Library Of Africa And The African Diaspora has selected Ghanaian movement artist and scholar, Kwame Boafo as the inaugural LOATAD Professor Ian H. Munro Fellow.
In his words, Kwame Boafo says:
“During this Fellowship, I want to explore how African dramatists have dealt with the subject of rituals and their performativity. I find it fascinating that the African life trajectory is saturated with rituals from birth to death. Rituals have served as portals through which Africans have produced, retained, evolved, and foregrounded their narratives, shaping identities and communities. By examining the works of African dramatists, I aim to uncover the multifaceted ways in which rituals serve as cultural markers and as mechanisms for preserving African aesthetics and resistance against external influences.
This textual exploration will shed light on the rich tapestry of African literature and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of African ritual practices. I plan to use Wole Soyinka’s Death and The King’s Horseman as an entry point to explore the intricate relationship between ritual and the collective African community. Soyinka’s play delves into the contentious nature of tradition, colonialism and modernity, highlighting how rituals can both reify and challenge existing structures”.
He proceeded with this:
“By undertaking a close reading of the characters’ interactions with rituals, I hope to gain insights into the broader spiritual and social effect of rituals. Does the writer use ritual as an artistic makeup to enhance the plot or as an important avenue that extends the existence of the community? I intend to expand on rituals beyond the writings to understand what constitutes rituals and what kinds of social affect they produce for contemporary Africans. Examining this will provide a nuanced understanding of how rituals are used to demonstrate the potentiality of African imagined futures and their adaptability in the face of global atrocities”.
Kwame Boafo was born in Accra, Ghana, and holds a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from the National University of Singapore. He is trained as a performance maker and researcher. Kwame’s performance and movement experience started with the breakdance. He became interested in exploring the limits of the body in 2015 and partnered with Bulgarian poet Yasen Vasilev to co-create his first solo performance, NUTRICULA, in Shanghai.
To find out more about Kwame Boafo, click here
Congratulations Kwame!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
