani, a literary magazine from Kenya:

If meaning has been manipulated leading to us killing each other, let us manipulate it so that we do not kill each other. – Prof. Wambui Mwangi

In the last couple of weeks, a group of Kenyan writers has been meeting to analyze and whack out ways to respond to the post-election crisis in Kenya.
One way has been through the production of a series of opinion pieces under the byline "Concerned Kenyan Writers". These pieces have and continue to be placed in various media outlets locally (Nairobi Star, Daily Nation and The East African) and internationally (New York Times, South Africa's Mail & Guardian and Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung).

The aim of these opinion pieces has been:

* to present a human face to the Kenyan post-election crisis
* to counter the static images and impressions of escalating
violence and anarchy in the foreign press &
* to document this turning point in our nation's history for posterity.

Many articles have been written and many more continue to be written. With the express permission of all the writers involved and with the intention of keeping the conversation and the emerging dialogue alive we will, among other things, publish some of those pieces on the Kwani? blog over the next few weeks.

We know that what we have now are just a fraction of the voices and we are willing to throw this space open for all those others, be they writers, ideologues, social scientists or else, that wish to join us.

Send us an email through matathia@kwani.org or drop us a comment in the comments box of the blog (http://www.kwani.org/blog).

There are also many other people that are doing what we are doing: examining and re-examining the Kenyan situation. We look forward to working with them towards building broader and more efficient synergies.

Please do not respond directly to this email. For all general inquiries email info@kwani.org

Charles Matathia
Online Editor
Email: matathia@kwani.org
Blog: http://www.kwani.org/blog

Kenya News on Kwani Blog

KwaniWhat is Kwani? Kwani Trust was established in 2003. It is dedicated to nurturing and developing Kenya's and Africa's intellectual, creative and imagination resources through strategic literary interventions. Kwani Trust houses and distributes literary products and services globally. Kwani Trust, under the guidance of trustees, is overseen by its founding editor, Binyavanga Wainaina supported by key staff; a corps of literary associates, and friends from Kenya, the African continent and the rest of the creative world.

What does Kwani do?

* Edit and publish the foremost literary journal in the region representing new regional literary voices
* Locate, nurture and develop literary talents from as wide a segment of East African society as possible
* Work towards expanding the reading and contemporary story creation culture in Kenya
* Actively build links into the different spheres of African and other writing and stimulate shared creative initiatives
* Represent and promote the works of new authors associated with the Kwani experience both in Kenya and abroad
* Forge collaborations with institutions and individuals to present, develop and support literary and other creative ventures
* Seek, establish and forge regional and global literary linkages with writers, publishers, editors, agents and policy makers to stimulate imaginative and creative exchanges that contribute proactively to global dialogue in a variety of issues
* Proactively move literature into other creative spaces and expand literary audiences and clients of literature

For more news and stories from Kenya, we urge you to read the blog from Kwani?, Kenya's premier literary magazine: http://kwani.org/blog/.

Kenya update

Over the past few weeks, we've received messages from our fellow writers and friends in Kenya about the conflicts rising from the recent presidential elections and want to share with you their perspectives. Please consider signing the on-line petition at the end calling for an urgent resolution to the electoral crisis:

Jan. 5th

Hi Nita and Caroline,

Nice of you guys to keep in touch. I'm sure you've seen alot of it on CNN. Its been pretty bad, elections gone bad, politicians gone crazy, Kenya in a mess. No one ever thought Kenya could end up this way. Its all about the elections, there was a bit of rigging going on and the tallying of presidential votes had irregularities. Kibaki, the past and present president had himself quickly sworn in. All this has made the opposition furious and their supporters are up in arms. Their first demand before any talks begin is that the president should resign. But the president will most likely not. Now the problem comes because each leader banked on their tribes to vote them in. So these supporters are now taking it personal with the supporters of their opponents (or perceived supporters ie. those of a different community) and thats why its going this way.It's Raila's vs Kibaki's people.

But there's a class issue involved. The middle class are up in arms against the violence, they feel nothing about who wins or looses, they are not killing their neighbours. Its the poorer classes that are fueling and involved in the violence- those that have nothing to lose, everything to gain. The anomie is a good opportunity for them to loot shops and steal from neighbours and everyone around.

Thats how its been so far, but i think the tension is going down. nothing has been solved so far but at least Nairobi has been almost normal today and yesterday. I think most of the writers you guys met last time are okay, havent heard any bad news yet.

Thats how it is for now. I'm not sure if there's much you or even any of us can do; its these bonehead politicians that need to sit down and reolve the problem. But a zillion thanks for your offer. Thats the story for now i guess.

