Meet the contributors! Literary scholars from the Universities of Bremen and Makerere will join other authors from both cities to review, contextualize, and generally contribute to the talks in January. If you are a writer from Bremen or Kampala, join in the debates. Contact us to get your own profile and introduce yourself and your work to a wider audience! Or contribute without a profile – regardless of your place of writing!
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Carolin Falke
VitaI was trying hard to start off my vita with something creative but I couldn´t think of anything, so I´ll just do it the classic way: 26 years old and having made myself quite comfortable in Bremen within the past five years I recently started studiying Transnational Literature Science (MA) in University. Before that I completed my Bachelors degree in Cultural Science and Politics and all in all I try my best to juggle all that with taking care of my 2-year-old son.
I don´t write.
It is rather my aim to work on the other side of literature in the publishing/distributing field, but at present it feels as if this was still way to go.ProjectsMy garden!
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Philipp Boehm
VitaPhilipp Boehm was born in Ludwigshafen in 1988 and grew up in the small towns of the South. He started studying in Jena where we was also the chief editor of the local student's newspaper "Akrützel" for one year. Later he moved on to Bremen, where he is finishing his master thesis right now. He has published short stories in different magazines and received the "Bremer Autorenstipendium" in 2014.
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Mariya Nikolova
VitaNAMES: Chagall has a painting called La Mariee but that is not how I spell my name and I was never one either.
WORK: The roughest biographical sketch would be to admit that I try to button up what I see with open eyes and with closed, too, in a book (unborn still... is it not deconstructive to admire Bacon for the way he cuts and ravages the oil on canvas and still swallow more words than I spit and hell on paper?!?)
INTERESTS: writing, photography and dedicating my energy to (finding shelter, food and something other than death and hunger to push under the ribcage) for stray animals (in Bulgaria, in particular, for that is where I learnt to be) do give me the sensation that I can sketch this here and call it a vita. And then not.
EDUCATION: I chose to study Literature and Political Science in Bremen because of the thunder at the edges of my mouth, then, with time (which was notime), I had to admit that learning silence first (in writing, too, which is thunder, and tender, and loneliness) was more radical for growing up .... and so, I continue my studies with Transnational Literature, Theatre and Film in this place, as Daumal says, which 'has only three exits, sir, Madness and Death'
ProjectsI am writing my master thesis at the moment, anything else if not directly at least vaguely (as a winter sun) is connected these days to this.
Website www.marrri-nikolova.tumblr.com/ -
Kitooke Amoni
VitaI am a teacher of English Language and Literature. I hold a B. A. Arts with Education, English Language and Literature of Makerere University. My career interests are:
- African Oral Literature and Theatrical Performances
- Ministering with children and child-related projects
- Teaching English Language and Literature
- Film (especially African Cinema)
- Social Anthropology for Development
- Language Documentation and Description (especially African endangered languages)
- Creative Writing -
Joel Benjamin Ntwatwa
VitaI was born in Kampala. Went to school at Makerere College (1998-2003) where I discovered and engaged myself in creative writing. This is also where I joined British Council's Crossing Borders' Scheme. I joined university in 2004 at Makerere and did a Bachelor in Information Technology.
My short stories and poetry are not published except on my blog - or other writing sites like somanystories.ug. I am compiling some of my best poetry for publishing later this year or next year.
Some of the best works I have read are from Albert Camus, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Arthur Koestler, Homer, Okot P Bitek.
I keep on discovering great writing from Africa and around the world and love to be part of the art that Literature is in telling stories and maintaining a soul for the world.ProjectsCrossing Borders British Council
Uganda Bloggers 7 DaysWebsite nevender.wordpress.com -
Jutta Reichelt
VitaIn 1967 born and grown up in Bonn, I live since 1989 in Bremen.
In February, 2015 my new novel "Wiederholte Verdächtigungen" appears with Klöpfer & Meyer.
Herta Müller held the eulogy when I received in 2001 the „Würth-Literatur-Preis“. In 2007 my short story antholgy "Zufälle" appeared, in 2008 the novel "Nebenfolgen". In the same year I get the price of the jury of X. Irseer Pegasus.
For different institutions I have developed writing workshops and writing projects and have carried out.
For many years I play with Blaumeier (an art and psychiatry project) mask theatre.Paid attention: Unfortunately, my knowledge of English is limited very much, why I depend on the support of automatic translation facilities. Are lenient please ;-)
ProjectsI work alternately (and sometimes without noticing it) in my third novel, to a children's book and various shorter texts (from one could become of it maybe also a play).
Besides, within the scope of a teaching assignment at the university of Bremen I support students in the master course of studies "Palliative Care" to develop individual Blogs in which they write among other things about her practise experiences, her research interests and „everything what is still unclearly“.
Website juttareichelt.com -
Cynthia Pacutho
VitaBorn Cynthia Elaine Fuambe Pacutho on the 26th of February, 1981 in Kampala Uganda, writing is a hobby in which I use Poetry on the spur of a moment, anywhere, anytime, to reflect what I see and hear.
I still love the comfort of Pen and Paper, in spite of the technology age I live.
