The 6th Days of African Literatures convened on 17 to 18 April 2026 in Graz, Austria. The theme, which has remained the same since the inception of this literary festival, was Subversion & Perspectives.
Organisers
Chiala has been organising Days of African Literatures in cooperation with various partners. This non-profit association based in Graz, Austria, is dedicated to promoting African culture, diversity, and development through social counselling, cultural events, and workshops. Our host was the founder, Kamdem Mou Poh á Hom and his team. The event curators were Ida Hadjivayannis and Sami Tchak.
Location
As in the past, the event took place at KULTUM, a historic Minorite monastery. The KULTUM is an event centre and a museum for contemporary art and religion. Walking through the impressive arcade of the cloister, I felt calm. This first impression centred me after a drowsy flight from travel sickness pills. Below the stairway of the event area was an electronic bulletin board displaying the schedule for the two days. Going upstairs, some words caught my attention. Imagine entering a building affiliated with the Catholic religious order, and on the wall is a display titled Phonetic transcription of the word ‘Allah’. I had briefly read about the ongoing exhibition titled Gott Hat Kein Museum (God Has No Museum). In my view, hosting an exhibition with such a title in a former monastery was quite a subversive act. This confirmed that I was in the right venue.
Reading Sessions
The festival kicked off on Friday, 17 April at 2.30 p.m. Besides the invitees and other participants, a representative from Graz City Council was present to officially open the event.
African literature has always been a space for resistance, reinvention, and radical dreaming. From oral traditions to speculative contemporary fiction, writers have subverted dominant narratives to reclaim history, language, and the future. The festival focused on subversion and visions of the future, asking: Can literature break down oppressive structures and imagine better worlds?” Over the two days, nine writers, one artist, and a moderator pondered this question by reading from their literary works, displaying their art, and leading a podium discussion with the audience.
I read my bilingual children’s book, Jai the Albino Cow / Jai Ng’ombe Zeruzeru / Jai, die Albino-Kuh / Jai la vache albinos. The story uses magic as a subversion to dismantle the systematic discrimination, myth, and violence towards people with albinism. My reading was in Kiswahili. Thereafter, a German reading was held by one of the interpreters.
Two interpreters rendered the live readings into German or French in real time. Subsequently, a voice-over actress read the agreed sections of the books. The interpreters’ note-taking fascinated me. To acknowledge their work, the moderator urged them to show their notes. I gaped at seeing fewer words and lines. That night, curiosity prompted me to search online for how interpreters take notes. I learned that there are different methods; one is the “Subject, Verb, Object” (SVO). You write down the subject, verb, and object of the first sentence in descending order, diagonally to the right. Then separate each new sentence or topic with a horizontal line.
For both days, we had coffee breaks to mingle with participants and fellow writers. The closing session on the last day featured a panel discussion in which the moderator asked the writers how they intend to be more subversive in their future writing. A photo session followed.
Books Selling
In cooperation with Bibliobox, authors were invited to bring their own copies of books to sell. This bookshop amplifies the voices of underrepresented authors, particularly black authors and authors of colour. It is based in Vienna but they travel to events.
For the organisers, I would recommend adding a “Meet the author” slot to the programme, where writers can sign books and interact with participants.
Accommodation
Regardless of arrival or departure times, we were chauffeured to and from the hotel. Our home for the two days was the historical Grand Wiesler Hotel. The hotel was in the inner city and within walking distance of the venue. This central location is why the hotel is popular with even prominent international guests. Along the hotel lobby are signed photos and a letter from Arnold Schwazenneger and Mick Jagger. In my room, I found a welcome package in a blue cotton bag filled with the program booklet, city maps, Penja white pepper, and a snack. The hotel breakfast/brunch was an excellent selection, served by extremely friendly staff until 1 p.m.
I took a brief walk around the old inner city, including an uphill climb to the landmark Clock Tower (Uhrturm). I strolled along the Mur River a few times. Although I did not visit the Kunsthaus (Art House), its presence on my way to the venue and the hotel was a welcome sight.
Cuisine
A buffet was offered during the breaks for both days. We were served an assortment of African finger food, hot and mild sauces, and cold and warm beverages. A male griot entertained us. There was a corner desk selling white pepper from Cameroon and cotton bags with slogans.
On the first day, the organisers arranged a dinner for us at Omoka African Restaurant, featuring West African cuisine. I had jollof rice with chicken simmered in a savoury peanut butter sauce. I also tried fufu from another’s plate.
On the second day, we had dinner at the Café Abol, an Ethiopian café. I had a doro wat mixed plate served with injera bread.
Personal Reflection
For children, integrating subversion into stories can be quite challenging while maintaining acceptable cultural and traditional norms. Nevertheless, if done the right way, children can learn and later lead in bringing the changes we wish to see in our world. I hope the organisers and curators will continue to invite children’s authors, alongside those writing for young adults. Recalling a Kiswahili proverb, “Samaki mkunje angali mbichi”, i.e. “Bend the fish while it is still fresh/wet”.
I rarely say yes to public events. Occasionally, this introverted writer agrees to join the extroverted world of literature. It was a wise decision to say yes to this event. I refilled my literary learning cup. I got to see established African authors in action. I visited Graz for the first time. My heartfelt gratitude to the organisers, the curators, and the City of Graz for hosting us. Asante sana / Thank you / Vielen Dank / Merci.
You can see some photos shared by Chiala at this link.
You can also see photos shared by KULTUM at this link.
You can visit the Chiala’s festival page at this link.
Note: The 2026 post-event video and photos will be available at a later date.
