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Dr. Roi Ankhkara Kwabena (born: Fitzroy Cook Jr. 23 July 1956 – 9 January 2008) was a
- Birmingham's Poet Laureate 2001 - 2002". where he was educated. At the age of 14, he published his first poem, "Why Black Power", which he also performed at a Black Power rally. His first collection, ''Lament of the Soul'', appeared three years later, and marked the beginning of a prolific body of work over the following three decades, including other poetry collections, journals, essays, children's stories and the thesis ''Marijuana'' (1981). At the same time, he founded the publishing co-operative Afroets Press, and Bembe Productions, a cultural collective whose objective was the propagation of creative expression from the Caribbean and its diaspora. In commemoration of UN's International Literacy Year 1990 he was "Writer In Residence" at Trinidad's Public Library. In the mid-1990s he served as a Senator in the Parliament of
Cultural Literacy
blog by Roi Kwabena
"Roi Kwabena
- Birmingham's Poet Laureate 2001 - 2002"
National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracyWebsite dedicated to Roi Kwabena's life's work
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwabena, Roi Trinidad and Tobago non-fiction writers 1956 births 2008 deaths Deaths from lung cancer in England 20th-century male writers 21st-century male writers
Dr. Roi Ankhkara Kwabena (born: Fitzroy Cook Jr. 23 July 1956 – 9 January 2008) was a Trinidadian
Trinidadians and Tobagonians, colloquially known as Trinis or Trinbagonians, are the people who are identified with the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The country is home to people of many different national, ethnic and religious origins. As a ...
cultural anthropologist, who worked with all age ranges in Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, Latin-America and the Caribbean for over 30 years. He died in England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, where he had relocated.
Life and career
Kwabena was born in Port of Spain,Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
,"Roi Kwabena- Birmingham's Poet Laureate 2001 - 2002". where he was educated. At the age of 14, he published his first poem, "Why Black Power", which he also performed at a Black Power rally. His first collection, ''Lament of the Soul'', appeared three years later, and marked the beginning of a prolific body of work over the following three decades, including other poetry collections, journals, essays, children's stories and the thesis ''Marijuana'' (1981). At the same time, he founded the publishing co-operative Afroets Press, and Bembe Productions, a cultural collective whose objective was the propagation of creative expression from the Caribbean and its diaspora. In commemoration of UN's International Literacy Year 1990 he was "Writer In Residence" at Trinidad's Public Library. In the mid-1990s he served as a Senator in the Parliament of
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
. He then made Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
, England, his permanent base and was appointed its sixth Poet Laureate
A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch ...
for 2001–02. As a cultural ambassador he hosted numerous readings by writers and actively promoted literature development internationally as well as himself lecturing and performing at many schools, universities, cultural and social venues.
Dr Kwabena was renowned for using critical analysis to examine the historical roots of racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...
and to assess the direct relevance this has on present society. He also championed wide-ranging issues such as functional and cultural literacy, therapeutic harvesting of memories by elders and young people (including cross generational dialogue), Community Cohesion, Social Inclusion, Cultural Diversity, redefining the heritages of indigenous peoples, plus confidence building for convicted prisoners, excluded and traumatized students, refugees, etc.
In 2007, Roi Kwabena was included among activists, artists, campaigners, sport and media personalities on a wall celebrating efforts of The World's Black Achievers: Past and Present at the Liverpool-based International Slavery Museum
The International Slavery Museum is a museum located in Liverpool, England that focuses on the history and legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. The museum which forms part of the Merseyside Maritime Museum, consists of three main gallerie ...
.
Kwabena died on 9 January 2008, one day after being diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
at a hospital in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
- prior to this, doctors had been treating him for pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
. His funeral took place in London on 26 January 2008 and he was cremated two days later. His ashes were flown to Trinidad.
Bibliography
compiled and edited by Roi Kwabena. Temple of Ankhara.
Discography
*''Y42K'' – Spoken Word CD- 2000–2006 (blueplanetsound, UK & Bembe Productions)References
External links
*Poems and introductionblog by Roi Kwabena
"Roi Kwabena
- Birmingham's Poet Laureate 2001 - 2002"
National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwabena, Roi Trinidad and Tobago non-fiction writers 1956 births 2008 deaths Deaths from lung cancer in England 20th-century male writers 21st-century male writers