Cheers.

Kingwa

***

Jan. 6th

Hello, everyone. Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya. Thank you for your prayers and concern. Since all of you have asked how we are doing, I am sending this "global email message" as the best way to update you all.

We are struggling along here in Kenya. Prayers please for peace and harmony. The TV reports on BBC and CCN are accurate, but at times over-dramatized. Presently there are 250,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kenya mainly Kikuyu. John Allen's article in NCR -- "Catholics must walk carefully in Kenya 's political crisis" -- is insightful. We are hopeful that a Coalition or Cross-Party Government (Government of National Unity) will emerge.

The mood in Nairobi seems to change from day to day. Fortunately the section where the Maryknoll Society House is located is calm. But post-election violence continues especially in the slum areas.

I am reminded of a recent New York Times article that said that multiparty democracy in Africa is messy and unpredictable. Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, said: "We prefer self government in danger to servitude in tranquility."

Two personal notes. Here in Kenya I am working with the various members of the team of our new website:

Small Christian Communities Global Collaborative Website

www.smallchristiancommunities.org

The Kenyan members come from different ethnic groups (including Kikuyu and Luo) and different churches and religious denominations. We are trying to model unity, collaboration and solidarity.

On 16 January, 2008 I will begin teaching a course on "Small Christian Communities -- A New Model of Church in Africa" at Hekima College, the Jesuit Theologate here in Nairobi. From Ecclesia in Africa -- Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Exhortation on the First African Synod (14 September, 1995) I will use a quotation from Number 89 under Living (or Vital) Christian Communities: "Above all, these small communities are to be committed to living Christ's love for everybody, a love which transcends the limits of natural solidarity of clans, tribes or other interest groups." This is the challenge for us here in Kenya right now. The SCCs can be an agent for bringing the different ethnic groups together.

Peace, Joe Healey
Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M.
Maryknoll Society
P.O. Box 43058
00100 Nairobi, Kenya

***

Jan. 18th

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the online petition:

"Call for Urgent Resolution of Kenya Electoral Crisis"

hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/kenya08/

I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider
signing yourself.

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{SALON NAIROBI RECENT WRITERS}

Siphiwo Mahala

Siphiwo Mahala is a South African writer who has also published articles in national newspapers and magazines such as Sunday Times, The Deal, Classic Feel, etc. He has contributed short stories to several anthologies including Nobody Ever Said AIDS: Poems and Stories from Southern Africa( Kwela 2004); A is for Ancestors: Stories from the Caine Prize (Jacana, 2004), and Words Gone Two Soon: A Tribute to Phaswane Mpe and K. Sello Duiker (Stotaville Media, 2005). He joined the National Department of Arts and Culture as the deputy Director for Books and Publishing in 2004. His academic qualifications include a BA Honours degree from Fort Hare University, Alice, and a Master of Arts degree in African Literature from Wits University, Johanesburg. He also holds Creative Writing certificates from Rhodes University, Grahamstown and Lancaster University, London. He is the recipient of the 2006 Ernst Van Heerden Creative Writing Award for his first novel, When a Man Cries(UKZN Press; 2007). Upon presenting the award, Prof Belinda Bozzoli remarked, "When a Man Cries offers vivid insight into the painful rhythms and experiential pressures of township life, while contriving to include flashes of dark or even slapstick humour".

Yusef Komunyakaa

Yusef Komunyakaa was born 1947 and raised in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Served in Vietnam as an information specialist, saw combat, and received the Bronze Star. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he also received masters degrees form the University of California, Irvine as well as Colorado State University. After teaching at the University of New Orleans, Komunyakaa was a professor at Indiana University. In 1997, he began teaching at Princeton University where he is a professor in the Council of Humanities and Creative Writing. Wesleyan has published six of his ten books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Neo-Vernacular (1993), which also won the Kingsley-Tufts Poetry Award from the Claremont Graduate School, Magic City (1992), and Dien Cai Cau (1998). In 1991, he won the Thomas Forcade award; in 1993 was nominated of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry; in 1994 received the William Faulkner Prize from the University of Rennes in France; in 1997 he was awarded the Levinson Prize from Poetry Magazine and the Hanes Poetry Prize. His new book from Wesleyan is Thieves of Paradise. In 1999, Yusef Komunyakaa was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.

Dr. Hope Eghagha

Dr. Hope Eghagha, better known as a poet, is equally a novelist and playright. A senior lecturer in the Department of English, University of Lagos, he is also a visiting member of The Guardian Newspaper Editorial Board.

