Levi Tafari
Encyclopedia
Levi Tafari was born and raised in the city of Liverpool
by his Jamaican parents. He attended catering college, where he studied classical French cuisine and graduated with distinction. In the early 1980s, while working as a caterer, he started attending the Liverpool 8 Writers Workshop and decided to become a performance poet. Levi was a firm member of the Rastafarian movement and although his early performances were in that community, he saw it as his duty to reach a wider audience and began performing overseas.
Levi self-identifies as an Urban Griot
(the griot being the traditional consciousness raiser, storyteller, newscaster and political agitator). He has four collections of poetry, Duboetry (1987), Liverpool Experience (1989), Rhyme Don’t Pay (1998) and From the Page to the Stage (2006). His plays have been performed at the Blackheath Theater in Stafford
and the Unity Theatre, Liverpool
. He was also the first person to use the term “duboetry.” Several of his musical tracks can be found on compilation albums and he has recorded poetry, which has been released on audiocassette.
Levi often runs creative writing workshops at schools, colleges, universities and prisons. Most recently Levi has applied his work to working with the British Council
, undertaking tours to the Czech Republic
, Jordan
, Portugal
, Germany
and Singapore
. He was Writer in Residence at Charles University in Prague
. Levi has also appeared in many television programs including Blue Peter
and Grange Hill
. He also made a film about Rastafarianism for BBC television
's Everyman program.
In 2001 Levi toured with scrap recycle band, Urban Strawberry Lunch
. He has also worked with the Ghanian drum and dance ensemble Delado, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, jazz musician Dennis Rollins
, and his own reggae band, Ministry of Love. Currently, Levi is preparing a new collection of poems, experimenting in the recording studio with new sounds along with guitarist Ekio Falkenburg and he continues to perform his work in venues across the globe.
In early 2009 Levi worked with children from Elmgrove Primary School
in Belfast
for their live performance in St George's Market
. Levi attended the performance on 2nd April 2009.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
by his Jamaican parents. He attended catering college, where he studied classical French cuisine and graduated with distinction. In the early 1980s, while working as a caterer, he started attending the Liverpool 8 Writers Workshop and decided to become a performance poet. Levi was a firm member of the Rastafarian movement and although his early performances were in that community, he saw it as his duty to reach a wider audience and began performing overseas.
Levi self-identifies as an Urban Griot
Griot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
(the griot being the traditional consciousness raiser, storyteller, newscaster and political agitator). He has four collections of poetry, Duboetry (1987), Liverpool Experience (1989), Rhyme Don’t Pay (1998) and From the Page to the Stage (2006). His plays have been performed at the Blackheath Theater in Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
and the Unity Theatre, Liverpool
Unity Theatre, Liverpool
The Unity Theatre in Liverpool, England, was formed as the Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s. In 1944 it became Merseyside Unity Theatre....
. He was also the first person to use the term “duboetry.” Several of his musical tracks can be found on compilation albums and he has recorded poetry, which has been released on audiocassette.
Levi often runs creative writing workshops at schools, colleges, universities and prisons. Most recently Levi has applied his work to working with the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, undertaking tours to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. He was Writer in Residence at Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
. Levi has also appeared in many television programs including Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
and Grange Hill
Grange Hill
Grange Hill is a British television drama series originally made by the BBC. The show began in 1978 on BBC1 and was one of the longest running programmes on British television...
. He also made a film about Rastafarianism for BBC television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
's Everyman program.
In 2001 Levi toured with scrap recycle band, Urban Strawberry Lunch
Urban Strawberry Lunch
Urban Strawberry Lunch are a Liverpool, England, based group who make music on everyday objects. Formed by Benjamin F Tin and Ambrose Reynolds in 1987, USL began making their own musical instruments after a fire destroyed all of their musical instruments...
. He has also worked with the Ghanian drum and dance ensemble Delado, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, jazz musician Dennis Rollins
Dennis Rollins
Dennis Rollins is a British jazz trombonist, the founder and bandleader of BadBone and Co.Rollins was born in Birmingham, of Jamaican parents, and brought up in Bentley, Doncaster and attended Don Valley High School...
, and his own reggae band, Ministry of Love. Currently, Levi is preparing a new collection of poems, experimenting in the recording studio with new sounds along with guitarist Ekio Falkenburg and he continues to perform his work in venues across the globe.
In early 2009 Levi worked with children from Elmgrove Primary School
Elmgrove Primary School
Elmgrove Primary School is a large Primary School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It opened in 1932 as Elmgrove Elementary School. In 2008, Elmgrove celebrated it's 75th anniversary. Special medals made from Mambco, were given to all the pupils...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
for their live performance in St George's Market
St George's Market
St George's Market is the last surviving Victorian covered market in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is located on May Street, close to the River Lagan and the Waterfront Hall. Belfast Corporation commissioned the building of St George’s Market, which was built in three phases between 1890 and 1896...
. Levi attended the performance on 2nd April 2009.