Translated as ‘initiation’, kumukanda is the name given to the rites a young boy from the Luvale tribe must pass through before he is considered a man. The poems of Kayo underpinned by a love of music, language and literature, include powerful explorations of race, identity and masculinity, celebrating what it means to be British and not British, all at once.
Kayo Chingonyi will read from his work, followed by a Q & A and book signing.
This event is organised in collaboration with
Biography
Kayo Chingonyi (pronounced kai-o chin-gone- yee) is a fellow of the Complete Works programme for diversity and quality in British Poetry and the author of two pamphlets, Some Bright Elegance (Salt, 2012) and The Colour of James Brown’s Scream (Akashic, 2016). As well as being widely published in journals and anthologies, Kayo has co-edited issue 62 of Magma Poetry and the Autumn 2016 edition of The Poetry Review as well as been invited to read from his work at venues and events across the UK and internationally.
He was awarded the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize in 2012.