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Writing for Immortality with Barbara Basbanes Richter. Available on Apple podcasts or Spotify A discussion of 2023 National Book Critics Circle Barrios Translation Prize finalist, Zakwato & Loglêdou’s Peril, and, more broadly, of conditions and considerations regarding West African poetry in translation. |
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The Diary of Sinali Karamoko: Au Maroc is a visual narrative that situates the viewer between languages. The screen becomes a page and translations appear as Sinali Karamoko tells the story of how, after being displaced by the First Ivorian Civil War, he attempted to secretly migrate from Cote d'Ivoire to Europe through a nib of Spain on the Moroccan coast. Spare animations highlight pivotal moments, such as when Karamoko describes how a person will strip naked and wrap their body around the engine of a vehicle to make the crossing—one of three options for entering Europe. This hypnotic but disquieting story is about borders made by language, culture, history, and assumptions, and about the ingenuity and resilience of African migrants. The mention of storytelling from West Africa often evokes, fairly or unfairly, notions of “traditional” practices, but there are many contemporary expressions. Karamoko’s “bar tale” relays a failed immigration story. In the film, the full dynamism of Karamoko’s oral performance is not shrunken to a simple written version. His linguistic affects are preserved—his voice’s timbre, texture, intensity—as are his vernacular corruptions of the colonial language, French. If you are interested in screening this 19 minute film, click here.
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Editor, "Les chemins: An introduction to contemporary Ivorian poetry." Available at Jacket2, this micro-anthology showcases fifteen Ivorian poets in translation. Poets include renowned African literary artists Tanella Boni, Noel X. Ebony, Véronique Tadjo, and Josué Guébo, as well as slam artists Bee Joe and Sap Hero and griot/chanteur-poète Mamadou Soro Peter. Translators include Kazim Ali, John Keene, Janis A. Mayes, Virginia Konchan, Marci Vogel, and others. The micro-anthology is accompanied by photo-art from international award-winning Ivorian photo-artist Joana Choumali.
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"The Mistake of Familiarity, and Translating toward West Africa." Available at Action Books blog, as part of its celebration of National Translation Month, this presentation discusses limitations that literary translation efforts often run up against. The discussion works within the context of West African poetics. The materials presented throughout the text and through its links are the result of relationships made with and work shared by West African poets. |
Guest editor of Matter: A Journal of Political Poetry and Commentary. This issue, themed "The Poetics of Intervention," considers what possibilities exist for poetry (in its most expansive sense) to confront the imperial project that "West" has come to signify. The issue features work from Khadijah Queen, Kim Hyesoon, Danielle Pafunda, Craig Santos Perez, Lisa Olstein, Joyelle McSweeney, Barbara Jane Reyes, Minnie Bruce Pratt, J Michael Martinez, Bhanu Kapil, Daniel Borzutzky, Susan Briante, Sarah Vap, Don Mee Choi and others.
("Ascent" by Homa Shojaie, from her Frayed Canvas Series)
"Like the Heart Beating on the Page Before" and "Waking, Midlife" were set by composers Elizabeth Nonemaker and Elbert Liu for "The New and The Newer," a performance at Boston Court in Pasadena, CA
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The Escape of Pirate Rose
Imagined, designed, and produced with Oskar Vap Fredson
Featuring the voice talents of Sarah Vap, Carmen Giménez Smith, Josué Guébo, Diana Arterian, Dexter Booth, Josh Rathkamp, Danielle Pafunda, Marcia Aquino, Cohen Roberson...and also my mother, and my mother-in-law, and tons of AMAZING young people.
The Escape of Pirate Rose is a lego stop-motion animated series set in the Caribbean in the second half of the 1760s. True to the time, many languages are used in the series, including English, Spanish, Zapotec, Gouro, and Dida. The Escape of Pirate Rose is the story of Rose, a young Colombian woman whose mother has been abducted by a pillaging pirate crew and whose father has joined the British navy as a way to search the Caribbean for his wife. Rose has taken a different tack, having joined a pirating crew to search for her mother. You will see the makers' hands at work here, especially in the early episodes. (Production value increases alongside the potential for anti-colonial revolution!)
Imagined, designed, and produced with Oskar Vap Fredson
Featuring the voice talents of Sarah Vap, Carmen Giménez Smith, Josué Guébo, Diana Arterian, Dexter Booth, Josh Rathkamp, Danielle Pafunda, Marcia Aquino, Cohen Roberson...and also my mother, and my mother-in-law, and tons of AMAZING young people.
