Everyone Needs a' Poet in China' Experience

Thanks to Jami Proctor-Xu's invitation to two international poetry events in China, my life has changed. I'm a poet and I should be proud; because there were doubts. In China however, the respect for literature exceeds any place I've known. They have generations of classics to celebrate and being a part of that poetry world, was an antidote to my awkward, dismal and exhausting days.

The poets who gave new meaning to my existence. Thank you!

Home is the place where you grow, where you find laughter and strength, where creativity is the antidote to hopeless days. China was my perfect home for over a week, where I visited Beijing and Hebei, with several other international poets, and renowned Chinese poets.

About Beijing; The Beijing Normal University and Lu Xun Arts Institute where the translation and reading events were held, had an air of mastery and excellence. Art spilled over at every turn. The crockery, tea, lanterns and piles upon piles of well-published poetry. I understood, while there, that to be a poet in China is to be part of a highly esteemed enviable race of individuals, sacred and immortal. 

#MovingtoChina

 

At the Normal Beijing University, at the International Writing Centre.

 Translating some Chinese poetry into Luganda and Lumasaaba and working with Professor Lan Lan and Li Xing Chen for them to translate some of my poetry into Chinese was one of the more arduous tasks. The word sea, for example. Apart from ocean, is there a word that defines sea to specification? No. And one of my children's poems had the words 'Mother Christmas.' I should have seen that coming. It was impossible to explain that it was just a play on gender dynamics and a holiday celebrated almost all over the world. Poetry, our words and our intentions, however well-meaning, will always be perceived through  a reader's historical feminist, patriarchal, religious and multi-lensed eyes. That's what made the translation experience worthwhile. It was complex.

Li Zing Chen with a copy of 'When Children Dare to Dream,' a Babishai poetry anthology

 Uganda is well-known for hospitality and serving guests with mountains of food. (Chinese give new meaning to eating). At every meal, there was a minimum of fifteen dishes. It hardly explains why almost every citizen from one of the fashion capitals of the world, all look gorgeous, well-toned and healthy. How do they do that will so much food? rue, it's largely vegetable and other fibre but they too take plenty of meat and fats. Stunning to imagine how they remain youthful and energetic.

Some of the Chinese food

The answer is below: Bicycles. Because of the high population, Chinese use bicycles to move around. It's inventive, encourages healthy living and reduces on congestion. The bicycles are parked in public spaces around the city and ....no bike ever gets stolen. It sounds ludicrous but it's true. Every bicycle is parked in the right place, respectful to the community and Government. #MovingtoChina

Some of my treasure

In Hebei with Yuyutsu Sharma, Jiang (famous poet) and Inam Bidoun

 

The Hebei Province is close to home. The mountainous region has extreme temperatures-hot and cold. It's Kisoro, Kabale of South western Uganda or even Sironko in Eastern Uganda. The village  is captivating, endless stories and chants. I was blest to be a part of this indescribable experience and of course, I must bless my family the same way. #MovingtoChina

LAWINO THE FEMINIST; CELEBRATING WOMEN'S DAY

'Husband, now you despise me
Now you treat me with spite
And say I have inherited
The stupidity of my aunt
You say you no longer want me
Because I am like the things left behind'
Lawino,  the central female character in the famous poem by Uganda's Okot p Bitek, Song of Lawino.
Lawino stands for self-respect, traditional values, feminism and she's also still a relevant voice for today. Tonight, you too will believe that Lawino is indeed our uncelebrated Uganda sheroine.

Make Acoli great again. That's what Lawino stands for. Respect of tradition, upholding Acoli values. Acholi people also known as Acoli is an ethnic group from the districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo, and Pader in Northern Uganda (an area commonly referred to asAcholiland), and Magwe County in South Sudan.

The Acholi language is a Western Nilotic language, classified as Luo. Organised in chiefdoms. Leader is Rwot. Main activity is agriculture.The dances too, Lawino does not waste her time but presents the openness, liveliness and healthiness of Acoli dance positively, without apology:

«When the drums are throbbing

And the black youths

Have raised much dust

You dance with vigour and health

You dance naughtily with pride

You dance with Spirit,

You compete, you insult, you provoke

You challenge all», 

 Her husband Ocol, educated in Western ways, married a second woman called Clementine, an African lady who dressed and spoke in ways that devalued her African tradition and upheld Western ways. This is exactly what Ocol admired. By so doing, held Lawino, his traditional wife, in disdain.

