Afrolit Sans Frontières African Languages Edition: Program announced.

The program for the African Languages Edition of Afrolit Sans Frontières which runs from October 26 – November 2, 2020 has been announced.

Afrolit Sans Frontières, a virtual literary festival for writers of African origin, was founded by author and publisher Zukiswa Wanner as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic international lockdowns. The festival format has been two sessions a day on Instagram Live with an artist moderated by a host who also fields questions from audience members. This particular special edition will, however, take place simultaneously on the Afrolit Sans Frontieres Facebook page, on YouTube and on Twitter via the handle AfrolitSansFro1. There have already been five editions running every month since they begun; Season 1 from March 23-30, Season 2 from April 20-27, Season 3 from May 25 – June 1, Season 4 from June 29-July 6, and Season 5 from July 27 to August 3.

African Languages Edition

The writers taking part in the African Languages Edition, curated by founder Zukiswa Wanner and Mukoma Wa Ngugi with support from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia Johannesburg were announced on Monday. They are Richard Ali Mutu, Dotto Rangimoto, Anna Samwel, Prof Arinpe Adejumo, Zanele Ndlovu, Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino, Nakanjani G. Sibiya, Rahma Sherif Abdul Majid, Girma T. Fantaye, Aaron Chiundura Moyo, Marcilyn Mugariri, Stéphanie Boale, Justin Ekor, Bámijí Òjó, Benedicta Esi Anibri, and Yezina Worku Desta.

The program for the festival has been announced today by the festival founder and director Zukiswa Wanner. It will be a language a day affair with every day assigned a different language. Here is the full program.

October 26, moNDAY
Kiswahili Day with Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Abdilatif Abdalla will be in conversation with two past Mabati Cornell Kiswahili Prize winners, Dotto Rangimoto and Mohammed Ghassani. This session will include readings from their winning books.

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Moses Kilolo, and Mabati Cornell Kiswahili Prize winner Anna Samwel. Ngugi will read the original Gikuyu version followed by readings in English, Kiswahili, Ewe, isiZulu, Lingala, Hausa, Amharic, Kiswahili, Yoruba, Shona, and Kikamba by the translators. This will be followed by a reading and conversation between Kilolo and Anna Samwel in Kiswahili.

October 27, TUESDAY:
Ewe Day hosted by Kofi Akpabli

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Benedicta Esi Anibri.

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Justin Ekor.

 

October 28, WEDNESDAY: Lingala Day hosted by Eric Ntumba

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Stéphanie Boale

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT:

Richard Ali

 

October 29, THURSDAY:
Hausa Day hosted by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Rahma Sherif Abdul Majid

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Ado Ahmad Gidan Dabino

 

October 30, FRIDay:
isiZulu Day hosted by Nokuthula Mazibuko MSimang

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT:

Zanele Ndlovu

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT:

Nakanjani G. Sibiya

 

October 31, saturday:
Amharic Day hosted by Hallelujah Lulie

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Yezina Worku Desta

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Girma T. Fantaye

November 1, sunday:
Yoruba Day hosted by Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Bámijí Òjó

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Prof Arinpe Adejumo

 

November 2, monday:
Shona Day hosted by Zukiswa Wanner

12:00 GMT/13:00 WAT/14:00 CAT/15:00 EAT

Marcilyn Mugariri

18:00 GMT/19:00 WAT/20:00 CAT/21:00 EAT

Aaron Chiundura Moyo