Somali and Exiled Voices Fusion

[Jacaylbaro]

Wednesday 30th January 2008 at 7 pmOh! Art and Exiled Writers Ink invite you to

 

Somali and Exiled Voices Fusion: Event 5 (postponed from Dec)

 

UnSilenced Voices:

 

exiled and second generation writers speak out on issues of there and here

 

photo: Carlos Reyes-Manzo

 

Wednesday 19th December 2007 at 7 pm Oxford House Cafe, Oxford House

 

Derbyshire Street, London, E2 6HG (nearest tube: Bethnal Green)

 

Free

 

This is an exiled lit cafe event with Somali and other Exiled writers and musicians, which takes place every 2 months and brings the work of Somali and other exiled writers to the wider community of East London.

 

FEATURED GUESTS:

 

Zahrah Awaleh

 

is British-Somali and was born in Scunthorpe, South Humberside, now located in North Lincolnshire, England. The town was a booming steel town when her father arrived and settled there in the 1950s. She read Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies and returned there to read a Masters in Islamic Studies after working in Hargeisa, Somaliland with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Her literary work includes a chapter “Daughter of Diaspora” in the newly published book, Silent Voices (Monsoon Press, 2007).

 

Abdi Bahdoon

 

also known as Book of Rhymes, is a young Somali poet, lyricist and actor whose work appears in Silent Voices. He has starred in a short film ‘Mask Up’ and in ‘The Bill’. Born in war-torn Somalia, Abdi was subjected to appalling violence.

 

Shereen Pandit

 

prize-winning South African born short story writer. She was a law lecturer and political activist in South Africa before coming to Britain in 1986, where she completed a PhD and also taught law. Her first short story won a prize in a literary competition in 1996. She has since published stories in several literary magazines and anthologies in the UK and Ireland and has won several writing competitions for adult and children’s writing. She is currently working on her first novel and a collection of short stories for and about women in South Africa.

 

Carlos Reyes-Manzo

 

poet and photographer, was born in Chile and lives in exile in the UK. His poetry book, Oranges in Times of Moon, was published in February 2006. In October 2006 he participated in Sidaja International Poetry Festival in Trieste, Italy. He has participated in numerous poetry readings. His poetry has been read on radio and television and published in books and newspapers. He is currently working on his second book of poetry.

 

Further information: Ayan Mahamoud, Head of Somali Art and Culture at Oxford House ayan.mahamoud@oxfordhouse.org.uk and

 

Jennifer Langer, Exiled Writers Ink jennifer@exiledwriters.fsnet.co.uk www.exiledwriters.co.uk

 

 

Funded by Awards for All