Tag Archives: Kagan Goh

World Poetry Celebrates Kagan Goh with His New Show!


Ariadne’s Notes: A wonderful, informational show  on June 1st!  The World Poetry Café Radio Show , CFRO 100.5 FM1-2 PM, PST.  with host and producer Ariadne Sawyer, MA and co-host Elaine Woo with super tech Victor Swartzman and volunteer Sharon Rowe, welcomed the talented Kagan Goh and his work as a mental health advocate. 

Music from the program SURVIVING SAMSARA

TO HEAR THE SHOW: CICK HERE!

http://www.coopradio.org/content/world-poetry-caf%C3%A9-el-mundo-de-la-poesia-

Featured was his upcoming production  

SURVIVING SAMSARA
by Kagan Goh

A celebration of the resiliency of the human spirit
to transcend the suffering of 
the stigma and discrimination of mental illness

WHERE: THE INTERURBAN GALLERY 
1 EAST HASTINGS (@ CARRALL)

WHEN: Thurs June 15 & Thurs June 29, 2017

Doors Open 7 PM
Show Starts 7.30 PM

Suggested Donation $20
(Pay what you can. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds)

A Multimedia Multidisciplinary Theatrical Performance
Featuring
KAGAN GOH – Actor & Spoken Word Artist
SALOMÉ NIETO – Butoh Dancer & Choreographer
ANGELO MORONI – Director & Composer/Musician
JUJUBE JACINTO – Rapper
RENA DEL PIEVE GOBBI – Filmmaker

SYNOPSIS

Surviving Samsara is a multimedia multidisciplinary live theatrical production that incorporates acting, spoken word, Butoh dance, rap, music, film and video. Surviving Samsara recounts the author Kagan Goh’s struggles with manic depression. This story takes place over two decades as Kagan Goh struggles to survive the highs of mania and the lows of depression. As a survivor, Kagan gives us insight into an ‘insider’s’ experience of madness. He exposes the damaging effects of the stigma of mental illness, and explores manic depression not only as a disorder, but as a spiritual emergence — a vehicle for personal growth, healing and transcendence. Kagan’s deeply personal stories illustrate his transformation from victim to survivor to activist. 

The production of Surviving Samsara is proposed, managed and facilitated by people with personal, lived experience with mental health challenges. 

CREATIVE TEAM

KAGAN GOH – Producer, Spoken Word Artist, Playwright, Actor.  http://kagangoh.com/
Kagan Goh is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, spoken word poet, and mental health advocate and activist. Kagan has been published in numerous anthologies, periodicals and magazines. Select Books in Singapore published his first book, Who Let in the Sky? Goh is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker with a number of releases, including the award-winning Mind Fuck (1996) and Stolen Memories (2012). His films have been broadcast on national television and gained entry into respected film festivals across Canada. His personal mission is to educate people about mental health issues and fight the stigma against the mentally ill.  
(www.kagangoh.com / www.stolenmemoriesdocumentary.com)

SALOMÉ NIETO – Butoh Dancer/Choreographer.
Renowned for her emotionally-charged performances, audiences have described pataSola co-founder, Salome Nieto, as ethereal, evocative and enchanting. Her work explores the essence of Butoh and the integration of spirituality with her cultural identity. An accomplished dancer and choreographer, Salome has 23 years of specialized Butoh training with internationally-renowned instructors and has danced extensively with Kokoro Dance Company. As well as executing her own works in Vancouver, BC, Salome has performed in Argentina, Mexico, Nicaragua, Thailand, England and Poland. Recent collaborations include projects with Butoh Masters Gustavo Collini-Sartor (Argentina) and Valentin Tzin (Russia), Dianne Farnsworth, Donna Redlick Dance and since 2014 with Poet Kagan Goh (Canada).
(www.patasoladance.com)

ANGELO MORONI – Director, Musician/Composer, Social Theatre Facilitator
With more than 15 years practicing Theatre and Music, Angelo has performed in numerous theatre and modern dance companies, including in experimental music ensembles. Furthermore, he has given social theatre workshops to kids, teens, adults, the visually impaired, Amnesty International, and to educators at UBC in Canada and Mexico. In Surviving Samsara, Angelo, the musician/composer, has also given Kagan Goh (actor) directorial support with his written pieces.

JUJUBE JACINTO – Rapper, Stage Manager, Audio Visual Designer 
Jujube Jacinto is a self-taught lyricist, performer, and visual artist living with bipolar. Through her work, she heals personal trauma, inspiring others to do the same. As stage manager in Surviving Samsara, she assists with all technical aspects of the production: successful timing and delivery, costumes, props, projector, and lighting. 

RENA DEL PIEVE GOBBI – Filmmaker, Production Assistant, Audio Visual Designer
Rena Del Pieve Gobbi is a Vancouver Artist and Filmmaker. Her work has screened in 15 countries and opened for the Images Film Festival Gala in Toronto as well as the Canadian Images Gala at the VIFF IN Vancouver. Rena was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1993. Her art work is concerned with issues surrounding PTSD and sexual violence. Rena collaborated with Kagan Goh on the Surviving Samsara piece photographically five years ago. She is very excited to continue collaborating on this material. “My feeling is that work that demonstrates the experiences of mental illness are crucial to raising awareness.” To this end Rena has made a video, seclusion, out of photographs shot on a camera smuggled into a psychiatric hospital when she was in her early 20s and a painting depicting herself locked in the seclusion room for seven days. The video is narrated with three journal entries woven together from the same time. An improvisational soundtrack accompanies the narrative and brings to life the hallucinated monkey in the next room. (www.rena.ca)

NOTICE:
Copies of Kagan Goh’s chapbook of 
SURVIVING SAMSARA are available for sale for $20. Source: Kagan Goh

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World Poetry Celebrates Kagan Goh from Canada!

