Poet and translator, Cristina Viti

Searching for that magic

For all people who identify as female in gender, here is a poetry workshop run by women for women and all about – yes, you guessed it – women! Aziza Abdullah tells us about her exciting new project at Hastings Museum.

In the spirit of sisterhood, I’ve asked female poets to work with me to design a series of workshops to address cross-cultural cohesion. Hastings Museum & Art Gallery have graciously offered to host our first workshop and London-based poet and translator, Cristina Viti (pictured above) will utilise her vast experience and take the lead. We hope local poets will express an interest in leading future workshops.

Hastings is clearly a vibrant town in transition; both the inhabitants and the landscape are changing a little bit every day. We feel it’s important to identify cultural similarities in values and perceptions, within or without the context of poetic expression. Of course, difference should be celebrated too; but on this occasion, identifying similarities is our goal (within the context of poetic expression).

All around us, there is a desperate need for self-identification. Labels are stuck on us without permission. At times, we have no alternative than to nod and agree to things we didn’t have on our personal agendas. We’d like to use poetry to heal bonds that may have weakened through this process. Perhaps together we can co-create a day of healing that leads to on-going dialogue between women who traditionally have different labels.

Speaking to other women, it seems so many of us are suffering from disconnection and other mental and emotional issues stemming from isolation. Yet history shows us a borderless and timeless tradition of the women in the community seeking out the magic and mystery of life. We only need to speak to our mothers and grandmothers to learn that even when surrounded by ugliness, there is beauty waiting to be unearthed. This female paradigm transcends culture.

Our hope is to build a peaceful army of engaged women – armed with nothing more than a beautiful way with words.

During the series of workshops, we will be looking at how to reconnect with each other, as well as the men in our lives.

You don’t have to read or write poetry to attend, as technique and appreciation will be taught.

Together, we’ll tune into our inner voices to create poetry from all the different words we hear.

It might be too whimsical for some people’s tastes, but we’re all about opening our hearts to universal truths and recapturing that magic in our lives, whatever our individual stories might be.

The first free poetry workshop for women is on Saturday 2 November 2013, 10am to 3pm in the Durbar Hall at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery. Refreshments will be provided. Places are limited so booking is advised. Book here!

Also in: Poetry