Le Newsletteur
When younger, for my friends and I, the month of October was one we’d have to craft meticulously. There was deffo a Halloween party at the end of the month, and as a teenager, not being there felt like signing up to be in the front of the bus. But God forbid Maman lets me go celebrate American demons and ghosts in a stranger’s house (the beauty of existing between private schools with Western culture, and living in a religious African community).
So you see, from the beginning of the month my friends and I, would come together and set a game plan. Chores, homework, Sunday School attendance and max devotion during Church worship. We had 20 school days, 4 Sundays, and if we were lucky, an overnight prayer to get a perfect score. It was maybe the only test that mattered during the month, because when the time came to ask for permission to go to the party, there had to be no reason for Maman and the Tantine’s to say no. This was my mission impossible. Bref, long story short, they always found a reason to say no anyway. I missed more Halloween parties than I attended, and it just so happens that it was not the end of the world.
Today, at my big age, I don’t need to ask permission, but I wonder if we even need to go to a party disguised as anything scary when the monsters have come out from under the bed, raining terror, murdering and abusing women, killing arbitrarily, and making orphans.
Maman, you were right, the party is no fun anyway.
*Deep breath* I promise there is more light-hearted content in the October Newsletteur, but how can one not address the misery all around. It’s good to be writing again, and big bless if you are reading this.
** You can now listen to me read out Le Newsletteur, voiceover track is above the title **
Here’s the recap:
Recent : Performing 3 nights in March 2025
Upcoming : Barbara Wangui EP - Shorts (music)
Village Highlight : Nteranya’s book ”From Birthing Waters” - is making waves
Musings : Preserve joy
Recent Work
It is hhhhooofficiall! Your boy is set to perform his first ever solo theatre performance, for 3 nights in March 2025, at Zinnema in Brussels. It’s actually crazy and I have so much to say, but I’ll stick to this for now: being at the kickoff event for the cultural season and seeing my name and the project printed in the official season catalogue was honestly special!
So mark your calendars, you have 6 months to plan and be there, March 21, 22 & 23. Come catch ‘The Illusion of Choice - a migrants experience’, in Brussels, Belgium.
Also, I had the opportunity to participate in a creative campaign for De Grid, a workspace for creatives here in Brussels. We did a photoshoot for the campaign and a had recorded group discussions on topics that impact our art. My group spoke on “The Importance of Controlling Your Narrative”. It was humbling to be around these creatives and learn from how they see narrative, and live out their creative journeys. The experience as a whole was a reminder about how the work of recording stories, and telling your own, contributes to collective identity. The world will keep spinning, so if nobody stops to write down what the view looks like today, our descendants will only ever know what they see, and will always be told how to see themselves. The last question in the discussion is the best, it asked “If you could tell your younger self what you are doing now, what would they think of you?” I’ll let you watch to see the answers.
Inspiration
Barbara Wangui’s EP - Shorts
On this side of the world it’s getting cold, the winter hoodies are out, hot chocolate is pushing on cupboard doors and i’ve got the cutest and softest acoustic EP to complete the vibes. The honesty and simplicity in Barbara’s voice is disarming. Her EP ‘Shorts’ is soft, and i’ve had the track ‘Kanyoni’ on replay.
Village Highlight
Nteranya’s book ”From Birthing Waters” - is making waves
Need spicy, plot twisting, and everyday stories from the Great Lakes? I got your fix. If you haven’t heard me rant about Nteranya, then we haven’t spoken enough. He published a book in April called “From Birthing Waters”, a collection of interweaving stories of ‘the people of Beke town’. Available as an ebook or in hard copy on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Waterstones (and all the other book places).
Recently, KENSAP (Kenya Scholar Access Program) bought a large batch for their students. Get you a copy, get your friends a copy, get your students a copy and prepare for a rollercoaster of village antics.
Musings
Preserve joy
I’ll be honest, I don’t have much to say here other than just acknowledging that, as important as it is to record and speak about the horrors happening all around us, it is also important to record, and preserve joy.
In photos, in stories, in our collective memory. For our identities not be defined by the horror we are currently seeing or experiencing. We need to do it for ourselves and our future descendents. We MUST remain multilayered, capable of weeping tears of joy and laughter, as well as pain and mourning.
Blessed October
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