Shailja Patel's poetry and theatre addresses the immigrant experience. This artist, Indian by birth, was growing up in the capital of Kenya, feeling her world could disappear at any moment. In 1972, Kenya's neighbouring country, Uganda, banished all the inhabitants of Asian origin. Many of those people had seen Africa as their home for generations. Combining poetry, dance and simple theatrical elements, Patel speaks about the phenomenon of «Other» and examines that part of immigrant identity which becomes alternative, changes inevitably and often vanished under the influence of a dominant culture. The author coined the word ‘MIGRITUDE”, combining the words ‘migrant’, ‘attitude’ and ‘negritude’. It refers to a new generation of immigrants to Africa who do not want to choose silence as a form of self-protection.
The world knows very little about what is going on in Africa. I try to show its reality with my performances. For me, it represents the beginning of changes in the way Europe and America perceives this part of the world. (Shailja Patel)

Text: Shailja Patel
Director: Kim Cook

Shailja Patel is a poetess, playwright, actress and peace activist from Kenya. She presents her work from the Lincoln Centre in New York to the African Poetry Festival in Durban. Her performance Migritude has brought her numerous awards and acknowledgements. She is considered to be a poetic equivalent of Arundahati Roy. Shailja Patel's poetry has been translated into many foreign languages.