The Slaughterhouse of Dreams

The Slaughterhouse of Dreams: Kasala for My KakuBy Fiston Mwanza MujilaTranslated by J. Bret Maney A new poetic form from Fiston Mwanza Mujila, lauded author of novels Tram 83 and The Villain's Dance and poetry collection The River in the Belly. Publication Date: November 18, 2025 Paperback: 9781646054114eBook: 9781646054121 Description The Slaughterhouse of Dreams is rooted in a traditional Congolese form of praise poem, the kasala, that ties together proverbs, origin stories, fables, and riddles into a recitation accompanied by music. In Mwanza Mujila’s skilled hands, this oral tradition becomes a new multimedia form, set to the page while retaining the remarkable drama, emotion, and celebration of its performed root. In The Slaughterhouse of Dreams, multiple lyrical traditions create a hybrid world of global spaces and layers of time. With the rhythmic, frenetic energy that unites his poetry, prose, and performances, Fiston Mwanza Mujila reanimates and simultaneously deconstructs id