Eric Ngalle Charles 2

In this clip Eric tells us how poetry and literature can change people's ideas and inspire empathy.

'you can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats its artists, its writers, its poets. I look at this human migration now, not from a political viewpoint - for that is not my strong point - but from a literary perspective. You see, I have a lady in my class and she doesn’t understand a word of English, but she performs perfect poetry in a language which is part of Bantu. Most of these poems are tribal; the only thing refugees have is their memories. They don’t carry household items, and because of the trauma the only thing they have left is their memories. When this lady stands in front of an audience and she remembers this song that is ancient and mystic to her - the only thing that she knows - she tells her story; not because she has been traumatised, but to say: “This is my memory”. '

Made with the help of an EVS volunteer http://europa.eu/youth/volunteering/organisation/925407937_en @EUPAMALTA @EUPA1