Image credit: Ana Maria Tone (via Shutterstock)
“Fredo, you’re my older brother and I love you. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again, ever.” – Michael Corleone
The Godfather, Mario Puzo
What constitutes a family has changed over time, not just in composition but also in definition. In our changing world, gender roles in the family have also been questioned. The breadwinner of the family is no longer a tag meant for men only. How do all these fit into our understanding of the family?
Is blood really thicker than water? What does family mean? How do we relate to it? How does it make or unmake us? Is it defined exclusively by blood ties? How often does it fuck us up? How often does it protect us? We are interested in nonfiction and fiction that answer these questions or ask different questions entirely.
Can friends become brothers/sisters and can brothers/sisters become strangers? We want to see the vulnerability in understanding how we relate with family and who we consider to be family. What intrigues happen within families? What secrets bind and unbind them?
For its 10th issue, Bakwa Magazine seeks nonfiction, fiction and poetry that address these issues. We accept submissions in English, French & Pidgin English and pay a token fee of USD 25 for each accepted piece.
Deadline April 1
For information about submission guidelines, click here
Below are examples of the kind of pieces we are looking for
On Loving A Sibling I’ve Never Met
Our Mothers’ Violence and What’s Left After
How I Found Poetry in Childhood Prayer