 Ariadne’s Notes: The World Poetry Café Radio Show with hosts Ariadne Sawyer and Neall Ryon , engineer Victor Schwartzman ; welcomed Kagan Goh the well known poet, filmmaker and author to the show on February 11, 1-2 pm  on CRFO, 100.5 FM.

It was a fascinating show about Kagan’s work and about his father’s friendship with the musician David Bowie who recently passed away but may be reunited with him in another dimension. Another focus was on the mistreatment of poets, writers and dissidents at that time and which seems to be history repeating itself over and over again. A must listen show! CLICK HERE!

IMG_2849-lydianagaiphotography

Kagan Goh was born in Singapore in 1969.  After years of traveling, he emigrated with his family to Canada in 1986 and now resides in Vancouver.  Kagan is a spoken word poet, published author, playwright and mental health activist. In 2012, Select Books in Singapore published his first book Who Let In the Sky?  Kagan is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker with a number of releases including the award-winning Mind Fuck (1996) and Stolen Memories (2012). His films have been broadcast on national television and gained entry into respected film festivals across Canada.  

NAÏVE

I’m no stranger to sorrow but I’m one of the happiest people I know.

People think I’m naïve because I wear my heart on my sleeve.

Because I am so buoyant with joy they treat me like a boy.

Little do they know my heart is cast in the kilns of pain.

Not even God can break me. I’m already broken.

It’s through the cracks my truth is spoken.

I have more faith than a thousand religions.

Love is the only thing I really believe in.

Like my fellow mental health survivors I am a veteran.

I have my battle scars. I do not hide them.

Neither do I parade them for I am no victim.

Won’t join the ticker tape parade.

No thanks I don’t need your angst.

Don’t want to dwell on the time I spent in hell.

I’d much rather reminisce on this world of bliss,

give misery a miss to kiss the lips of life.

I’m gonna marry her and make her my wife.

And if you think pain and suffering makes you deep,

I’d rather wade in the shallow waters of happiness

than drown in the depths of your despair,

cuz buddy believe it or not I’ve been there.

I’m done doing time in my own mind.

Now I’m digging this life like a gold mine.

And I found there’s nothing more profound than joy.

If suffering makes me a man, I’d rather be a boy

with an irrepressible joy not even God almighty can destroy.

Kagan Goh (C)

 

 

 

 

 

The Fourth World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival!

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The Fourth World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival Proudly announces the Empowered Award Winners.

We had over 300 nominations come in, some even six months early. We wish we could honour all of you.

Each nominee was nominated by at least two people, in some cases much more. A check was made as to background, good heart,abilities and the quest for peace. The Empowerment awards are based on these qualities.

This year, the age range is from 12-100!

An award will be given to those that can attend during the month of October, for those who cannot come due to Visas or other reasons, a certificate will be sent to you by e-mail. In past festivals, awards were sent out, but most never reached their destinations. If there is a name or country error, please let us  know.

This list will be going on site and when time permits, a brief bio, photo and a poem or writing will be put on site.

The festival is coming together, created by many hours of volunteer work for peace. We are have launched a Crowd Funding site to pay for some of the costs, rather than have it come out of pocket. For more information: Go to  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fourth-world-poetry-peace-festival/x/8284778 and join the team to create empowerment and peace!!This is your festival too and the waves of peace coming from it will circle the world!You can also contribute by becoming a peace connector volunteer and helping out in the festival. Contact: ariadnes@uniserve.com or astarte_sita@yahoo.com

All the best to you and keep up the good work. Peace and the world needs you!

World Poetry Canada International Peace Festival Award Winners!

World Poetry Lifetime Achievement Award: Carol Knepper, Canada.

World Poetry Unsung Hero Award: Mobin Saberi, Canada.

World Poetry Cultural Ambassador   Michael Kwaku Kesse Somuah, Ghana.

World Poetry Music Ambassador Yoshifumi Sakura, Japan.

World Poetry Cultural Ambassador: Mutiu Olawuyi, Gambia.

World Poetry Theatre Ambassador: Oswald Okaitei. Ghana

World Poetry Youth Peace Ambassador: Timileyin Olajuwon, Nigeria.

World Poetry Empowered Poets:

Janet Kvammen, Canada

Elaine Woo, Canada

Honey Novick, Canada

Una Bruhns, Canada

Lini Grol, Canada

Anviksha Srivastava. India & USA.

Corazon Wong Canda, Japan.

Carolyn Mary Kleefeld, USA.

Helen Bar- Lev, Israel

Mamta Agarwal, India

Peter Thabit Jones, Wales

Stanley Barkan, USA

Adisa AJA Andwele, USA.

Samay Hamed, Afghanistan.

Lidia  Chiarelli,  Italy.  

 Murray Kion. Netherlands

Empowered Musician:

Enrico Renz, Canada.

World Poetry Empowered Graphic Artist:

Sainabou Baldeh, The Gambia.

Empowered Filmmakers

Kagan Goh, Canada.

Mary Fowles, Canada.

Rahmat Haidari, Afghanistan.

Ghafar Faizyar, Afghanistan.

Akshat Ajay Sharma, India.

Sharif Saedi, Afghanistan.

*** Three filmmakers from our new partner, Vancouver Asian Film Festival will be joining us as soon as they are selected