This is part two of a two-part conversation I had with Rehema Kibugi & Mwalimu Mbatia on their passion for teaching & learning Kikuyu and how that has sparked Rehema's interest in writing.

Rehema Kibugi is only 13 years old and already, she has the title -Child Author to her name. Her book 'The Children who Saved the Mangrove published in April this year is a 56-page story about a boy called Kamau who learns about mangroves and how they help the environment. Then one day, he comes across people cutting them. 

In this episode, Rehema reads the email response that Prof. Ngugi was Thiong'o wrote to her then speaks about her love for language and stories as she shares what it feels like being an author and what inspired her to write the book.

Her book is available on Amazon 

This podcast has been made possible due to the support of EUNIC Kenya

He taught English and science for 30 years. Upon retirement, he has found a new passion for teaching Gĩkũyũ (Kikuyu) to both young and old via zoom.

Her quest to learn her mother tongue set her on a path to discover and take pride in her identity. It also gave her the words and the courage to write to Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong'o. At only 13 years old, she recently became a child author. Her book; The children who saved the mangrove.

In  Part 1 of this Episode, Mwalimu Mbatia and Rehema Kibugi share a story of how their paths crossed, their shared passion for African languages, our identity & heritage as Africans.

Find the English & Kikuyu versions of my poem 'Breath' featured on this podcast on my website 

Following an 8 year break, we are back!!

In this first episode of Season 2, I reconnected with an old friend in the Kenyan creative space, Chief Nyamweya- Creative Director of Freehand Studios and a self-educated artist whose work fuses storytelling, Illustration and animation to explore history, technology and creativity. 

Our conversation centred around the new Netflix series Yasuke, the fact that he (Yasuke was a real person) and the first African and non -Japanese  Samurai. We also asked the question, is this a new dawn for black characters in animation even as Chief spoke on black animation heroes, the importance of representation, the state of African animation and the intersection between history and animation.

Dennis Inkwa is one of Kenya's most talented yet uncelebrated contemporary poets. Dennis and I started out in the Kenyan poetry writing and performance scene circa 2006 and even formed a collective called Mstari wa Nne together with Grand Master Masese, Leon Kiptum and Michael Kwambo. He joined me to speak on his journey into poetry, how he's able to pluck his poetry even from Instagram posts and why politicians piss him off. Also featured are the musicians Fatoumata Diawara and Dan Chizi Aceda

Mark Joshua Ouma, better known as Teardrops, is a Kenyan spoken word artist based in Nairobi.  As he was transitioning from acting and breaking into the Kenyan Poetry scene, I had a sit down with him. Back then, he had not yet become a household name. His passion and will to explore this newfound love was strong. Listen as he performs two of his poems.

Did you know that there was a time one of Kenya's best selling books, My Life in Crime was to be made into a movie. I spoke to the director and cast on this project. I also feature some Kenyan Poetry, as well as Carol Atemi's musical journey as I explore the Afro Soul sound.

This is part two of my conversation with Buddha Blaze- an events promoter and cultural consultant about the Kenyan Music Industry as well as the state of the live concert scene. 

I spoke to Buddha Blaze, an events promoter and cultural consultant in a two-part series about the Kenyan Music Industry as well as the state of the live concert scene. Here is part one 

Niaje!!

I've been blogging since 2004 and KenyanPoet.com is where I share my work and where I cover news & information on arts & culture.

This first episode aired on July 6th, 2011, as I launched this podcast to feature news & information on Kenya's arts & culture scene with in-studio performances, interviews, discussions peppered with music and poetry.

After a long break, am excited to be back!

This new generation is unafraid to use its voices, hands and bodies to imagine, mould and create its own reality. Their work and expressions are reaching across all divides as they interrogate the past and re-imagine what it means to be an African today. 

Join me as I engage my fellow creatives, thinkers, makers, and builders for candid conversations on how they weaving their own thread in this awakened Africa.

Follow me on social media @KenyanPoet everywhere.