An Urhobo from Delta State of Nigeria, the 1982 graduate of Theatre Arts, Unijos, has so far published six literary works. His debut was a play, Death, Not a Redeemer, in 1998. Others include four collections of poetry: Rhythm of the Last Testament, This Story must not be told, The Governor's Lodge, and Premonitions and other Dreams. His novel is entitled Emperors of Salvation.

Dr. Abena P.A. Busia

Dr. Abena P.A. Busia, co-director of the groundbreaking Women Writing Africa Project, a multi-volume anthology published by the feminist Press at CUNY. As Busia points out, "history is located in multiple places". This collection is designed to recognize "cultural production" of African and Indian women for the first time. She is also co-editor of Women Writing Africa: West Africa and the Sahel, (The Feminist Press at CUNY, 2005). In addition to her leadership of the Women Writing Africa project, Professor Busia is the author of Theorising Black feminisms (Routledge, 1993) and many articles and book chapters on topics including black women's writing, black feminist criticism, and African literature. Her scholarship keeps her actively connected to her native Ghana, where a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Grant enabled Busia and two historians to lead an interdisciplinary program on "Teaching the History of Slave Trade Routes of Ghana and Benin". She is now at work on a book called Song in a Strange land: Narrative and Rituals of Remembrance in the Novels of Black Women of Africa and the African Diaspora. A poet and short story writer as well as a scholar, Busia has published a poetry collection called Testimonies of Exile. She serves on the advisory board of the Ghana Education Project, as well as the board of the African Women's Development Fund, the first and only pan-African funding source for women-centered programs and organisations. She teaches courses in African-American and African Diaspora Literature.

Peter Chepkonga

Peter Chepkonga grew up in Eldoret and can run very fast. He writes for KASS magazine.

See all Salon Nairobi writers»

{ABOUT SALON NAIROBI}

Sunday Salon, Nairobi—the name incorrectly provokes images of domed hairdryers and the scent of singed well-oiled hair. And what better day to let ones hair down than a Sunday? A prose reading series, held also in New York, Chicago and now Nairobi, was a welcome re-introduction of a purely prose platform to the city. The kwani? Readings started as far back as 2003 as a promotional platform featuring readings from kwani?, typically by a polished thespian. June Wanjiru, founder and (sometime) host of the kwani? Readings and the kwani? Poetry Open Mic, met Sunday Salon founder and host, Nita Novena, at the kwani? Litfest and wasted no time securing this franchise for the glorious Green City in the Sun.

Sunday Salon, Nairobi (SSN) was indeed a “coming home” for the literati of Nairobi. Writers of prose had long expressed their desire for their own forum, away from the madding crowd, so to speak. The first ever SSN, in March 2007, featured heavyweights Dayo Forster, Muthoni Garland, Stanley Gazemba and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, best known for her Caine Prize-winning book, Weight of Whispers(Kwani Trust, 2005 and 2007). Later that year, Shuster& Shuster launched Dayo Forster's first novel, Reading the Ceiling, to much critical international acclaim for this Gambian writer resident in Kenya. Muthoni Garland published her Caine Prize short-listed story, Tracking the Scent of my Mother, under her newly formed publishing house, Story Moja (http://storymojakenya.blogspot.com). Both these writers have had their work published in kwani?

Held every third Sunday of the month at Kengeles Lavington Green, the event also showcases budding local musicians. A clear favourite is Anto, the neo-soul singer whose captivating voice is coupled with an uncanny ability to compose songs at a moment's whim. The choice of venue is apt - this particular Kengeles (Kiswahili for bell) franchise, run by Gavin Bell himself - has an idyllic garden and larger-than-life fish tank as backdrop to the candle-lit stage. The intimacy of the setting belies its capacity - while the average attendance is closer to sixty, crowds as large as ninety have been hosted without loosing the communal fireside ambience.

Punctuality is a main featurei—at 7pm, the event begins. The fading warmth of the setting sun is taken over by the notes of live music before the readings begin. Host June Wanjiru typically welcomes the audience, extolling those who may have spilled over from the bar to encourage the writers by listening to their stories. Each reader has a fifteen minute slot, and is introduced by the host off-stage—a clear attempt at smooth transition, and a far cry from host-dominated events. A brief musical interval is taken after two readings, during which a few first-time latecomers make their way to the (cheap) seats at the back of the garden. Indeed it is best to arrive at the venue well before 7pm, and even take advantage of the free entry offered before 6.30pm.

The event is, on the whole, a unique, well-rounded evening of quality entertainment that not only engages the audience but leaves one with a sense of pride at the achievements of our writers in reflecting the rights, and the wrongs, of the Kenya we live in and love.