Extempo and storytelling at Carifesta

A rich swathe of talent is rocking the Carifesta XIV literary programme. The NGC Bocas Lit Fest, on behalf of Carifesta XIV, excitedly welcomed award-winning Kenya author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who spoke at the of launch of the Lines of Life project and memorial lecture at the University of the West Indies on Saturday. Ngugi will close the New Daughters of Africa event tomorrow from 6-7.30 pm.

The literary programme, featuring daily back-to-back readings at the Grand Market in the Savannah, got off to a heady start with TT writer Earl Lovelace on Saturday evening, joined over the weekend by a host of favourite local and prize-winning regional writers. And to bring down the curtain on an ambitious and unprecedented literature programme on August 24 at 4 pm, will be Paul Keens-Douglas, presenting his inimitable talk tent style event Let’s Tell Stories.

Brian London

In between, oral tradition adherents are getting their fix with midnight robber renditions and pieces inspired by the classic bookman folk character and tonight at 6 pm with an amusing but trenchant Extempo Debate between Myron B, 2018 Extempo Monarch, and current Monarch Brian London – the debate is a very popular fixture in TT’s annual literary festival the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, and for Carifesta XIV will focus on What Caribbean Means and the elusive unity that we seek.

Among the stars still to come in the festival lineup are 2017 winner of the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature: Jamaican Kei Miller and 2019 winner Kevin Adonis Browne, for High Mas. Browne will be reading as part of the cultural showcase, Umoja: Thicker Than Water, tonight at Queen’s Hall at 7 pm.

The Friday evening lime at 6 pm in the Book Fair tent will feature the some of best spoken word performers in the region.

Showcasing their clever art will be a host of winners of the annual First Citizens National Poetry Slam and visiting performers of this hugely popular genre of speaking out.

With over 100 confirmed readers of fiction, non-fiction, spoken word performance, and poetry, including prize-winning writers, taking part in the Open Mic and curated sessions daily from 12 pm, there are dozens of readers daily and something in every genre for each appreciative ear.

There’s also the chance to meet the authors and buy their books at the Grand Market Book Fair in the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Patrons can access and download the full festival programme via the official app, available for both Android (Google Play) and Apple (iOS) and get the detailed literary programme at www.bocaslitfest.com/carifesta.

It’s all free and no tickets are required for literary events.

Comments

"Extempo and storytelling at Carifesta"

More in this section