What is your APBF Story?

Lorna Dawes Author

04/06/2018 Added

115 Plays

Description

African Poetry Book Fund (APBF) Authors share their African Poetry Book Fund story. How they became involved with the APBF and the impact it has had on their life and their career as poets.

Searchable Transcript

Search:

[00:00:12.030]Katika mwaka wa 2013
[00:00:13.940]Nilituma mashairi Prairie Schooner
[00:00:17.096]kwa Kwame Dawes na nikawa na hofu kubwa.
[00:00:21.388]Kwa sababu nilikuwa na ufahamu wa kazi yake
[00:00:23.729]na urithi wake na wakati huo
[00:00:26.776]sikuwa na ufahamu kweli,
[00:00:29.875]wa kazi ya Book Fund,
[00:00:31.578]na hivyo alikuwa ameona kundi hilo la mashairi
[00:00:33.948]na kisha tulionekana pamoja katika gazeti la hadithi.
[00:00:37.068]Nadhani ilikuwa mwisho wa mwaka huo (2013), ndipo nilialikwa,
[00:00:39.479]kuwasilisha kwenye Chapbook ya kwanza.
[00:00:41.749]Washairi Saba Wapya wa Kiafrika ".
[00:00:45.259]Um ... kisha nikawasilisha pia
[00:00:47.599]Kwenye tuzo la Sillerman la Kitabu cha Kwanza,
[00:00:49.229]na kushinda katika mwaka wa 2014.
[00:00:50.749]Na hivyo kuna kitu sambamba cha
[00:00:53.399]kuwa na ufahamu wa kazi za watu kama
[00:00:56.824]Kwame Dawes na Chris Abani,
[00:00:59.048]na kufahamu umaarufu wao,
[00:01:00.977]na kisha kupata kugundua,
[00:01:03.414]kupitia mwaliko, na
[00:01:05.244]kwa kuangalia kazi yangu katika mazungumzo
[00:01:09.424]na waandishi wengine ambao nimekuja
[00:01:11.968]kupenda na kufikiria kama ndugu, au wenzagu,
[00:01:15.968]na wazee vijana.
[00:01:18.172]Kwa hiyo kuna kazi hiyo pia.
[00:01:20.261]Njia ambayo kila kitu,
[00:01:21.946]Kilifika kukutana.
[00:01:23.490]Na hivyo hadithi yangu na African Poetry Book Fund
[00:01:26.549]ni moja ya msaada, na moja ambapo mimi kweli
[00:01:29.006]nimejifunza jinsi ya kuwa mtaalamu,
[00:01:33.280]na jinsi ya kuwa
[00:01:35.692]mtetezi wajibu wa kazi yangu.
[00:01:39.262]Na maana ya kazi hiyo ninayofanya
[00:01:41.084]Mbali na mimi mwenyewe.
[00:01:43.893]Hivyo kazi ambayo Book Fund hufanya
[00:01:46.063]katika kuanzisha maktaba,
[00:01:47.583]katika kuchapisha mfululizo wa kazi
[00:01:49.203]wa waandishi wachanga
[00:01:50.441]yote hayo yamenisaidia kujiendeleza
[00:01:56.471]kama mfikiri mkubwa zaidi na
[00:01:59.001]mwandishi hodari zaidi.
[00:02:03.022]Hivyo, hadithi yangu na
[00:02:04.372]African Poetry Book Fund
[00:02:06.440]Ningesema kwamba ilianza mwaka wa 2012.
[00:02:11.460]Sijui ni jinsi gani, nadhani inaweza kuwa
[00:02:13.870]kupitia tovuti inayoitwa pw.org ambayo
[00:02:17.140]ilichapisha orodha ya fursa za kuingia
[00:02:20.256]mashindano na mambo kama hayo.
[00:02:22.846]Niligundua kuhusu
[00:02:24.870]Tuzo la Sillerman la Kitabu cha Kwanza
[00:02:26.750]kwa mashairi ya Kiafrika, na nilikuwa na uhakika sana
[00:02:31.798]kwa njia ya kujihisi hodari
[00:02:33.888]kwamba, sababu moja,
[00:02:36.028]wazi sio sababu pekee,
[00:02:37.856]lakini sababu moja sijapata
[00:02:39.983]kufanikiwa kuchapisha mashairi yangu Marekani
