Kenya Hosts 3rd Edition of Macondo Literary Festival

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2023

Anja Bengelstorff (L) and Yvonne A Owuor. PHOTO | MACONDO LITERARY FESTIVAL

By KARI MUTU

Nairobi welcomes back the Macondo Literary Festival for its third edition, the event having survived Covid-19 and proved a favourite among Kenyan book lovers. Taking place on September 15-17, the festival expects 11 guest authors, comprising different Black writers living in Africa and abroad.

For the first time, all the language zones of Africa are represented, with writers from Arab, English, French, and Portuguese-speaking nations. On the author list is Leila Aboulela, a Sudanese-British writer and inaugural winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing, South African novelist Masande Ntshanga, and Angolan writer-musician, Kalaf Epalanga.

Macondo is the brainchild of award-winning Kenyan author Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor and journalist Anja Bengelstorff.

The first Macondo Festival in 2019 had both English and Portuguese-speaking writers. Translators interpret for the non-English speaking authors and festival attendees, but each author must have a book published in English. The author panel is small, and the festival remains modest in size, in keeping with the founders’ vision of an intimate ‘boutique’ literary event with strong levels of engagement.

“Festivalgoers can engage with our guests, take photos and have their books signed because the authors were not shying away,” said Bengelstorff.

The author panel is small, and the festival remains modest in size, in keeping with the founders’ vision of an intimate ‘boutique’ literary event with strong levels of engagement. “Festivalgoers can engage with our guests, take photos and have their books signed because the authors were not shying away,” said Bengelstorff.