Celebrating African Literature with the Book Buzz Foundation
From the ancient oral traditions of storytelling to the contemporary works of renowned writers, poets and playwrights, African literature has brought unique perspectives, diverse voices, and captivating narratives to the global literary landscape.
In collaboration with the Book Buzz Foundation and Ake Arts and Book Festival, Google Arts & Culture has launched a new series of exhibits celebrating African literature. This collection aims to magnify the diverse narratives of the African literary community to a global audience, through the archives of Africa’s largest literary annual festival.
“Since 2013, we have sought to create a platform that celebrates African voices, in front of an African audience, and on African soil,” says Ake Arts and Book Festival Director Lola Shoneyin. “Over the last years we've grown a significant archive, and with Google Arts & Culture, we have been able to curate these beautiful stories. This process was good for us, as an opportunity to look back and listen to conversations from the early days of our journey and get people to engage with them.”
Highlights
The exhibits walk you through profile stories on renowned African writers, sharing their journeys, works and thoughts. The collection also spotlights African science fiction and fantasy literature genre, contemporary African writers, audio poetry and Yorùbá mythology by Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The Gems of African Literature
African writers
Discover Africa's renowned celebrated literary voices including Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Wole Soyinka and others. Learn about literary voices and captivating narratives from West, East and Southern Africa showcasing each region's literary contributions to the world.
The Beautiful Side of the Moon Book
Experience the boundless possibilities of African science-fiction and fantasy literature
Meet fiction writers weaving worlds of wonder and adventure, such as Nnedi Okorafor, the award-winning writer of young adult fiction whose works exist within the genres of Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism.
Take Me Back - A nostalgic poem about childhood memories
Delight in the beauty of language and spoken words
Listen to Nigerian poet, writer and filmmaker, Wana Udobang’s nostalgic poem about childhood memories.
Antiquities from Wole Soyinka’s collection
Learn about former Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka’s artistic inspirations
In narrated audio stories Professor Wole Soyinka shares a fascinating introduction to Yorùbá mythology — which has inspired the works of many writers — through artifacts from his collection.
Discover more African literature on Google Arts & Culture.
