Tag: Babishai Niwe Poetry Festival #Babishai2016

DAVIS TASHOBYA URGES ALL POETS TO JOIN KAMPALA TOASTMASTERS

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Davis Tashobya is  the immediate past President of  Kampala Toastmasters Club and a  public speaking trainer in Kampala. He will also be participating in the Toastmasters Challenge at the #Babishai2016 Poetry Festival on 25 August.

 

 

How long have you been a member of Kampala Toastmasters and what significant change has it made on your life?

I have been a Toastmaster since September 2010 when I moved to Nairobi.

When I moved back to Kampala permanently in 2014, together with a few other like-minded Toastmasters from clubs I knew in Kenya, we started Kampala Toastmasters.

Toastmasters  has taught me everything I know about communication and leadership and then some. I have been able to nurture and develop some very strong and meaningful networks and made lots of friends along the way.

When you think of Ugandan poetry,  what comes to mind?

Okot,P’Bitek. As a literature student, I drank from the fountain that is ‘Songs of Lawino” It left an indelible mark on me and I must admit though I haven’t been keen to read up more on the new stuff being churned out in Ugandan poetry, I enjoy poetry recitals and like the new crop of young poets like Jason Ntaro, Peter Kagayi, Aujo Lillian, to mention but a few.

The Babishai Poetry Festival is going to host the first Toastmasters challenge. A battle of words between poets and public speakers. As  a competitor,  how will you prepare for the challenge?

I will rehearse, rehearse and then rehearse. If I could, I would go on top of a mountain and prepare day and night while shouting into the wilderness because I know this won’t be an easy challenge but I plan on giving those poets a run for their money.

 Do you feel that professionals in the work space need to interact more with poets?

Absolutely, if for nothing else at least some of the poet’s creativity could rub off onto them. I think most professionals could benefit from a huge dose of creativity.

How important is an education that includes creative arts?

I think it is extremely vital. The study of  the creative arts inevitably gives birth to some of this world’s most prized artefacts, books, paintings and even when applied in the sciences it can help put into perspective various phenomenon,

Any parting remarks?

I think all poets should sign up to be Toastmasters. They fit the billing with astounding accuracy.

Thank you Davis.

The next Kampala Toastmasters Club meeting is on Tuesday 26 August at Protea Hotel from 6:00pm

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KWAKU FENI ADOW, 2016 BABISHAI HAIKU SHORTLIST

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Kwaku Feni Adow, from Ghana, has two Haikus in the 2016 Babishai Haiku shortlist. He spends lots of time writing Haikus and his knowledge of the craft is admirable.

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How do you define Haiku?

Haiku is that poetry which seeks to evoke nature in three (not always) brief/succinct lines, painting a picture with words where the poet is bound by the spirit of the art to show not tell. The poet is not as much allowed to intrude with his emotion or opinion. The best haiku have depth, many meanings that can be read into it when images are well juxtaposed.

What is the process of haiku writing like for you?

Writing haiku for me starts with an inspiration, a little moment of insight in finding something new in the ordinary. This mostly comes about from observation, childhood memories and from reading haiku, albeit the inspiration is only the beginning point. After writing down the words that present themselves in the moment, I let the poem lie and come back to it later, this time weighing and assessing how each word employed helps make the haiku better.

 Were you surprised at being shortlisted?

I must say that I was surprised especially that two of my poems got shortlisted.

Do you spend a lot of time reading Haiku, and from where?

I do spend a lot of time reading haiku. Besides the pleasure in reading haiku, part of the process of writing or learning the art is reading lots of it. My sources are online journals dedicated to publishing top-notch haiku, few examples would be Cattails, Heron’s Nest, Frogpond and Africa Haiku Network.

 Which African Haiku writers do you know and admire?

Thankfully, there are quite a number of African haiku poets I know. The likes of Celestine Nudanu and Barnabas Ìkéolúwa Adélékè. It’ll almost seem like a sin to not mention Adjei Agyei-Baah who to me is a haiku genius not just in Africa but in the world, evidenced of course by his numerous awards and publications in reputable journals. Again I know and admire the work of his fellow from Nigeria Emmanuel Jessie Kalusian. These two have had influence on me as far as my haiku journey is concerned.

Have you heard of the Mamba Journal, a publication of Haikus,
produced by the African Haiku Network, co-founded by one of our judges, Adjei Agyei-Baah?

I have indeed heard of the Mamba and I am happy to have five haiku of mine published in its premier issue.

How do you feel we should promote African haiku?

I believe haiku can be promoted through contests like this. Also, I believe a constant hosting and/or promoting the efforts and work of groups like Africa Haiku Network and any other Haiku Society anywhere in Africa  on this platform can expose the art to the numerous visitors.

Any parting remarks?

I would like to say thank you to Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation for taking this step to have the very first haiku contest in Africa for African haiku poets. This is the support the art truly needs and we are all appreciative of that. To the  other shortlisted poets, congrats.

Thank you Kwaku.

The #Babishai2016 Poetry festival runs from 24 -26 August in Kampala at Maria’s Place in Ntinda.