Vamba Sherif
(Liberia, 1973) is a novelist, essayist, journalist and film critic. His debut novel Land of the Fathers (1999) is partly based on his grandmother's stories and deals with the clash between slaves returning from the US and other Liberians. The novel The Black Napoleon (2015) portrays Samori Touré, who founded the Wasulu-empire in western Africa in the 19th century. His journalism, including film reviews, appears in publications such as The New York Times, Trouw and One World. Together with Ebissé Rouw he compiled Zwart (Black, 2018), a collection of stories by Afro-European authors from the Low Countries. Ongekende liefde (Unprecedented Love), in which he tells his life story to his ten-year-old daughter Bendu, was published in 2021. Sherif's historical novel The Emperor’s Son (2023) follows Zaiwulo, a young prodigy who trains under sage Talata of the Haidarah family in Musadu. Entangled in the intrigues of Emperor Samori, the 'Black Napoleon,' Zaiwulo matures into a formidable soldier.
Past events
Free at Last: A Day of Decolonised Life
Are these fairy tales or is this finally a decolonised world? Writers Unlimited asked eight authors to sum up a day of colonisation-free existence in poetry or prose. Eight days of liberation, each in their own way.
Film: Writer Vamba Sherif on Imgages of Africa
Writer and film critic Serif tells us, via excerpts, about filmmakers like Sembène, Haroun and Sissako
Linguistic Colonization: Then and Now
To what extent has African literature been able to wrest itself free of linguistic colonization? Can the predominance of English still be stopped, or is it a lost cause? A conversation with the American-Kenyan writer, poet, university lecturer in English and activist Mukoma Wa Ngugi and with Ellah Wakatama, Editor-at-Large of Scottish publishing firm Cannongate Books. She is also a senior Research Fellow at Manchester University and Chair of the Caine Prize for African Writing.
Thinking about Holland FFWD
Seven young authors, poets and performers go fast forward and find inspiration for their future vision of The Netherlands by Marsman's poem from 1936.
This is Our Way — Public Discussion
This is our way, and that is their way... How do you deal with one another in an environment where so many cultures live side by side? What language do you speak? What do you do on one another's holidays? Tonight three writers—two of them from countries with long histories of multiculturalism—provide ideas for dos and don'ts. No laws, just manners. The public will discuss these ideas. Do we adopt them or not? WithVamba Sherif, Cynthia McLeod, Bas Heijne and moderator Ruben Maes.
The need for chaos
Writing about a chaotic society from an overly regulated environment. Petina Gappah and Vamba Sherif talk to Joris Luyendijk. ENG
The remake of Uncle Tom's cabin
Writers Frank Martinus Arion, Vamba Sherif and Christine Otten rewrite parts of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Panel chairman is Pieter Steinz. Dutch spoken.