[00:02:43.983]ilikuwa kwa sababu, um ... mimi huandika
[00:02:47.073]kuhusu historia yangu kama Mwafrika,
[00:02:49.551]katika mashairi mengi yangu, na
[00:02:52.167]na hii haikuwa rahisi
[00:02:53.754]kwa wasomaji fulani kutambua
[00:02:55.622]katika mazingira ya Marekani.
[00:02:57.785]Kwa vyovote vile, nilikuwa na msisimko sana
[00:02:59.555]kuhusu nafasi hii na um ...
[00:03:02.740]Nilikuwa, ah ... nilikuwa na wakati mdogo
[00:03:05.512]kutoka kwa kufundisha wakati huo hivyo
[00:03:07.280]ilinipa muda wa kutosha kukusanya pamoja
[00:03:09.547]yale niliyofikiri ni maandishi
[00:03:11.706]na mimi nilituma kwenye shindano.
[00:03:16.232]Unapofanya kitu kama hicho hujui
[00:03:18.842]kwamba kwa upande mwingine
[00:03:20.492]katika timu hii ya wahariri ajabu
[00:03:22.182]Ambao wamejitolea kufungua
[00:03:24.332]fursa. Um ... Lakini hao
[00:03:27.957]Ndio waligeuka kuwa upande wa pili
[00:03:29.957]ya tovuti, ilikuwa ... Kwame Dawes
[00:03:32.837]na timu yake ya watu,
[00:03:34.257]na walisoma maandishi.
[00:03:36.196]Hayakushinda tuzo
[00:03:38.475]lakini walinipa nafasi ya
[00:03:41.124]kuchapisha katika ukusanyaji huu wa kwanza wa vitabu
[00:03:45.775]na, um ...
[00:03:47.088]Ili tu kutambuliwa
[00:03:49.728]na kukubaliwa kama mshairi, na
[00:03:51.475]kualikwa kuwa sehemu ya jamii,
[00:03:54.875](ambavyo ndivyo nadhaniya vitabu hivi
[00:03:57.373]kuwa,) na um ...
[00:03:59.641]kusoma ambako nilikuwa na nafasi ya
[00:04:01.901]kufanya, ilibadilisha
[00:04:03.191]Namna ambavyo nilifikiria kuhusu uandishi.
[00:04:06.121]Ilibadilishaa kiwango cha kujitolea
[00:04:08.151]Ambacho nilileta kwenye uandishi, na ...
[00:04:10.055]Mimi ... natumaini ni mwanzo wa
[00:04:11.901]hadithi inayoendelea.
[00:04:13.461]Na, kwa kweli, ni,
[00:04:14.599]kwa sababu kweli, um ... wahariri,
[00:04:18.647]wameniongoza kwa
[00:04:20.103]Njia tofauti za ajabu.
[00:04:21.716]Nilikuwa na fursa ya kuandika
[00:04:23.833]utangulizi wa vitabu vingine vichache
[00:04:26.143]um ... pia, ah ... kufanya kazi kwenye timu
[00:04:29.645]kuhariri anthologia ya
[00:04:33.559]mashairi ya kisasa ya Afrika.
[00:04:36.919]Na hivi karibuni kuchapisha
[00:04:38.659]mkusanyiko kamili
[00:04:40.102]'Beating the Graves'.
[00:04:41.566]Baadhi ya mashairi hayo yaliyoanza
[00:04:43.804]kama maandishi yangu mwaka 2012,
[00:04:47.231]mengi yalikuwa yamebadilika na kukomaa,
[00:04:50.327]Kutokana na ushauri wa marekebisho
[00:04:54.765]na, pia, nafasi ya kuchukua
[00:04:58.135]warsha ya kuandika na Chris Abani,
[00:05:00.745]na kikundi hiki kinachoitwa, Vona,
[00:05:02.985]kwa wiki moja miaka michache iliyopita.
[00:05:04.985]Hiyo ndiyo hadithi yangu,
[00:05:06.192]na natumaini inayoendelea. Sawa...
[00:05:13.548]Mnamo Machi, 2015,
[00:05:17.388]Kwame Dawes alinitumia barua pepe
[00:05:19.628]Ambayo sikutarajia.
[00:05:21.186]Nilikuwa katika mji mdogo
[00:05:23.066]Nchini Nigeria unaoitwa Abeokuta.
[00:05:26.392]Akasema, "Tutumie mashairi,
[00:05:28.535]Mimi ndiye mhariri,