Brother, when you see Clementine!
The beautiful one aspires;

To look like a white woman;

Her lips are red-hot;

Like glowing charcoal;

‘My clansmen I cry

Listen to my voice

The insults of my man

Are painful beyond bearing

He abuses me in English

And he is so arrogant

Second major factor explaining Lawino’s sheroics, Lawino challenged this Western education, whose literacy,  it appeared,  held tradition in contempt. She continues to say,
'In the deserted homestead
You insult me
You laugh at me
You say I do not know the letter A
Because I have not been to school and I have not been baptized. '

And yet, I agree, like Taban lo Liyong, indicated in Popular Culture of East Africa, published by Longman in Kenya, 1972, that while education may be formalized, it may also remain informal in the sense of cultural information. E.g the Luo proverb, Jatelo ogongo ogwari, meaning The leader will be scratched by the thorn.

How many of us here have other rich proverbs in our languages? There are invaluable lessons .

This book, Song of Lawino, which we must all purchase to understand the sheroics of Lawino, is available at Aristoc at 19, 600/-.  The Acoli version was published in 1966 by East African Publishers, before its English translation and last year there was a global celebration of the 50th anniversary. The English version was published in 1984 by Heinemann as part of the African Writers Series.

According to an online essay, written by  poet Allan  King in 2011, entitled, Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol, Colonization's Remnants in Africa, he stated that the verbal brawl between Lawino and her husband Ocol were reflective of husbands who once loved and adored their wives, despised them once they returned from abroad. To Ocol,  a newcomer to European values.
'Akurri ma welo maro moko, which in Acoli means, ' A newcomer is usually in danger of being trapped or tricked.'

Lawino is our uncelebrated feminist, our modern day Leymah Gbowee. Leymah is a Liberian female fighter who led the women's peace movement to put an end to the second Liberian civil war in 2003. She received a nobel peace prize in 2011. Leymah said that it's time for women to stop being politely angry. In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens, Book by Alice Walker, Lawino is a womanist, a feminist of colour.

Published in 1983, In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist Prose is a collection composed of 36 separate pieces written by Alice Walker. Originally published: 1983

Publisher: Harcourt/

Standing up to Ocol in her unapologetic feminist stance,'
My friend,
age-mate of my brother,
Take care,
Take care of your tongue
Be careful what your lips say.
Dr. Godwin Siundu, who teaches literature at the University of Nairobi, mentioned in an article published on  February 6th 2016, in The Saturday Nation,  in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Song of Lawino, mentioned the relevance of Song of Lawino. The questions  raised enable readers to identify if they have been addressed today and sadly, they haven't. Lawino remains a critical relevant voice in today's debates.
 Let's all become Lawino; feminists, upholders of traditional values and relevant voices of today who are able to embrace Western education while the same time, embracing our culture.

Speech by Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva; Founding President Bukoto Toastmasters Club

The New Year Bubbles Like A Brook

Whenever the Babishai team meets,  one of the messages that helps us to realize our annual objectives is to plan as if we have unlimited amount of money. With that,  each of us dreams big without limitations. Poetry offers boundless opportunities. With our third annual festival this year, more publications and poetry adventure through forests, together we'll break limits.

Babishai's 2017 youthful energy Photo by Zahra Abdul

Cynics will tell you that expressing exuberance at the start of the year won't mean anything as long as corruption and poverty exist. These cynics usually have an abundance of mental poverty and emit bad vibes wherever they go.

New years,  new beginnings and new plans are an excellent way to guarantee a year of hope and pleasantness. Starting with energy is like driving a car that's fully serviced and full of petrol. You'll travel far and safe.

During the January 2017 Dine and Dream event organised by Joan Mugenzi's Imagine Me Africa's team, main speaker Julian Kyula empjasized that we should position our vision well. It's impossible to do that with so many negatives outweighing the positives. If your team doesn't value time-keeping,  professionalism and hard work,  it may be time to restrategize and get a new team.

Focus for 2017

When like-minded driven people follow and apply their drive towards the same vision,  the impact is always great.

Julian went on to tell us that we must serve in the correct place.

How often do we engage in time-wasting,  uninspiring activities with unmotivated individuals who only invite you because they expect you to perform a miracle with their extremely poorly thought out plan? It's time to put an end to that. Serve in places where you're valued,  where there's honour and where you're not doing all the work.

Also,  Julian says, that according to investment bankers,  raising 1 Million US Dollars takes the same amount of energy as raising 100 Million US Dollars. We may as well dream big.

Julian Kyula in centre with Emmanuel and Nambozo Nsengiyunva

Inspiration for the new year.

At Babishai,  we wish you nothing but the very best as you create positive impact.