Noisemakers 2000: Myth maker

>> Akin Alaga draws on his Nigerian roots

by PATTI SONNTAG

Akin Alaga's performance poetry brings together his background as part of an indigenous group in Nigeria called the Yoruba and his daily life in Canada. Called Ogun poetry, after the Yoruba god of war, Akin's spoken word performances are often political, addressing the difficulties of minority life.

"These poems represent the block that I was having when writing Yoruba poetry and trying to perform it to a Canadian audience," he says. Before a performance, he describes the mythological story he will be drawing from to his audience, then introduces this rich, defiant imagery onstage:

"I wade through Marsalis into open-aired African spirit markets," he says. "Several gods are on sale there, chained down by heavy tragedy. I approach a stall to place my bargain."

In 2000, Akin will be directing a theatre performance of Wole Soyinka's play Death and the King's Horseman, in addition to his own spoken word shows. l