Aku Wuwu: Poems in Yi and Mandarin, with English Translation

Aku Wuwu is a poet of the Yi ethnic group, one of the largest ethnic minority groups in southwest China. His work is characterized by a mix of traditional and contemporary imagery, often including visions and dreams. He says he is a “cultural hybrid” who writes in “two mother tongues.” He will read a selection of his poems in both the Northern Yi language and Mandarin. Aku Wuwu, who is also Dean of the Yi Studies Institute at Southwest Minzu University, is “known for his powerful performances of poetry drawing on traditional themes and motifs juxtaposed with contemporary challenges facing his ethnic group” (www.poetryinternationalweb.net). Professor Mark Bender of The Ohio State University, who specializes in traditional performance and performance-connected literature of China, has long worked with Aku Wuwu and will read his English translations of the poems. Following the reading, Aku Wuwu and Professor Bender will take questions from the audience. Free and open to the public.