Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda is set to kick off Goethe-Institut Namibia’s “Virtually Yours” on Saturday, March 13, 2020. She will be moderated by Zukiswa Wanner.
Virtually Yours is a new series that brings you to the centre of contemporary African literature with discussions between leading African authors curated by Zukiswa Wanner and hosted by Goethe-Namibia. The series kicked off in 2020 and featured among others Niq Mhlongo, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, and Tendai Huchu.
The 2021 edition of the Goethe-Institut Namibia series starts on Zoom this Saturday, March 13.
“Our goal for 2021 is to have each of the interested Goethe-Institut’s in Sub Saharan Africa organise and host their own edition of the Virtual Gatherings, and tap into the potential that writing poses in terms of connecting Africa, its people and also the rest of the world,” said Head of Library and Information at Goethe-Institut Namibia, Detlef Pfeifer.
The first edition features Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda from Zambia and her first publication No Be from Hia, which Pfeifer said is a stellar start to the Virtual Gatherings of 2021. “Her book explores familial relations – aspects that have become more important during the Corona times – and migration from Africa to Europe during the 1960s and back after independence, which is something many families in Africa can relate to,” he said.
No Be from Hia tells the story of a Jamaican-Nigerian and Zambian family brought together in migration to the UK during the 1960s before separation by death, divorce and return to Africa after the colonial era began coming to an end. The new and younger generations can tell the stories of themselves and those of the previous generations that they witnessed growing up.
“My first book explores the relationships between home and the cousinship of diaspora and Africa. I hope this perspective provides more value today than ten years ago, because I’m almost certain that there will be multiple and larger diasporic generations who will wonder where they belong, and have to interrogate where they are now and where they want to be,” she said.
The Virtual Gathering will be held on Zoom and interested persons may register by submitting their name and mobile number to library.windhoek@goethe.de with “virtual” as the subject before receiving a link and further information.
