Flame and Song: A Memoir
Philippa Kabali-Kagwa
Soul-warming memoir tells of a life enriched by song, literature, food and spirituality at the heart of a loving family who move from Uganda to Addis Ababa to Cape Town.
R280.00
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Flame and Song: A Memoir
Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa’s soul-warming memoir tells of a life enriched by song, literature, food and spirituality at the heart of a loving family. Born into a newly independent Uganda, she grew up in a volatile political landscape but never lacked the inspiration and protection of generations of friends and relatives. Her story travels from her expansive childhood homes in Uganda, to the novelties of living in Addis Ababa, before settling in Cape Town, her current home. But no matter how far her journeys take her, it’s clear that home is not only about places but people.
Philippa Kabali-Kagwa is a storyteller, poet, coach, and highly skilled facilitator. She uses storytelling to spark community conversations, teach, build community, and entertain. Her practice focuses on story, deep listening, and the power of voice – combining story, poetry, and song. She has performed at festivals, conferences, and schools locally and internationally. Her writing has been published in anthologies and collections, and she has published children’s books. Her memoir, Flame and Song, was first published in 2016 by Modjaji Books and in 2017 by Sooo Many Stories in Uganda. She lives in Cape Town with her family.
“Philippa Kabali Kagwa’s memoir is a warm, intimate and moving witnessing of childhood, family, love and country.)
Yewande Omotoso (author of Bom Boy and The Woman Next Door)
Flame and Song is a warm, exquisite quilt of memories… the skillful blend of poetry and prose will keep you on an emotional roller-coaster until the last page is turned.͟
Mshai Mwangola (Internationally renowned Kenyan ͚orator͛, actor, director and storyteller)
The poems folded into the narrative of Flame and Song seem to sway to their own rhythm and dance.
Tiah Beautenment, Johannesburg Review of Books
An enjoyable read, you want to meet Philippa and hug her. The book is light yet heavy. It may not dwell extensively on issues but her storytelling and poetry certainly endows a heaviness into the message. A must-read for all living generations, especially in Uganda.
Joel B Ntwatwa
“Interspersed with heartfelt poetry, Flame and Song is a story of a woman transforming through the many lands she at various points calls home.”Abigail Arunga, Daily Nation, Kenya
In 2016, the Ugandan author, Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa, published a memoir on family, memories and survival during the periods of political violence in Uganda. Weaving poetry and prose to narrate her journey from birth to adulthood, all the circumstances that surrounded her and her family and how they were able to live through political violence, she shows that sometimes home is not about places or aura but about people, and maybe we can make people our homes. Veronica Elias Ugian, Wawa Book Review
