Somali’s have been called a ‘Nation of Poets’ thanks to the importance poetry enjoys within their culture. The PTC has been translating Somali poetry for close to two decades. In this workshop we continue our infatuation with this Somali verse by inviting Ibrahim Hirsi, a digital Somali cultural archivist to introduce us to new poetry from the horn of Africa. Poet TBC.
Guest-translator – Ibrahim Hirsi
Ibrahim Hirsi is a student, writer and peer researcher for the Centre for Mental Health. A digital Somali cultural archivist and independent researcher; his writings explore the changes that occurred in Somali culture and society during colonialism and to the present day. His work has appeared in PBLJ and he has worked as a consultant on Asmaa Jama’s interactive short film Before We Disappear.
Facilitator – Kọ́lá Túbọ̀súna
Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún is a Nigerian writer who has worked for many years as a linguist (recently at Google), lexicographer (at Oxford English Dictionary), Fulbright scholar (Southern Illinois University), schoolteacher, and currently Chevening Research Fellow at the British Library in London. In 2016, he was the recipient of the “Special Prize” of Premio Ostana, given for work in indigenous language advocacy. His collection of poetry, published in 2018, is titled Edwardsville by Heart.
Please note: This workshop was originally scheduled for Monday the 4th of March.
