Listen to the Opening Ceremony of 10th Anniversary of lyrikline.org / Zum Nachhören: Die Eröffnung der 10 Jahre lyrikline.org Festwoche

From October 26 to 31, 2009 lyrikline.org has celebrated its 10th anniversary together with friends and partners in a series of events in Berlin. The week of events was opened by German Federal President Horst Köhler, project manager Heiko Strunk and the poets Monika Rinck and Lebogang Mashile, who each gave insightful and eloquent speeches about poetry.
The whole event can be listened to here

You will find on the website also many other rare and interesting poetry talks! Recommended!

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Mit einer Festwoche hat lyrikline.org vom 26.-31. Oktober 2009 zusammen mit vielen Freunden und internationalen Partnern sein 10-jähriges Bestehen in Berlin gefeiert.
Bundespräsidenten Horst Köhler hat die Festwoche mit einer Rede zur Poesie während der Auftaktveranstaltung am 26.10. eröffnet. Köhlers Rede sowie weitere Reden von Projektleiter Heiko Strunk und den Dichterinnen Monika Rinck oder Lebogang Mashile können nun hier auf der website der Literaturwerkstatt Berlin gehört werden.

Auf der website der Literaturwerkstatt Berlin kann man viele weitere spannende und interessante Poesiegespräch entdecken und nachhören!

Speech of Lebogang Mashile at the Opening of 10 years of lyrikline.org festivities

gezett.de

26.10.2009  Palais (Kulturbrauerei), Berlin

Mr President, Ms Köhler, Ladies and Gentelmen,
Africa is home to a vibrant and dynamic oral tradition. Before the word was written on paper, it was written on the minds, hearts and memories of human beings. Oral tradition, or living language, has been used to record genealogy, movement patterns, wars, significant events, and scientific information for millennia.  Texts travel from person to person through time and space. Memory serves as both the page and the archive. Each human being who is in possession of stories, poems, and songs about their people is a living library. Therefore human life is valuable not just in and of itself, but also as a storehouse for knowledge that has been passed down for generations.

In South Africa, where I come from, every African family has what is referred to as an isithakazelo in isiZulu. This family poem is a source of immense pride and is perceived as an invaluable cultural heirloom. Children are taught how to say their family praise poem from an early age. This poem is