ANTIOQUIA by Safia Elhillo
In this sincere, vulnerable poem, Wasafiri's current International Writer in Residence Safia Elhillo describes a visit to Medellin, Colombia. She notes with wonder and softness how different memories come back to her – the feel of a mattress, the sound of a familiar Arabic – amid reflections on the different languages she carries.
SolidaritiesPoetry
In Defence of Untranslatability by Deepa Bhasthi
In this essay, Deepa Bhasthi defends untranslatability – the intentional choice to not-translate text – as a necessary practice. As examples, she draws on Kannada words that feel too complex or hyperlocal to be translated into a single English word, as well as significant books she read during her time as our inaugural International Translator in Residence. Written by Jamil Jan Kochai, Waguih Ghali, and SJ Kim, these texts deliberately do not translate/transliterate certain words into English, and Bhasthi unpacks the aesthetic and political impacts of these choices.
NonfictionTranslator in ResidenceWriter in Residence