Africa Haiku Network

27/02/2025

Hello friends and lovers of the The Mamba and Africa Haiku Network.

We are pleased to bring to you another enjoyable issue of Africa's prestigious international haiku journal, officially Mamba 17, February 2025 issue.

As usual, we receive over 400 submissions from around haiku lovers around and we appreciate your choosing our journal as the budding home for your works.

This issue, we feature Taofeek Ayeyemi an award winning haiku and haibun writer as our guest editor. We also feature the African Kigo, a collection of African season words for the composition of haiku, a haiku report on a recently concluded AHN workshop in South Africa, etc.

The issue can be downloaded using any of the links below:

Purchase Link: selar.com/40661h

Free Link: https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/contact/

Disclaimer: Africa Haiku Network, and The Mamba remains a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of haiku and related genre in Africa and beyond. Readers of the Mamba are not under any form of COMPULSION to use the purchase Link. Proceeds from the link will be used for the continuous production of the Mamba: referring to design cost, etc and/maintenance of the organization's website.

28/01/2025

THE MAMBA ANTHOLOGY PROJECT

The purpose of the anthology is to celebrate the growth and advancement of English Language haiku in Africa and Afriku, a unique sub-genre that celebrates Africa’s sights, sounds and cultural heritage. It shall be released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Africa Haiku Network (2015-2025) and the 9th anniversary of the Mamba. It shall be dedicated to the memory of the late co-founder of A.H.N Adjei Agyei-Baah.

The anthology shall be translated to French, Twi, Yoruba and any other African or foreign language the committee see fit. The anthology shall be published in soft copy on A.H.N website and shall be free for all to download. Hard/print copies shall be available on request.

To collaborate/support/enquire/be part of this project. Kindly send a mail to [email protected] with subject: “THE MAMBA ANTHOLOGY PROJECT “

Signed

Mamba Anthology Committee of Africa Haiku Network

01/01/2025

Hello Everyone.

Welcome to an amazing year.

Kindly note the Submission window for Mamba 17 closes January 15, 2025.

Send us your haiku, senryu and haibun.

Mamba Team

31/12/2024

From All of us at Africa Haik Network. Wishing you a happy New Year.

25/12/2024

ONE YEAR SINCE THE PASSING OF HAIKU LEGEND ADJEI AGYEI BAAH, A HAIKU LEGEND AND ENTHUSIAST.

On this important day, we remember the passing of a haiku legend and co-founder of Africa Haiku Network

To others, you were just a haiku legend but to me Emmanuel Kalusian you are beyond that. You were a friend, you are a brother! Rest well sir.

I still recall in 2015 how we stayed on phone for hours as we laid the framework for AHN. Your dedication to the promotion of haiku in Africa is unparalleled.

You will be forever missed

Rest well sir

Emmanuel K.
Co-founder, Africa Haiku Network
Co-founding Editor, The Mamba

24/12/2024

Hello Haiku lovers and Enthusiasts,

Africa Haiku Network, Publishers of The Mamba was recently selected to nominate haiku for the Red Moon Anthology.

A.H.N. Research Assistant Ibrahim Nureni was head of the selection committee.

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I am delighted to inform you that I have selected the haiku below from Issues 15 and 16 of The Mamba Journal for submission to the Red Moon Anthology (for possible publication).

These pieces were chosen for their masterful use of subtle natural references, compelling juxtaposition, and concise language, which together create vivid imagery that captivates readers and encourages deep reflection. Most importantly, they beautifully represent the essence of Afriku.

Thank you all.

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Here are the selections:

quiet morning…
the mighty body of
a dead elephant
Vladislav Hristov (Bulgaria)
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 15

after-storm adjustments
a scarecrow
resumes work
Kwaku Feni Adow (Ghana)
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 15

African dream
the playhouse smells
of fresh pineapple
Barbara Anna Gaiardoni (Italy)
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 16

night train
at each stop
the moon sits
Nana Amma Adomaa (Ghana)
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 15

mudflat egret —
my mother‘s endless
questions
M.R. Pelletier, USA
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 16

a blackbird hangs
against the winter wind
high school dropout
Chen-Ou Liu, Canada
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 16

drought
the grooves
in her face
Corine Timmer, Faro, Portugal
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 16

dozing off . . .
the co-passenger
takes my shoulder for granted
Ram Chandran, India
The Mamba Journal of African Haiku Network, Issue 16

03/12/2024

SUBMISSION WINDOW FOR MAMBA 17 STILL OPEN!!

Submission Window for the 17th issue of the Mamba is open from15th October, 2024 to January 15, 2025.

You can now send us your haiku, haiga and haibun.

See below our submission guidelines:
https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/submission-guides/

Editorial Team.

