Kamau Braithewaite: Conversations with Nathanial MacKay

Literary Criticism. African American and Caribbean Studies. Kamau Brathwiate’s ‘Conversations with Nathanial MacKay’ is based on the transcript of his discussion with Nathaniel Mackey at Poet’s House in New York City. Brathwaite expansively elaborates on Mackey’s (and audience member’s) knowledgeable inquiries; his answers are layered with subsequent ruminations arising from his lifelong engagement with world literature and expressive cultures. A multiphasic drift, ‘Conversations with Nathanial MacKay’ combines elements of biography and autobiography with poetic discourse on Caribbean literary history and negative effects of colonial domination. Brathwaite splices dialog with poetry, criticism, and instrictive imaginary voices in his now distinct and characteristic Sycorax ‘video style’ format.