The Escape of Pirate Rose is a lego stop-motion animated series set in the Caribbean in the second half of the 1760s. True to the time, many languages are used in the series, including English, Spanish, Zapotec, Gouro, and Dida. The Escape of Pirate Rose is the story of Rose, a young Colombian woman whose mother has been abducted by a pillaging pirate crew and whose father has joined the British navy as a way to search the Caribbean for his wife. Rose has taken a different tack, having joined a pirating crew to search for her mother. You will see the makers' hands at work here, especially in the early episodes. (Production value increases alongside the potential for anti-colonial revolution!)
Season One
The first season opens with Pirate Rose escaping from a ramshackle jail in an island town. She is no longer with her pirate crew. During her escape, Rose learns where her father’s British naval crew is docked. Rose and her father, Officer Vander, reunite in the port town of San Mateo. In a tavern, Rose and Vander meet a curiously insightful lad named Effel as well as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. The four are thrown together in their flight from bounty hunters and the Royal Navy. Escaping in a debilitated ship, the foursome washes ashore on the Island of Voices. After encountering a spirited palm tree, Rose, Vander (who is now AWOL), Effel, and Jack are surprised by two members of a maroon community, Inez and Bjorn. Inez leads Rose to a secret cave, the Cave of Memories, in which Rose has a visitation from her mother. Upon exiting the cave, Rose confirms that her mother is alive. The party stands upon the roof of the cave and, below them, in the ruins of boucans, is the maroon community. The encampment is full of scavenged materials as the maroon community prepares for more than survival. They are organizing to intercept trade ships and attack the Royal navy.
The first season opens with Pirate Rose escaping from a ramshackle jail in an island town. She is no longer with her pirate crew. During her escape, Rose learns where her father’s British naval crew is docked. Rose and her father, Officer Vander, reunite in the port town of San Mateo. In a tavern, Rose and Vander meet a curiously insightful lad named Effel as well as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. The four are thrown together in their flight from bounty hunters and the Royal Navy. Escaping in a debilitated ship, the foursome washes ashore on the Island of Voices. After encountering a spirited palm tree, Rose, Vander (who is now AWOL), Effel, and Jack are surprised by two members of a maroon community, Inez and Bjorn. Inez leads Rose to a secret cave, the Cave of Memories, in which Rose has a visitation from her mother. Upon exiting the cave, Rose confirms that her mother is alive. The party stands upon the roof of the cave and, below them, in the ruins of boucans, is the maroon community. The encampment is full of scavenged materials as the maroon community prepares for more than survival. They are organizing to intercept trade ships and attack the Royal navy.
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 1: The escape of Pirate Rose
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 2: Out to sea
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 3: Officer Vander and the enchanted cave
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 4: The reunion at San Mateo
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 5: Four is company
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 6: I followed the sea
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 7: The island of voices
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 8: Cave of memories
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 9 (credits): The maroon community
Season Two
Inez and Bjorn introduce themselves to Rose, Vander, Effel, and Jack as the maroon community smokes fish and harvests tar from a tar seep not far off shore. As boats, barrels, and pegged legs are sealed, Inez shares how she was forced to flee the Isthmus Zapotec amid the increasingly intrusive colonial rule of the Spanish Bourbon monarchy. Bjorn recalls his abduction from West Africa, and how he was thrown overboard from a slave ship when he appeared too sick to survive. The maroon community includes escaped slaves as well as many indigenous Caribs, whose population had been restricted to two islands in a French-English treaty, which the British broke, annexing the two islands in 1763. The new arrivals hike up to an outlook and meet the peglegged Bargy Beard, who says he is just preparing to send his parrot down with a message: a small British ship is being smashed by the surf. One survivor is found and the dead are buried. Jack Sparrow volunteers to return the survivor to the British fort, looking to exchange a good deed for a détente with the British. This fails. Admiral Pinehole jails Jack Sparrow. The fort is also where Rose’s mother, Rosalina, resides. Having defeated her captors, the British transported Rosalina to the fort, where she is now the Admiral’s war bride. She is also a spy, and her information about a wave of slave ships--the British are planning to increase sugar production--is passed along to the dapper rogue, Henry Johnson, who also pays a visit to Jack Sparrow. Rosalina's information allows a mercenary group called the Thom-folk to intercept and liberate a slave ship. The Africans are delivered to the Island of Voices where Bjorn welcomes them to the maroon community.