[00:05:29.793]Na ningependa kuyachapisha mashairi yako ".
[00:05:33.850]Sasa nilimjua Kwame Dawes
[00:05:35.501]Kwame Dawes ni mshairi maarufu duniani,
[00:05:37.941]Nimekuwa nikimsoma kwa miaka
[00:05:39.781]kwenye mtandao kabla ya wakati huo.
[00:05:42.213]Kwa hiyo ninafikiria. Je! Hii ni kashfa?
[00:05:44.477]Kwa nini Kwame Dawes akataka kunichapisha mimi?
[00:05:48.341]Hata hivyo, nilijibu barua pepe,
[00:05:52.424]na kisha tukaongea, na kuwasiliana.
[00:05:54.494]Aliniambia
[00:05:55.392]"O, kuna mawazo fulani ambayo ninayapenda.
[00:05:57.684]Hebu maanishi yajieleze,
[00:06:00.073]na yawe yanafuatana,
[00:06:02.273]na yakueleweka ".
[00:06:03.872]Sasa mimi ni Mnigeria, kweli,
[00:06:05.357]na hivyo nina mzaha kibao.
[00:06:07.468]Nilimtumia barua pepe
[00:06:08.250]"Unamaanisha nini kwa kueleweka?"
[00:06:09.300]"Mshikamano na kueleweka ni mambo mengi".
[00:06:12.081]Kwa hivyo tuna hoja hii, sis wawili.
[00:06:13.894]Kisha nikasema "Ok nitakutumia".
[00:06:15.934]Kwa hiyo nikamtumia kitabu changu.
[00:06:18.112]Kitu kingine, nilifikiri kwa sababu
[00:06:20.949]alikuwa akinitafuta mimi yeye mwenyewe
[00:06:23.094]ilimaanisha kwamba ningewekwa
[00:06:24.631]moja kwa moja uwe kwenye mfululizo.
[00:06:26.366]Kwa hiyo nilituma maandishi
[00:06:27.886]na kisha nilipokea majibu
[00:06:29.596]yasiyo rasmi, au ya kibinafsi, kwa barua pepe
[00:06:32.995]akisema, um..tutazumgumza baada ya muda kidogo
[00:06:36.026]ikiwa umefanikiwa.
[00:06:37.873]Mimi sikujua kwamba ulikuwa ni
[00:06:39.673]mfululizo wa ushindani sana.
[00:06:41.020]Kwamba zaidi ya 50 -100 (takriban)
[00:06:45.024]washairi walikuwa katika mashindano haya.
[00:06:47.913]Lakini nilipata bahati
[00:06:49.435]na huo ulikuwa mwanzo wa
[00:06:51.339]safari ya kiajabu
[00:06:52.869]ambayo bado inaendelea sana.
[00:06:58.233]Ilikuwa miaka michache iliyopita
[00:07:00.123]Nilikuwa nimeyaandika mashairi kwa muda.
[00:07:02.452]Nilianza kuyaandika mashairi nikiwa chou kikuu.
[00:07:05.570]Lakini, kwa kweli, sikunuia,
[00:07:08.592]kama kwa njia kubwa, kwa njia
[00:07:10.408]kwamba nilitaka kuchapisha,
[00:07:12.974]na nilijua nilikuwa na maandishi ya kutosha.
[00:07:14.654]Ni vile kwamba sikujua
[00:07:15.744]nini cha kufanya nayo.
[00:07:16.784]Kwa hiyo nilishirikiana na marafiki,
[00:07:18.134]Nikayasambaza kwenye blogu.
[00:07:19.579]Mtu yeyote aliyetaka kusoma, angeweza kusoma.
[00:07:22.488]Um ... basi ... um, ilikuwa tu mwaka mmoja au miwili
[00:07:26.488]baada ya chuo wakati ah,
[00:07:28.400]African Poetry Book Fund ilitungwa
[00:07:30.741]na walikuwa wakiomba maandishi
[00:07:32.961]Kushindania tuzo kadha wa ladha.
[00:07:34.392]Lakini niliamua kuwasilisha kwenye tuzo ya Sillerman.
[00:07:38.585]Nilikuwa na mashairi ya kutosha kwa vitabu viwili,
[00:07:40.795]hivyo nikawasilisha vitabu viwili.
[00:07:42.996]Na kisha wakati fulani,
[00:07:44.496]kama mwaka uliofuata Januari,
[00:07:46.380]Nikapata barua pepe
[00:07:48.820]na iliniambia kuwa nimeshinda tuzo.
[00:07:51.330]Um ... hivyo ndivyo mambo yalianza.
