Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa. She lives with her whole family in a wonderful house. There is always someone to laugh and play with. She loves to splash in the sea with her cousins and have parties with her aunties. But more than anything else in the world, Anna Hibiscus would love to see snow. Hear all about it from the great storyteller and writer, Atinuke!
Children and parents
An exclusive behind-the-scenes guided tour with the curators of the various exhibitions. Meet at the Museum Customer Service Desk and collect your voucher.
#SmallFates are the little tragedies in life that we miss, or glance over. They are about the small fates of ordinary people. They are life in raw:
With a razor blade, Sikiru, of Ijebu Ode, who was tired of life, separated himself from his male organ. But death eluded him.
There were 119 first-class graduates from the University of Lagos this year, some of whom deserved it.
The #smallfates initiator Teju Cole is joined by consultant Ross Van Horn and Keguro Macharia, blogger and professor to talk about the #smallfates that have trended across the world.
A conversation between the heads of the poetry families on the past, present and future of Kenyan poetry. A discussion on style, art, written vs performance poetry, the future of Spoken Word and the business of poetry.
Renowned conservationist, Festival Director and National Geographic explorer, Paula Kahumbu talks about the stupidity of wearing ivory and why killing elephants is murder.
Journalist, writer and proud dad, Jackson Biko interviews a surprise guest about their life and times, their hurdles and triumphs.
Families
Jenny’s wonderful series of family stories featuring the mishaps and shenanigans of the irrepressible five-year-old Iggy, seen through the eyes of big sister Flo. Jenny hosts this creative workshop of collage-making and capers.
6–9 years with parents
A fun writing workshop where you will learn how to breathe life into the characters that you dream up. Find out how to make your monsters scarier, your villains more evil and your superheroes even more powerful!
10–13 years with parents
Who are your ancestors? How well do you know your lineage? What does a 2 million year-old elephant have to do with any of this? Wanjiku, fondly known as Mama Porini, guides this interactive session.
10+ years with parents
Zimbabwean Peter Godwin is author of Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa, a memoir about growing up in Southern Rhodesia in the 1960s and 1970s during the Rhodesian Bush War. It was described by the Boston Globe as ‘devastatingly brilliant’ and ‘one of the best memoirs to come out of Africa’. Kenyan author Juliet Barnes wrote The Ghosts of Happy Valley, a history of Kenya’s Happy Valley houses, in which she explores their ‘tragedy, scandal and dubious legacy’. They swap stories about growing up White African. In conversation with our favourite black mzungu, John Sibi-Okumu.
A truly beautiful children's production inspired by Ben Okri. The beautiful Starbird loves her tiny little starchicks and every evening when the sun sets, she flies up, up, up into the sky to light up the stars until they sing, giggle and glow. But when a greedy hunter enters her magical forest, her whole world changes forever…Powerful storytelling theatre with a dazzling fusion of music from around the world, story, dance, stunning costume and puppetry.
6+ years and families
Portrayal of women by the media is still so chauvinistic, outdated and playing to stereotypes. This panel fiercely debates what can be done to change attitudes and improve the portrayal of women in the media.
Author of The Honey Guide Richard Crompton talks about his unputdownable fictional murder mystery set in Kenya in the aftermath of the post-election violence. Kinyanjui Kombani, author of The Last Villains of Molo, set against the background of the 1991 so-called tribal clashes in Molo, examines the role of children in the conflict, and shows the predicament of the young people, who were only children then but who are now adults with questions in their minds, and anger in their hearts. They talk to the broadcaster and reader Nicola Miyawa Munene.
NaiNiWho is a 3-month festival of neighborhood festivals - 12 festivals in all covering 12 neighborhood zones in Nairobi. Nairobi was in the spotlight, sharing who we are the real Nairobians, warts and all! And celebrating our specialness! The most lively participants from their sessions share their experiences about the Nairobi they live in, and explore how we can all get involved in improving our neighbourhoods to create the Nairobi we want.
Come and learn how to instill valuable life skills in your children through books and stories. Join Agneter (teacher, mother and Director of Storyhippo Creative Arts Programme) and Millie (children’s book author, storyteller and Reading Revolutionary) in this inspiring and valuable session.
Parents
Álvaro trained as a dancer in New York and was soon dancing professionally across the globe. But instead of pursuing this career he returned home to teach contemporary dance to children from disadvantaged areas of Cartagena. Colegio del Cuerpo teaches students about all aspects of their body and how to lead creative, fulfilling lives. Be prepared to learn some dance moves.
Breaking news: Hot off their South African tour in October, the Colombian dance group Colegio del Cuerpo led by Alvaro will perform in Kenya. Attendees of this session will get the first chance to book their tickets for his show in October.
Families
Learn all the hot secrets for dramatizing this science-fiction book.
14–18 years
Ghanaian poet Kofi Awoonor was arrested in the 1970s for helping a soldier accused of trying to overthrow the military government and was imprisoned without trial. The House by the Sea is about his time in jail. Ghanaian poet and professor Kwame Dawes won an Emmy Award for his project documenting HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, a film interspersed with poetry, photography and music. Patrick Gathara is one of Kenya’s bravest cartoonists, whose blog is a must read -www.gathara.blogspot.com. Kenyan performance scholar and renowned storyteller, Mshai Mwangola is the former chairperson of the Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Centre. Join Mshai Mwangola as she leads this discussion about using art to transform society.
Warsan Shire won the first ever Brunel University African Poetry Prize. Two of the sensational Somalian poet’s biggest fans chat with Warsan about her life story, her eclectic approach to art, and the relationship between poet and audience. Warsan will read and perform her work.
We honour literary heroes who have trail-blazed literature in Kenya, charted the path for new narratives, and bravely recorded our stories. They explore how Kenyan literature has developed since Independence – what came before, what came after, and what can be expected for the future.