Inez and Bjorn introduce themselves to Rose, Vander, Effel, and Jack as the maroon community smokes fish and harvests tar from a tar seep not far off shore. As boats, barrels, and pegged legs are sealed, Inez shares how she was forced to flee the Isthmus Zapotec amid the increasingly intrusive colonial rule of the Spanish Bourbon monarchy. Bjorn recalls his abduction from West Africa, and how he was thrown overboard from a slave ship when he appeared too sick to survive. The maroon community includes escaped slaves as well as many indigenous Caribs, whose population had been restricted to two islands in a French-English treaty, which the British broke, annexing the two islands in 1763. The new arrivals hike up to an outlook and meet the peglegged Bargy Beard, who says he is just preparing to send his parrot down with a message: a small British ship is being smashed by the surf. One survivor is found and the dead are buried. Jack Sparrow volunteers to return the survivor to the British fort, looking to exchange a good deed for a détente with the British. This fails. Admiral Pinehole jails Jack Sparrow. The fort is also where Rose’s mother, Rosalina, resides. Having defeated her captors, the British transported Rosalina to the fort, where she is now the Admiral’s war bride. She is also a spy, and her information about a wave of slave ships--the British are planning to increase sugar production--is passed along to the dapper rogue, Henry Johnson, who also pays a visit to Jack Sparrow. Rosalina's information allows a mercenary group called the Thom-folk to intercept and liberate a slave ship. The Africans are delivered to the Island of Voices where Bjorn welcomes them to the maroon community.
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 10: The journey of Inez
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 11: Bjorn's middle passage
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 12: View from the watchtower
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 13: Sole survivor
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 14: On the contrary
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 15: A Sparrow's cage
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 16: One less page
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 17: Liberation
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 18 (credits): New roots
Season Three
As the maroon community contemplates how the small British contingent—though spotted upon arrival—had located the boucan hideout, the community is surprised by a seemingly random but savage attack. Meanwhile, Admiral Pinehole welcomes a new Commodore, William Pierce, to the British forces. Attending the welcome, Rosalina learns about a British informant in the maroon community. On the Island of Voices, Vander makes a symbolic break with the past and Effel reports a potentially informative encounter with the spirited palm tree, Babble-wabble. Commodore Pierce launches an attack with his man-o-war, but the maroon community is aided by a timely arrival by the Thom-folk, who are there to pass on the news of an informant from Rosalina. A group of Africans assure local safety, but as the British advantage becomes clear to the maroon community, the cohort decides upon a risky move. Admiral Pinehole becomes suspicious of Rosalina. The British and the maroon community swap attacks. Rosalina and Jack Sparrow rejoin the maroon community, who can no longer return to the Island of Voices. The maroon leaders must decide on a destination. Commodore Pierce proves to be more ambitious than even Admiral Pinehole accounted for.
As the maroon community contemplates how the small British contingent—though spotted upon arrival—had located the boucan hideout, the community is surprised by a seemingly random but savage attack. Meanwhile, Admiral Pinehole welcomes a new Commodore, William Pierce, to the British forces. Attending the welcome, Rosalina learns about a British informant in the maroon community. On the Island of Voices, Vander makes a symbolic break with the past and Effel reports a potentially informative encounter with the spirited palm tree, Babble-wabble. Commodore Pierce launches an attack with his man-o-war, but the maroon community is aided by a timely arrival by the Thom-folk, who are there to pass on the news of an informant from Rosalina. A group of Africans assure local safety, but as the British advantage becomes clear to the maroon community, the cohort decides upon a risky move. Admiral Pinehole becomes suspicious of Rosalina. The British and the maroon community swap attacks. Rosalina and Jack Sparrow rejoin the maroon community, who can no longer return to the Island of Voices. The maroon leaders must decide on a destination. Commodore Pierce proves to be more ambitious than even Admiral Pinehole accounted for.
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 19: The many voices
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 20: The new commodore
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 21: Burning the past
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 22: The battle
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 23: Rosalina's message
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 24: Revelations
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 25: Two attacks
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 26: The few sentence coup
The Escape of Pirate Rose, Chapter 27 (credits): Scattered ensemble