Kama Sywor Kamanda

Kama Sywor Kamanda

Kamanda Kama Sywor is an award-winning writer, novelist, playwright, storyteller and poet from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Biography

KAMANDA Kama Sywor writer, poet, novelist,essayist, playwright and storyteller was born on November 11, 1952, in Luebo, Democratic Republic of Congo, from father Malaba Kamenga and mother Kony Ngalula. His political view of this country forced him to leave Africa and live in exile in Europe. Nevertheless,he always stays a great leader of opinion in the world and his works are impregnated with his fight for liberty and justice and real democracy in this country. He wrote many poetry books, drama, novels, essays and fairy tales.Kamanda is a classical writer in Europe, Asia,Africa and America. Many students in the world study his literature.He has earned many literature prizes, including the Heredia prize from the " Académie Française". He is spoken of as a potential Literature Nobel Prize laureate.

After publishing a first collection of stories at the age of 15, Kamanda studied literature, journalism, political science, philosophy and law, and worked in journalism. In 1970, he participated in the creation of the Union of Congolese Writers (Union des écrivains congolais). Forced to leave the Congo in 1977 due to his political activities, Kamanda lived in various European countries before settling in Luxembourg.

In 1985, Kamanda was the founding president of the African Association of Writers, of which L. S. Senghor was the honorary president. As a poet, story teller and novelist, Kamanda subsequently produced a considerable body of literary work, including a dozen anthologies of poetry, several hundred stories, as well as several novels.

Living in perpetual exile, this universal writer has gained worldwide notoriety that has seen him travelling constantly for conferences, poetry readings and festivals.

Kamanda's works have been translated into many languages, including English, Japanese, Italian, and Greek. This writer has earned several major prizes and distinctions, including the Paul Verlaine Prize from the Académie française (1987), the Louise Labé Prize (1990), the Black Africa Grand Prize for Literature (1991), and the Théophile Gautier prize (1993) from the Académie française. In 2005, the International Council for Francophone Studies (Conseil international d’études francophones) conferred upon him the prestigious Maurice-Cagnon Certificate of Honour, for his unique contribution to world francophone literature.

His stories draw their imagery from African traditions, but constitute a universe at the boundary between the fantastic and the author’s own reality. His numerous books of poetry focus on the themes of celebrating Africa and of the pain of exile and solitude, all against a backdrop of fervent celebration of love.

Literary works

Vivre et aimer,2016 
       THEATER
* L'Homme torturé, 2013
*Toutankhamon, 2015
*Candace 1ère,2015
*L'Entremetteuse,2016
*On peut s'aimer sans se comprendre,2016
*Ramsès II, 2017
*Akhenaton,historical drama,2017
*Ranavalona III,drama,2017

Prizes and distinctions

• French Academy Paul Verlaine award, 1987
• Louise Labé award, 1990
• Black Africa Association of French-Speaking Writers, 1991
• Special Poetry Award, Academic Institute of Paris, 1992
• Silver Jasmin for Poetical Originality, Agen, 1992
• French Academy Théophile Gautier award, 1993
• Melina Mercouri award, Greek Poets and Writers Association, 1999
• Poet of the Millennium 2000 award, International Poets Academy, India, 2000
• Honorary Citizen Joal-Fadiouth, Senegal, 2000
• Poetry award, International Society of Greek Writers, 2002
• Exceptional Contribution Honor Certificate Maurice-Cagnon, International Council for French Studies, 2005
• Master Diploma for Specialty Honors in Writing, World Academy of Letters, United States of America, 2006
• French Academy Heredia award, 2009

Studies

• Marie-Claire De Coninck, Kama Kamanda : Au pays du Conte, Paris, Ed. L'Harmattan, 1993.
• Pierrette Sartin, Kama Kamanda, Poète de l'exil, Paris, Ed. L'Harmattan, 1994.
• Marc Alyn (préf.), Kama Kamanda, Hommage, 1997.
• Isabelle Cata et Franck Nyalendo, Kama Sywor Kamanda, Luxembourg, Ed. Paul Bauler, 2003.
• Marie-Madeleine Van Ruymbeke Stey (dir.), Regards critiques, Ed. L'Harmattan, 2007.

Isabelle Cata :" La Quête du rêve d'absolu",recréer le monde,pénétrer l'infini,mesurer le néant;" Une réflexion critique sur l'oeuvre de Kama Sywor KAMANDA ,éditions Dagan,2015.

Sources

• Cata, Isabelle, La Quête du rêve d'absolu: Recréer le monde, pénétrer l'infini, mesurer le néant, une réflexion critique sur l'oeuvre de Kama Sywor Kamanda, Paris, Edition Dagan, 2015.
• Cata, Isabelle; Nyalendo, Franck (2003). Kama Sywor Kamanda: chantre de la mémoire égyptienne. Paul Bauler. ISBN 978-2-919885-51-0.
• Chevrier, Jacques (2005). L'arbre à palabres. Essai sur les contes et récits traditionnels d'Afrique noire. Hatier International. ISBN 978-2-7473-0453-5.
• De Coninck, Marie-Claire (1993). Kama Kamanda : Au pays du Conte. Editions de L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-7384-2055-8.
• Kamanda, Kama Sywor (1998). Les Contes du griot, vol 1,. Présence africaine.
• Kamanda, Kama Sywor (1992). Les myriades des temps vécus. L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-7384-1478-6.
• Mateso, Locha (1987). Hatier. ISBN 978-2-218-07941-2. Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Sartin, Pierrette (1994). Kama Kamanda, Poète de l'exil. L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2-7384-2459-4.

External links

• Archived Official Site
• / Classical Writer
• Kamanda African Messenger - Selected poems
• Selection of Kamanda's Love Poems
• Kamanda Porteur de rêves - poèmes choisis