Sannu Book Release
One of the fun things I get to do apart from work and family life, is to be a part of a voluntary organisation called
Mer BarnKultur which is a swedish organisation aims to
- promote the provision of children’s culture with a modern African-Swedish perspective
- support and publish children’s books with a modern African-Swedish perspective
- and thereby create role models and work against Afrophobia in society
and I am lucky enough to sit on the board! so last week, on behalf of MeR barnkultur I attended the book release for '
Sannu ', a beautiful poetry compilation by Mariama Jobe
Mariama won the title of 'Örtens Poet', in 2016, aged 20 and continues to evoke and provoke through her words and eloquence.
It was an unconcentional event,
more intimate and moving, and here is my review:
Sannu exceeds all expectation,
It is a poetry book of love, of strength, of girlhood
It is the story of us.
Mariama Jobe, penned down intimate words which reflect the lives we live as people from the African diaspora
Lives so absent from the books, the library’s, the narratives we exist in.
Last week, in a brightly lit space, with grey concrete walls,
I attended the books release together with a crowd of up to 100 people.
There were little toddlers, teenagers, families and grandparents present.
It was not the conventional space, book or event.
There were three other small business owners,
Kekere, Mixed Grill Banjul, and Mam Foon.
All of Gambian Swedish heritage, collaborating with Mariama Jobe in this unique celebration of art and culture.
There were large prints displayed by Sofia Runarsdotter which evoked the sisterhood present in the room that day.
Mariama’s mum served us all some amazing benechin, we all settled down for a conversation with the author.
Mariama is grace.
Her words, so fluid, are expressed through her lips, in the sway of her hips and right down to her fingers as she tells us her story and reads us a few passages.
There is much to be felt in the pages of her book.
Through the laughter, and tears we shared a truly unique and intimate moment.
Mariama invites her reader into her world and we get to meet some of her friends too.
She invited the artist Natalia Murobha to read an evocative passage from the book
A passage recounting childhood in care, wanting to be loved,
to motherhood and sharing forbidden love.
The poet Briar Rose also performed a few pieces around self love.
Sannu, feels like the book we have all been waiting for
A book that felt intimate in a room of strangers,
A book the signals to the wind of change on the Swedish literary landscape.