Some of my Peotry pieces have been critiqued at FEMRITE's weekly Readers' and Writers' club and in the past I have won 3rd place in a national high school poetry competition and written several pieces for my high school North American Association.
When I am not writing, I am singing and my 9-5 job takes me places in and around Uganda which inspires more writing.ProjectsPart of the 2015 Free Lance Writers' team for The Knowledge Management Company|ICT Creatives Consultancy.
Website www.cynthialyyours@wordpress.com -
Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva
VitaBeverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva is a Ugandan poet, actress and writer and founder of the Babishai Niwe (BN) Poetry Foundation which is a foundation that coordinates annual poetry competitions for African poets, publishes poetry and conducts trainings and poetry camps.
In 2010, she was first runner-up in the international erbacce-press poetry competition and her chapbook collection, Unjumping, was published by erbacce-press in the same year. In 2012, she received a Distinction in Masters in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in the UK. She enjoys travelling and has travelled widely for poetry and leadership engagements. Her work has appeared in Drumvoices Revue, Kwani? Postcolonial journal, Lawino Magazine, Short Story Day Africa New Black Magazine and many others and translated into Luganda, French, Portuguese and Kiswahiili. She is Uganda’s 2014 BBC Commonwealth Games Poet for the poem, Lake Nalubaale, which can be read here, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p020h4j7.
She currently lives in Kampala with her husband and children and is working on her first novel, Elgona.Website www.bnpoetryaward.co.ug -
Ian Watson
VitaIan was born in Belfast but has now spent most of his life in Bremen, Northern Germany, where he worked as a senior lecturer in Creative Writing and British and Irish Literature. Alongside his scholarly work and non-fiction, he has published poems, articles and literary translations in anthologies and magazines as far apart as Honest Ulsterman, Stint, Prairie Schooner, Hard Times and Cyphers. He has also done radio feature work and is the co-author of the documentary "Cool to be Celtic" on Irish popular music, co-produced for French and German television. He still teaches literary writing freelance in schools and in adult education. For twenty years he edited newleaf magazine and ran newleaf press, which published writing in English from Germany and abroad. He is a steering committee member of the Virtuelles Literaturhaus Bremen. He has published two books of poetry -- "Kurzpass|Spiel" (German) and "Riverbank City | A Bremen Canvas" -- and his collection "Granny’s Interpreter" is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry in Ireland.
ProjectsHe is currently working on two book projects: one on football in Ireland and Germany with a strong cultural-historical and autobiographical slant; and a new poetry collection with the working title "Field Markings".
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Gloria Kiconco
VitaGloria Kiconco was born in Rukungiri, Uganda in 1990. She supports her passion for writing and reciting poetry through her work as a journalist and editor.
She has been very active on the poetry scene in Kampala where she was a frequent performer at Bonfire poetry nights. She performed with the well known Ugandan activist and poet, Ugly Emcee, during the 9th Wapi festival in 2009 and was awarded winner at Slam Africa poetry slam in Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya in 2010.
After two years away from the poetry scene, Gloria returned to performing in 2014 with Poetry in Session, a growing platform for Ugandan poets.In the same year she collaborated with renown Ugandan filmaker Dilman Dila (Felistas Fable, The Sound of One Leg Dancing) on a poetry video project.
Outside of her work, Gloria has volunteered as a primary school teacher in Nairobi, Kenya and taught poetry in Mukono, Uganda with at risk adolescent girls.
ProjectsShe is compiling and editing her first anthology, Potential to Kinetic (working title).
Website rhymesbythereams.wordpress.com -
Sophie Alal
VitaSophie Alal is a feminist, lawyer, writer and cultural critic. She publishes at Deyu African, a cultural heritage initiative. Her poetry has appeared in FEMRITE'S Painted Voices: A Collage of Art and Poetry (2008) and Beyond the Dance (2009). She won the 2010 Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award with Making Modern Love. Her short stories have been published in the Kalahari Review, Lawino Magazine and her critical reviews can be accessed online in magazines like AfricanColours and START journal.
ProjectsCommunity Micro Libraries to feed the reading aspirations of communities who would otherwise have few reading materials.
A home gardening project to preserve drought resilient traditional food crops from disappearing.
Publishing new writing and nurturing new talent through mentorship.
Website deyuafrican.com/ -
Onyang Samuel Jenna
VitaBorn the first born in a family of Six in Tororo, small town in Eastern Uganda, I recently completed my bachelor of science in Biosysystems Engineering from Gulu University. Despite pursuing engineering professionally, i have had a passion for writing and poetry with over 12 books and 400 poems
i have also worked with young people especially the youth in a country where we have been reduced to dependents.. my dream is to change someone's life through the gifts and talents that God has given me, poetry and writing. i recently launched my first book "what is your dream" and am currently working on my next book, Ghost in my home. as a writer, i am looking forward to learning more from everyoneProjectsi have authored a total of 12 books "what is your dream", "Ghost in my home","get inspired live a positive life", "desperate tears,"wild on my own", "astray in the wind", "my will my destiny", "tomorrow is another day", "a walk in my shoes", over 400 poems and several other books
Website www.facebook.com/onyangpoetry