"What is Poetry?“ Festival is a campaign that aims to enrich the global cultural landscape by means of poetic and intellectual exchange in different areas of the world on an annual basis. We continue our dialogue beyond the festival itself through social media, our website, translations, meetings and scholarly research. The partners of the festival are high profile institutions in search of long-term projects that explore and challenge cultural ideas and productions through building up networks of decisive, meaningful influence on shaping the future.
A tangible outcome of the festival will be a published anthology with poems by all the participating poets in their original languages, accompanied by English translations. The topics and outcomes of the discussions and workshops as well as all news and thoughts related to the tour will also be included in this publication.
This festival is a follow-up of the hugely successful festival that took place in Indonesia in 2012. The festival brings together poets from South Africa, Indonesia, China and many other countries of the world. This two-week celebration of language will focus not only on how poets use language, but how they adapt and change it.
"We celebrate the ways how poets all over the world reinvent language to express new ideas and insights and thus provoke change and reflection. Through the work of poetry we dare a comparative analysis over its importance for cultural identity and change,“ says festival organizer Indra Wussow.
The festival programme is choc-a-block with readings, workshops, reflections and performances with 25 renowned poets - There is something for everyone!
Participants include Toeti Herty, Samar Gantang, Rosa Herliany and Saut Situmorang from Indonesia, Sujata Bhatt (India), Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe) Mindy Zhang (China), Raphael Urweider (Switzerland) Sylvia Geist and Michael Augustin from Germany, Kae Morii (Japan), Stanislav Lvovsky (Russia) from overseas and the South African poets Vonani Bila, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Rustum Kozain, Charl Pierre Naudé, Mbali Kgosidintsi Alan Finlay and Lesego Rampolokeng.
The artists Paul Emmanuel, Stephan Erasmus, Volker März, Cedric Nunn, Katharina Rohde and Minnette Vari, dancer Tumi Mokgope and pianist Jill Richards join the poets.
This two-weeks event is curated by Indra Wussow, director of the Sylt Foundation (based in Johannesburg and Sylt/Germany) and editor of a series of African fiction for the German publisher AfrikAWunderhorn.
What is Poetry? Festival concept was conceived by: Dudy Anggawi, Michael Augustin, Silke Behl, Indra Wussow
THE PROGRAMME:
The event consists of internal workshops that will be held at universities which have partnerered with the What is Poetry?-Festival, such as the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of the North West and the University of Limpopo. Topics to be interrogated include:
- "Lived Diversity or Paradise Lost? The Global World of Poetry”
- "Lost in Translation – The Art of Translating Poetry”
- “Once There was the Word...The Transformation of Poetry into other Art Forms”
KEY EVENTS OF FESTIVAL:
Johannesburg, 21st April
5 p.m.
Museum Sophiatown
Sophiatown – Forced Removals Remembered
Talk with photographer Cedric Nunn
(entrance free)
Johannesburg, 21st April
8 p.m.
Afrikan Freedom Station, Westdene
In Words we Trust – opening gala
Performance Kgafela le Marabele
(entrance please check with AFS)
Mahikeng, 22nd April
8 p.m.
Mmabana Cultural Center
Africa, I Hear Your Voice So Strong – Poets Speak Out!!!
Local poets interact with poets of the international caravan
(entrance free)
Johannesburg, 23rd April
7 p.m.
Goethe-Institute, Johannesburg
The Poetry of Language and the Baggage of the Past
with Toeti Heraty, Miriam Tlali, Saut Situmorang and Rustum Kozain
(entrance free)
Johannesburg, 23rd April
7 p.m.
Swad Restaurant, Melrose Arch
East-Western Poetry Divan
Vonani Bila, Sujata Bhatt, Chirikure Chirikure, Sylvia Geist, Rosa Herliany, Stanislav Lvovsky, Raphael Urweider, Mindy Zhang , guest: Tumi Mokgope
Moderation: Michael Augustin
Food: Dudy Anggawi
Music: MIAGI – Music is a great Investment
(for dining guests only, please make reservations at the restaurant: 011 6841007)
Soweto, 24th April
5:30 p.m.
Hector Pietersen Museum
When Words Become the Fiercest Weapon – The Role of Poetry in The Struggle Against Apartheid and Colonialism
Sujata Bhatt, Chirikure Chirikure, Toeti Heraty, Saut Situmorang, Xoli Norman, Kwezi Gule
Moderation: Michael Gardiner
Music: The MIAGI Footprint Trio
(entrance free)
Soweto, 24th April
8 p.m.
Bolo´s, Kliptown
African dinner with introduction into Storytelling
Music: Madosini
(entrance free)
Johannesburg, 25th April
8 p.m.
Lucky Bean, Melville
Now Words Come Strange Currencies
Dinner and poetry performance
Music: The MIAGI Footprint Trio
(for dining guests only, please make reservations at the restaurant:
011 482 5572)
Polokwane, 26th April
8 p.m.
University of Limpopo
Africa, I Hear Your Voice So Strong – Poets Speak Out!
Local poets interact with poets of the international caravan.
(entrance free)
Makhado, 27th April
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Guyo Book Center, Makhado
Miludzi ya Shango
Tshivenda poetry book launch
(entrance free)
April, 30th to May,3rd
HIFA Festival in Harare
(Rosa Herliany, Saut Situmorang, John Waromi, Samar Gantang, Michael Augustin, Sujata Bhatt, Sylvia Geist, Mindy Zhang move on to Harare)
Curator: Chirikure Chiriure
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For queries/ submissions: whatispoetry2012@googlemail.com
Website: http://www.whatispoetry.net/
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