Kofi Anyidoho Interview
Peter Nazareth interviews Kofi Anyidoho, a poet from Ghana. Anyidoho talks about how his writing has been influenced by oral tradition. He feels a close connection between music and poetry; he says he is intrigued by the way language can express emotion and feelings through the use of metaphor, imagery and other tools. Anyidoho reads one of his poems, “Words Are Birds,” in English and then a tape-recorded version of the poem is played in Ewe, Anyidoho’s native language.
Anyidoho discusses the legacy of the slave trade in contemporary Africa. Anyidoho believes that education is the key to creating a better life for people living in Africa and hopes that his poetry will help people to have a greater self-knowledge. Anyidoho quotes a friend who says that “slavery is a living wound,” and argues that words can help heal that wound. He discusses a piece he wrote in Ghana that has had a great impact on people there and in other parts of Africa in dealing with the pain of slavery.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: Kofi Anyidoho
Date Recorded: January 01, 1998
Program: --
Format: interview
Contributors: Peter Nazareth
Topics: Oral tradition; poetry; music; Ghana; slavery; education
Note: Month and Day are unknown.