[00:07:55.640]Kutoka hapo hadi sasa
[00:07:57.037]Ni wakati kitabu kilichochapishwa,
[00:08:00.135]ambavyo kweli nilipata kusisimuka,
[00:08:01.723]'Madman at Kilifi' um ... tulikuwa
[00:08:05.273]Na mchapishaji hapa, Afrika, hapa Senegal.
[00:08:07.443]Amalion Publishing
[00:08:13.132]Baada ya 'Madman at Kilifi' kuchapishwa
[00:08:16.532]Nadhani kulikuwa na mradi
[00:08:18.132]na Poetry Foundation.
[00:08:21.392]Tulifanya 'The Cartographer of Water'.
[00:08:25.527]Kwa 'The Cartographer of Water'...
[00:08:30.405]Imekuwa, mbele na nyuma.
[00:08:33.794]um ... ilitakiwa kuzindua 'Madman'
[00:08:36.385]Nadhani kwanza kule Boston,
[00:08:38.825]lakini wakati hup mimi sikuweza kuja
[00:08:41.235]Marekani. Kwa sababu nyingi.
[00:08:44.875]Lakini nilifika Marekani wakati mwingine,
[00:08:48.975]kwa mwaliko wa Kwame na Abani
[00:08:52.025]Nilipangiwa hata kusoma pamoja na Ladan
[00:08:54.105]na mashairi wengine kadhaa.
[00:08:56.285]Hivyo ndiyo safari yangu na
[00:08:59.376]African Poetry Book Fund imekuwa.
[00:09:01.836]Lakini zaidi ya hayo, nadhani ni
[00:09:03.732]'Kizazi Kipya cha Mashairi wa Kiafrika'
[00:09:08.342]um, ... ya vitabu vya kwanza.
[00:09:13.260]Pia baada ya hayo, Kwame alijaribu kuniniandika
[00:09:17.074]au Ashley alijaribu kuniniandika,
[00:09:19.815]kwa aina ya kuona ikiwa naweza kupendekeza mashairi kutoka
[00:09:21.935]Afrika Mashariki.
[00:09:23.234]Nadhani kwa washairi wote niliopendekeza,
[00:09:25.632]mmoja alichaguliwa. Mshairi wa Tanzania
[00:09:28.472]aitwaye Lydia Kasese.
[00:09:31.742]Baada ya hapo, mwaka jana niliulizwa kuandika
[00:09:35.202]utangulizi wa kitabu,
[00:09:38.898]Sikuweza.
[00:09:39.908]Mwaka huu nimeulizwa.
[00:09:41.725]Kwa bahati ni Mkenya,
[00:09:44.363]na maandishi yake ni ya kuvutia, hivyo
[00:09:46.483]Ninajaribu kuandika utangulizi huo.
[00:09:50.523]Um ... zaidi ya hayo, nadhani tu,
[00:09:54.867]Uhusiano umekuwa ...
[00:09:58.791]Huu ni mradi ambao niliweza kujiunga nao vilivyo
[00:10:02.441]kwa namna, bila kutarajia.
[00:10:06.281]Au mahali ambapo, kama ningendelea kukaa
[00:10:10.319]Ningelegea sana.
[00:10:13.269]Ingenichukua mimi
[00:10:15.119]muda mrefu sana kuisambaza kazi yangu huko nje.
[00:10:17.486]Na kwa sababu, um ... 'Madman' ilichapishwa,
[00:10:22.068]mambo mengine mengi
[00:10:23.497]kama kimiujiza, yalitokea.
[00:10:26.207]Kwa hiyo nilipata kazi Kwani,
[00:10:30.436]um ... mambo mengi yalitokea.
[00:10:32.871]Kama mimi kualikwa kusoma,
[00:10:37.105]Nilikwenda Nigeria kwa tamasha la AkŽ.
[00:10:40.125]Kwa hivyo, sio tu
[00:10:43.055]Kile African Poetry Book Fund wamenifanyia
[00:10:45.165]Mimi binafsi, lakini,
[00:10:47.145]kwa njia moja, kama mambo mengi
[00:10:49.305]ambayo yanafanyika
[00:10:51.128]bila sababu inayomakinika na
[00:10:52.138]Kwa kweli, mimi ninatoa shukrani nyingi tena mno.

What is your APBF Story?

Description

Searchable Transcript

Comments

Related Channels

What is your APBF Story?

Description

Searchable Transcript

Comments icon comment

Related Channels

Comments