This November sees an exciting new phase of the British Council’s India Wales Writers Chain project. From 12th – 17th November 2011, Welsh poets Siân Melangell Dafydd, Robert Minhinnick, Twm Morys and Eurig Salisbury will travel to Kerala, Southern India, to collaborate with four Indian poets: the Malayali literary legend K. Satchidanandan, renowned contemporary Hindi poet Anamika, Mumbai-based Bengali poet Sampurna Chattarji and Malayali poet and translator, Anitha Thampi.
Following a series of successful summer workshops and performances in June 2011 in Wales between three Indian and four Welsh poets, this unique collaboration is now set to continue in India, and aims to further strengthen cultural connections between Wales and India through literature, focusing on translation and language diversity.
Welsh poet, Robert Minhinnick said:
“It’s wonderful to be part of this ambitious project and to meet a host of both new and established writers. This is further evidence of how important it is to develop the scope of our arts. In Kerala we will exchange ideas and learn about life in a multilingual – not simply bilingual – society and I’m looking forward to exploring the creative possibilities and opportunities emerging when languages meet and play.”
Indian poet, Anamika said:
“Umra-bhar ek mulakat chali jati hai: One meeting lasts a lifetime.
I visualize different moral geographies, various cultural histories walking up to each other for a dialogue that’ll keep us charged all through. Richly rewarding would be this vibrant cultural exchange of dreams, memories, ideas and visions of a truly pluralistic society paved with alternative modernities.”
India – Wales Writers Chain 2010-2012 has been developed by British Council and Wales Arts International, in partnership with Wales Literature Exchange, and is supported by Welsh Government, Hay Festivals and Literature Across Frontiers Wales.
Through an intensive workshop organised by Wales Literature Exchange, the eight poets will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and understand the cultural roots and inspiration of each other’s work. Collaborating in pairs and groups, the poets will develop creative translations of each other’s original poems.
Led by Dr Sioned Puw Rowlands, Director of Wales Literature Exchange, one of the group’s aims is to eventually create a body of work suitable for publication in poetry anthologies in Welsh and English as well as in Bengali, Hindi and Malayalam.
Dr Rowlands said:
“As a bilingual nation, Wales is keenly aware of the richness of language and its use and, like multilingual India, is well aware of the doors literary translation can open. With this phase of the Writers’ Chain project we are continuing the work of helping both emerging and established Welsh writers get their works translated into the languages of one of the fastest growing publishing markets in the world. It will also help bring to light for Welsh audiences the poetic trends and literary revolutions that are currently taking place all over the Indian sub-continent.”
The translation workshops will take place at the Surya Samudra Kovalam from 12th – 17th November 2011.
The project will culminate in a series of exciting performances and conversations at the second Hay Festival Kerala held in the Kanakakunnu Palace, Trivandrum to be held 17-19 November 2011. New poetry and translations in Welsh, English, Bengali, Hindi and Malayalam will be showcased and will also be included in future publications in both India and Wales.
Wales’ Welsh language Children’s Laureate/Bardd Plant Cymru, Eurig Salisbury, will also be introducing school children in southern India to the Welsh language and to Wales as part of a series of classroom events with well-known Indian children’s poet, Sampurna Chattarji on 21st and 23rd November. The workshops will focus primarily on creative writing and adaptations.
Louise Wright, Senior Adviser, Arts, Creative Industries and New Media, British Council said:
“The activities this November in Kerala highlight the close cultural connections that have been forged between writers in Wales and India. These relationships have been sustained by a dynamic and vibrant set of partners, supported by British Council initiatives since 2009. The creative exploration of language by writers of both countries continues to deepen understanding of each others cultural experience, creating a truly extraordinary international collaboration and uncovering new opportunities for the future.”
Harry McIver, Co-director of Wales Arts International, said:
“Wales Arts International is delighted that the Writers Chain is continuing to deepen relationships between Wales and India through exchanges of words and ideas, highlighting the powerful role the arts can play in making genuine links between people across the world. Multilingualism, the diversity of language and creative collaboration are at the heart of the Writers Chain program, which aims to connect writers, publishers, translators and readers in Wales and India. This exciting activity follows a series of events, initiated by Wales Arts International and British Council over the last three years, which has seen Welsh authors starring at major Indian literary festivals, Indian translators journeying to Wales to understand the roots of our literatures, innovators in media and publishers coming together and school children in Wales and India connecting digitally to share their passion for words. We look forward to supporting relationships and ideas as this programme grows.”
