Katriina Ranne joined us for a workshop on poetry in Swahili by Kithaka wa Mberia from Kenya. Kithaka wa Mberia will be the third Swahili poet Katriina has introduced to us. Her earlier workshops have been fascinating experiences through which we’ve learned a great deal about Swahili poetry and culture and this latest workshop was no exception. We translated the powerful poem ‘Blood Sunday’, a knotty, complex political poem that demanded an great deal of thought and conversation.
Our poetry translation workshops are one of the PTC’s core activities. Through them we’ve first encountered some of the poets we’ve gone on to translate, publish and record at length. A significant number of the poets who’ve visited the UK to take part in our tours were introduced to us by a translator bringing their poems to a workshop.
The workshops are open to anyone who can contribute a translation of a poem by a living African, Asian or Latin American poet who has an established reputation in their own language.
Workshops are free but places are limited so advance booking is essential. If you’ve not attended one of our workshops before, please read this before booking a place.
