Kistrech Poetry Festival - Past Festivals Reports

Details: Published: December 28, 2022

The 2022 Kistrech Poetry Festival was held from Friday 7^th to Friday 14^th October 2022. The guest poets who participated were: Karla Brundage (USA), Yolanda Castano (Spain), Chrys Salt (Scotland), Richard Macfarlane (Scotland), Gili Haimovich (Israel), Turczi István (Hungary), Niels Frank Alvarado (Denmark), Miss Sudipta Banerjee (India), Maria Dixen (Denmark), & Prof. Dr. Laksmisree Banerjee (India).

Details: Published: October 30, 2019

The poets arrived on Thursday 5^th September 2019. On Friday 6^th September 2019 the poets visited the Kenya National Museum of Kenya where they read poetry. On Saturday 6th September at 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm, poetry reading took place at Goethe Institute-Nairobi. Poets who read their poems include : Rosemarie Wilson a.k.a One Single Rose (USA), Dorothy Nyandega (Kenya), Margaret Wairimu (Kenya), Cliff Oyugi Kerage (Kenya), Karinga Wa Muchoki (Kenya), Zhao Si (China),

Details: Published: October 30, 2018

The 2018 KPF was rather an ambitious event, crammed with numerous activities and numerous movements to an extent of things not working on time and in order. The poets arrived on 1^st October 2018 and stayed at Marshpark Hotel, Nairobi.

On Tuesday 2^nd October 2018, poets travelled to Kisii, a six-hour travel from Nairobi City.

Details: Published: November 08, 2017

The Kistrech International Poetry Festival was held on Monday 2nd to Monday 9th of October 2017. Most poets managed to arrive on Monday 2nd Oct. 2017. On Tuesday 3rd October 2017, we held the opening ceremony in which Susan Hilde Jaegtnes (Norway), One Single Rose (USA), Robert Onteri Nyabuto (Kenya) and Anselm Berrigan (USA) presented their poetry. At mid-morning, a poetry workshop was conducted by Susan Hilde (Norway) and Anselm Berrigan (USA). One Single Rose (USA) also conducted a spoken-word workshop for students. After lunch, the poets visited Tabaka soapstone mine where poets bought soapstone items. The poets, One Single Rose USA) and Susan Hilde Jaegtnes (Norway) presented song items to a crowd of local people at the Tabaka shopping centre

Details: Published: January 04, 2017

The 2016 edition of Kistrech International Poetry Festival in Kenya ran from the 3rd to the 8th of October 2016. We had several guest poets, including Martin Serup (Denmark), Hagar Peeters (Netherlands), Eric Valles (Singapore), Gunnar Waerness (Norway), Sofia Erickson (Norway) Erling Kittelsen (Norway), Daniel Dugas (Canada), Valerie Leblanc (Canada), Jennifer Karmin (USA), Prof. Seth Michelson (USA), Oboido Godspower (Nigeria), Tony Mochama (Kenya), and Christopher Okemwa (Kenya), Tete Burugu (Kenya), among others. See list of participant here

Details: Published: May 09, 2016

The international poets who participated at the 1st Kistrech Poetry Festival in Kenya 2013 included Professor Malashri Lal (University of Delhi, India), Professor Sukrita Paul Kumar (University of Delhi, India), Professor Pornpen Hantrakool (Thailand), Professor Lauri Garcia Duenas (Mexico), Professor Arif Khudairi (University of Cairo), Professor Jasonas Stavrakis (Cypress), Sarah Poisson (Lithuania) and Vytautas Suslavius (Lithuania).

From South Africa we had the journalist Indra Wussow of the German radio and the famous spoken-word artist Asanda Vokwana and her two sisters. From Zimbabwe we had the poet Tendai Maduwa, and from Nigeria we had the published poet Onarinde Fiyinfoluwa.

The Kenyan poets who participated included, among many others, Peter Onyancha, Dr. Evans Nyamwaka, Dr. Fred Mbogo, Osebe Soko, Simon Oyatsi and Amos Tabalia. The Kenyan spoken-word artists—Steve Biko, Sarah Wairimu and Ken Kibet—added local flavor to the event.

Details: Published: July 14, 2014

Kistrech Poetry Festival in Kenya 2014 took place on Wednesday 30th July to Monday 4th August 2014. The venue was at Dados Hotel, Kisii County.

We had the following guest poets: Althea Romeo-Mark (Switzerland), Laus Strandby Nielsen (Denmark), Erling Kittelsen (Norway), Jenny Maria Tunedal (Sweden), Obediah Michael Smith (The Bahamas), Tendai Maduwa (Zimbabwe), Godspower Oboido (Nigeria), Prof. Animasaun Kayode (Nigeria), Amos Nyongesa Tabalia (Kenya), Mariam Mpaata Melloney (Uganda), Dr. Evans Gesure Mecha (Kenya), Sarah Achieng Ooro (Kenya), Aggrey Omboki Monayo (Kenya), Josephat Ndege Mauti (Kenya), Agnes Nyamoita Nyambane (Kenya), Constany Mose Oteki (Kenya) and Obino Nyambane (Kenya). Students poets from Kisii University and upcoming poets from around the country joined the festival.

The poets read their poetry, as well as presented papers on the theme “Poetry & Song”.