Warp and Weft: a tapestry of poetry aims to weave together ideas, voices and experiences to inspire discussion and creativity. That’s why diving into Africa Writes’ 2023 theme, Intangible Heritage, felt like a perfect fit for StAnza’s 2024 festival. Bringing Clementine E Burnley, Hannah Lavery and Jj Fadaka together in conversation, chaired by Titilayo Farukuoye, Intangible Heritage will be a thought-provoking discussion on the things that make us who we are, what parts of our culture are known and felt without being said, and how they manifest in our poetry.
Ahead of the event on Saturday 9 March, 2-3pm, we sat down with Nat Fiawoo from Africa Writes to discuss the panel, its theme, and what audiences can expect from the event.
StAnza: Hi Nat! We’re excited for the Intangible Heritage event at StAnza. Are you looking forward to it?
Nat Fiawoo: Hey, yes. I am really looking forward to the whole experience. It’s really important to us at Africa Writes to support writers and organisations outside of our little London bubble and so being able to support the work of writers and hear about the stories and experiences [of] African and Caribbean writers as far away from that usual audience as Scotland is perfect. To add to that, being able to begin what will hopefully be a great and lengthy relationship with StAnza is also very exciting.
S: The panel’s topic is inspired by Africa Writes’ theme of Intangible Heritage – a meditation on the things that make us who we are. What does Intangible Heritage mean to you?
NF: For me, Intangible Heritage really looks into the connectivity of the African Diaspora and is an exploration of the things that we just feel and seem to know without even having met. It is about knowledge, tradition, culture, ritual, various practices, folklore, customs and so much more. It then goes a step further to consider how those things show up in our stories.
S: Can you tell us a bit more about Africa Writes and the celebration of your 2023 theme of Intangible Heritage?
NF: 2023 represented our 10th year collaborating with the British Library. It was also our first year back to a full programme since the dreaded pandemic.
We had 3 full days of activity that began with us making space for 130 Year 6 children to spend the day working with poets and illustrators to create a character and poems about their characters. They were then treated to a keynote from Aimée Felone; Managing Director of Knights who spoke about her love of reading and how it had led her to the position she is in today. She ended with a Q&A, before the children all left with a free copy of Stunt Boy, written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Raul the Third.
We ended Friday with an in-conversation between Blitz Bazawule and Irenosen Okojie discussing how the theme Intangible Heritage plays out in his novel and films.
On Saturday we opened to the general public with multiple workshops, panel conversations and performances exploring the theme in different ways. From looking at the 100 years of African Literature and the way that we write about culture and tradition through words and music to inviting people to create an Intangible Heritage Stamp to represent them and their individual stories. We closed Saturday night with a theatrical reading by Kelechi Okafor from her debut anthology Edge of here, with musical accompaniment from Yahael Camara Onono.
Sunday’s activities included sessions around African, interplanetary world building, legacy, how food helps us to create and also looking at what it is like to just survive as Person in the UK and sharing the stories of imprisoned writers in Africa. We also had some more practical sessions that involved pitching your manuscripts to industry professionals. The festival ended with honouring our elders with a conversation with Kwame Dawes and Claudia Rankine whose conversations really dug into the way that heritage, both tangible and intangible, plays its part in their work, lives and the world that they are living in. All in all, 70 authors and 22 facilitators shared their work and knowledge with us. It was very humbling to experience.
S: What can audiences expect from the panel at StAnza 2024?
NF: I think audiences will be able to experience a very lively, honest and heartfelt exploration of what inspires, and 4 talented writers that balance the line between being a part of the African and Caribbean diaspora and also being Scottish. I think that it will maybe be eye-opening for some attendees and may give them some insight into what life and making art is like for the panelists.
S: The panel features a fantastic line-up of speakers: Clementine E Burnley, Hannah Lavery and Jj Fadaka. Are you looking forward to bringing these voices together?
NF: It really is a fantastic panel and I am grateful to the StAnza creative team and Alycia Primohamed from Scottish BPOC Writers’ Network for helping to pull it together. It was important to us to support local artists/organisations to work with us to programme properly so that we were able to really get the best of Scottish writers. Each member of the line up brings something completely different and exciting. I can’t wait to experience the things that we have collaborated on and also the festival as a whole.
Join us in the Byre Theatre’s Main Auditorium on Saturday 9 March, 2-3pm, to experience this fantastic panel event.
