A Glance at Literary Activities in the Coming Weeks

Beginning today, there is a series of literary activities happening in Accra, Ghana. Here is a list of them and what they are about.

World Poetry Day at PAWA House (Today, 21st March, 2011)

Today, 21st March 2011 is World Poetry Day and to celebrate this day, the Ehalakasa TalkParty would be participating in a poetry performance at the PAWA House at 6 o'clock pm. This event is a collaboration between the Ghana Association of Writers and the Ehalakasa TalkParty movement. 

However, currently taking place is a Street Performance/Flash Mob. This is to let the people know more about the Ehalakasa Poetry Movement and to ensure that poetry and spoken word, as art forms, become synonymous with Ghanaian life. From Ehalakasa's fan page on facebook:

EHALAKASA!!! IT LIVES IN US! COME JOIN US TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL POETRY DAY IN A JUBILANT WAY! There will be street performances from Ehalakasa poets with unsuspecting members of the public as the audience. We are meeting at Odo Rice at 5 am where you will be provided with an energizing breakfast of hausa koko and kose. From here we will go to Nkrumah circle for the first performances. There we will proceed to the Sankara/Ako-Adjei interchange, then Danquah circle Osu, 37 on the run and finally Accra Mall. Come, let us show Accra traffic that we got poetic talent! Do you Dare?

If you could not make it this morning, you, perhaps, could make it this evening at PAWA House.

The Ghana Voices Series' Monthly Book Reading (Friday, 25th March 2011)

The Writers Project of Ghana in collaboration with Ghana Voices Series would this month host Papa Kobina Ulzen, author of a collection of poems titled Accra, Accra! A Collection of Poems About Modern Afrika. This program takes place at the Goethe Institute on March 25, 2011. Goethe Institute is close to NAFTI, Cantonments.

Papa Kobina Ulzen is a Ghanaian-born Toronto-based writer, poet, and playwright. He has had his poetry published in Akwantu and Thoughts of a New Canadian. Papa has written and/or produced several theatrical short plays including Karibuni Canada, Malaika, Bus Stop, Lunch Time, Lunch Time Again. He is currently working on his first African themed feature length play "Ekua na Kamau".

Ehalakasa TalkParty Plus (Sunday, 27th March 2011)

On Sunday March 27, 2011, the Ehalakasa Poetry TalkParty presents its first TalkParty Plus of the year. The Plus is purely performance based. Come and listen to songs, spoken word artistes and more. Come and express yourself. Come with a drink and a friend or both, making sure that the both contains the drink.

Ehalakasa TalkParty takes place every other Sunday at the Nubuke Foundation East Legon. Official address: No. 7 Adamafio Close; Unofficial address: Behind Mensvic Hotel (the new one).

Book Lauch at the National Theatre (Wednesday, 30th March 2011)

Kofi Akpabli

Though Kofi Akpabli describes himself as a communication professional with special interest in tourism, culture and environment I prefer to refer to him as a Literary Journalist. Kofi is more than your regular journalist. As an award-winning journalist for his article on Soup (yes you heard me right! Soup!), he has been recently put together his thoughts as he travelled through the Savannah. This book, titled A Sense of the Savannah: Tales of a Friendly Walk Through Northern Ghana, would be launched at the National Theatre on March 30, 2011 at 5:30 pm prompt.

I happen to hear Kofi read his Soup article at the Ehalakasa TalkParty and you would need more than one mouth to laugh. So be part of this occasion.