Event: Ake Arts & Book Festival, Lagos (24-27 October)

By Africa in Words on 16 October , 2019 • ( 0 )

The theme for the 7th Edition of the Ake Arts and Book Festival is Black Bodies | Grey Matter.

Ideas and ideals abound on the shape and form of the African body, but these are rarely formulated by those to whom the bodies belong. At Ake Festival this year, the aim is to examine the physical, mental and emotional violence that has been and is being inflicted on black bodies, particularly those of women through conflict, colonialism, patriarchy, cultural practices, and attitudes.

The 2019 Ake Arts and Book Festival will explore the nexus between the mental and the physical, and explore specific phenomena such as scarification, body image, tattoos, stereotyping, gender nonconformity, and colourism. Special attention will be given to issues around mental health on the African continent.

A few highlights

On Friday 25^th:

Panel Discussion
Historical Fiction for Today’s Africa
With Tunde Leye, Jennifer Makumbi, Wayétu Moore

Interview
Life and Times Series
With Tsitsi Dangarembga

On Saturday 26^th:

Book Chat
With Uzodinma Iweala and Thando Mgqolozana

Panel Discussion
The Gender Binary and Everything In Between
With Emmanuela David-Ette, and Babalwa Mtshawu Tom

On Sunday 27^th:

Panel Discussion
Are Women Dominating African Speculative Fiction?
With Nnedi Okorafor, Temi Oh, and Mohale Mashigo

The Poetry Event
With Gbenga Adesina, Onias Landveld, Logan February, Wana Udobang, TJ Dema, Itiola Jones, and Tanya Evanson

….And there is so much more to look forward to, including tribute sessions on remembering Toni Morrison, film screenings, and performances.

Ake 2016: Image courtesy of Ake

Find and download the Ake 2019 programme here.

You can find out much more about Ake 2019 on the website, including more about the festival’s venue(s), and who is attending this year in Lagos.

Follow Ake Festival on Twitter: @akefestival #AkeFest19 and on Facebook: @AkeFestival

Now in its 7th year, Ake Arts and Book Festival has brought over 400 artists, writers, poets, musicians, dancers and thinkers together in Abeokuta and now in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Organised by the Book Buzz Foundation, Ake Festival is four days of cultural immersion.