Swahili Contemporary Literature: The Role of African Languages in Higher Education

Three recent literary winners of the Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature speak on poetry, travel, and Kiswahili intergenerational transcendence.

The Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature was founded by Cornell English Professor Mukoma wa Ngugi and Richmond American University London Assistant Professor Dr. Lizzy Attree. The award is sponsored by Cornell University’s Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs, the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, the Institute for African Development, the Safal Group, and the Ngugi wa Thiong’o Foundation.

After being awarded the Undergraduate Studies and International Foreign Language Grant (UISFL) in 2019, Cornell’s Institute for African Development (IAD) has increased its commitment to African languages on Cornell’s campus. Specifically targeting continued undergraduate engagement in Kiswahili, Twi, and Tumbuka languages, IAD’s contribution to African languages has expanded in the form of academic programming, language offerings, and increasing overall student engagement in African languages.

This literary panel is the first formal collaboration between the Institute for African Development (IAD) and the Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature. It will showcase three recent literary winners of the Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature, as they speak on poetry, travel, and Kiswahili intergenerational transcendence. Participants will learn about contemporary Kiswahili African literature, the role it plays in the American higher education system, and why it is essential to encourage academic engagement in this disciplinary focus.  

Register here: Keynote: Kiswahili Contemporary Literature | eCornell