SUBMISSION GUIDES The Mamba’s Submission Guideline: We are looking forward to Africa themed haiku i.e. haiku about African sights, sounds and settings. We may also accept haiku which explore a univ…

20/10/2024

Guest Editor’s Choice Haiku II

a blackbird hangs
against the winter wind
high school dropout

Chen-Ou Liu, Canada

There are many haiku in this issue which deserve commentary but after
much contemplation I have chosen this one by Chen-Ou Liu. Each line
is ominous or dark in some way, either immediately or retrospectively.
But there is some light in all this darkness. In many cultures a
blackbird can symbolise a bad omen, including death although in a
positive light a blackbird can also symbolise adaptability and
intelligence.
The opening line leaves us in suspense. Where is the blackbird? Is it
alive and hanging out with its family or is it dead and hanging from a
tree or a fence? These kinds of questions are not completely answered
in the middle line although the implication is that the bird is flying. But
it is flying in the chill of a winter wind. Birds often die in winter
because of the cold. The final line contains a further negative image,
that of a high school dropout. A dropout has connotations of being a
failure, or a non-conformist or a free spirit. Like many of the best
haiku there is room for interpretation between the images.
Structurally, there is a phrase covering the first two lines, while the
final line works as a fragment. There is just the one verb in the haiku
which means it has movement and focus. It is a well-structured,
poignant and memorable work.

Myron Lysenko, Australia,
Guest Editor II, Mamba 16

Weekly feature from the current issue of the Mamba.

We now have two links to download, a free link and a purchase link.

However, there is a disclaimer below the purchase link which states that readers are not under any form of compulsion to use the purchase link.

Free Link: https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/contact/

Purchase Link:
https://selar.co/bf2e72?currency=USD

Disclaimer: Africa Haiku Network, Publishers and owners of The Mamba remains a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of haiku and related genres in Africa and beyond.

Readers of the Mamba are not under any form of COMPULSION to use the purchase link above. Proceeds emanating from the purchase link will be used for the production of issues of the Mamba: referring to design cost, etc. and/or the maintenance of the organization’s website

This is just a short excerpt for the contact page.

15/10/2024

SUBMISSION WINDOW FOR MAMBA 17 NOW OPEN!!

Submission Window for the 17th issue of the Mamba is officially open today 15th October, 2024 to January 15, 2025.

You can now send us your haiku, haiga and haibun.

See below our submission guidelines:
https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/submission-guides/

Editorial Team.

SUBMISSION GUIDES The Mamba’s Submission Guideline: We are looking forward to Africa themed haiku i.e. haiku about African sights, sounds and settings. We may also accept haiku which explore a univ…

11/10/2024

Hello haiku lovers, enthusiasts and friends of the Mamba and Africa Haiku Network. We are pleased to bring you the 16th issue of the Mamba, Africa's international haiku journal.

In this particular issue as part of our global collaborative project we featured guest editors Dr. Randy Brooks from USA and Myron Lysenko from Australia. This issue is special because we have selected haiku, haiga and haibun from two distinct voices in the haiku world.

Mamba 16 is dedicated to memory of late Adjei Agyei-Baah, co-founding editor of the Mamba and co-founder of A.H.N. It will be fondly called the "Sunset Edition" in memory of the Afriku Legend.

We present to you Mamba 16 for your reading pleasure. We deeply thank our submitters from around the world for your continued trust in Mamba as breathing home for your beautiful works.

Furthermore, we now have two links to download, a free link and a purchase link.

However, there is a disclaimer below the purchase link which states that readers are not under any form of compulsion to use the purchase link.

Free Link: https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/contact/

Purchase Link:
https://selar.co/bf2e72?currency=USD

Disclaimer: Africa Haiku Network, Publishers and owners of The Mamba remains a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of
haiku and related genres in Africa and beyond. Readers of the Mamba are not under any form of COMPULSION to use the purchase link above. Proceeds emanating from the purchase link will be used for the production of issues of the Mamba: referring to design cost, etc. and/or the maintenance of the organization’s website

Emmanuel Kalusian
Co-founding Editor, The Mamba
For: Editorial Board, The Mamba

24/06/2024

Hello haiku lovers and enthusiasts!

We are now receiving submissions for Mamba 16, September 2024 issue.

Submissions are open from May 15th, 2024 to August 15, 2024. We look forward to your haiku/senryu/haiga/and haibun.

Kindly refer to the submission guidelines available on our website.

https://africahaikunetwork.wordpress.com/submission-guides/

Best, AHN Team.

The Mamba’s Submission Guideline: We are looking forward to Africa themed haiku i.e. haiku about African sights, sounds and settings. We may also accept haiku which explore a universal theme but mu…