Totem is an audacious imprint that specialises in discovering and publishing new writing and art from all all cultures for a world and Pan-African audience.
We are currently working on an Africa specialism, encouraging writers and artists from all over the world to produce work for African audiences, as a way of reversing the lamentable dearth of literature on the African continent.
Totem came into being as founder Ishmael Annobil’s response to an older poet’s persistent pleas to be published by him. That was in Cardiff, Wales, in the ‘90s, when all artistic folk knew they were on a cusp of sorts; possibly a renaissance; and Topher Mills, a young poet, was spearheading small press (mainly Zerox) publishing; Avant Gardist poet Peter Finch was managing Oriel Bookshop and Gallery, mustering the best poetry collection in the world; poet/architect Ifor Thomas was dazzling audiences with his virtuoso recitals, and winning every spoken poetry contest;
and miners’ bard Mogg Williams was still actively touring countrywide.
A newcomer to that magical Welsh millieu,
Ishmael, a ‘wandering poet’ from Ghana (via Sudan, Kenya and England),
was inspired to contribute two telling projects to that ferment:
Iolo’s Children poetry festival, and Circa21 Newspaper, Wales’ first serious arts journal.
Little did he know that he would be impelled to also start an imprint.
The persistent poet that started the ball rolling was Ramses Sidrak, an Egyptian lyric poet. His first collection of poems, People, Pyramids & Piccadilly, became Totem’s first ever book. Rather auspiciously, it was illustrated by the great polemical printmaker and lecturer, Paul Peter Piech, just before he passed away. Since then, Ishmael has maintained a ‘discovery’ stance on publishing, an open-house agenda that favours unique talent in all printable forms, from every culture and country on earth.
We are champions of cosmopolitanism.
ADDRESS:
Totem Books, 60 Swinley House, Redhill Street. London NW1 4BB
tel: +44 207 388 4676 / 07491 333424
