Dear Friends,
In September, we participated in two major events that were both, to borrow a phrase, friends of the book: Macondo Literary Festival and Nairobi International Book Fair (NIBF). Each offered a vibrant, unique platform to celebrate African authors, engage with the literary community, and find the future of books.
One highlight of Macondo was the “Kenya Writes” session on Sunday morning because it platformed Kenyan authors in the wider pan-African and global Macondo setting. The panel had five authors in it—perhaps an indication of Kenya’s burgeoning writing scene. It gave glimpses into the minds and relatable writing journeys behind new Kenyan works.
“Trying to fit in with stereotypes of mainstream media as a writer will make you lose your identity.” Buke Abduba, author of the short story My Name is Blank, published in the new collection by Jahazi Press, Let Us Conspire and Other Stories.
“From a young age, my love for poetry was strong. I didn’t think I could write, it looked so complicated. But when I went to college, I felt this was something I could do.” Scholastica Moraa, author of When Love Says Goodbye, a poetry collection published by Mvua Press, a new imprint of eKitabu.
We hope Macondo will make more room for Kenyan authors in the future.
At NIBF, we saw the enthusiasm of readers, educators, fellow publishers—and particularly young writers—passionate about both writing and reading. One memorable moment was awarding young writers in the Digital Essay Competition from this year’s biggest ever harvest of entries, over 18,500 from primary and secondary schools across all 47 counties of Kenya. Their work in Kiswahili, English, French, Arabic, German, Art, Kenyan Sign Language, and braille embodies the voices and talent of a new generation, capable, skilled, and aware:
“Taking care of the environment is a shared responsibility that begins with individual actions at school and home. Implementing recycling programs conserves energy and water, promotes sustainable transportation, and creates green spaces.” Serena Marie, Buruburu 1 Primary School, DEC winner, English Primary School category.
“One way students can address climate change is by taking action on local environmental initiatives. This includes taking part in clean-up events, recycling programs, or even tree-planting.” Steve Newman, Maranda High School, DEC winner, English Secondary School category.
At Macondo and NIBF, we hosted "Treeside Chats" with authors Scholastica Moraa, Sarah Haluwa, Kabubu Mutua, Salma Yusuf, Ciku Kimeria, Diana Mosoba, Empress Ciku Kimani and Deborah Auko Tendo. These intimate, open-air conversations allowed participants to connect and go in-depth with authors and their perspectives in relaxed, conversational settings. We thank the organizers of Macondo Literary Festival and Nairobi International Book Fair for making such valuable experiences happen.
Warmest regards,
Will