Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival welcomed everyone from four years and up for De Boebalas! In one hour, we experienced a lot: first, writer Nancy Bosmans read interactively for 15 minutes from her picture book about the power of flavours. Then we made Boebalas masks in the craft workshop. Finally, you discovered musical rhythms with MrJetFly and got to find and play kawina instruments.

The picture book De Boebalas will take you on an adventure with the sweetest monster of all: the Boebalas! Neah, Ayah and Avah go to visit their Ghanaian grandmother. During dinner, they are served something they are totally unfamiliar with. It looks so different from what they eat at home! Their opinion is clear: they really don't like this...But luckily grandma has a solution!

MrJetFly (known from 4theCulture, Kenny B and La Rouge) will take you to the enchanting kawina jungle. Discover together with MrJetFly the rhythms of music by clapping, stamping and singing. Together you will search for and play the various kawina instruments in the enchanting jungle. Can you find all the kawina instruments and wake up the animals?

Nancy Bosmans has a Dutch father and a Ghanaian mother. She finds it important to tell stories that reflect her Ghanaian culture. De Boebalas (2023) is her first book. The picture book for everyone aged four and up, with illustrations by Lisa van Winsen, is based on stories from Ghanaian culture that she herself experienced during her childhood.

MrJetFly (Marlon Frances) is a multi-instrumentalist wearing several hats: he is musical director of the Black Excellence Band and also plays skratjie (Surinamese percussion instrument: a large drum topped by a small cymbal) and keyboards.

De Boebalas (4+) was curated for Writers Unlimited Festival 2025 by Neeke Scheers.