#zomfam

[kamalamackerel]

39 today 🌺 My parents called this morning and my mom asked whether I'd prayed (which I had). My dad asked whether I'd given thanks (which I had). As I embark on this 40th journey around the sun, I give thanks for love, for both the depth and abundance of love in my life. I give thanks for purpose, for the beauty of waking up every morning and living an intentional and fulfilling life. I give thanks for all the ways in which I am witnessed, seen and held, in all my complexities. And given that it's my birthday today and that I am away for a writing residency: If there are any special memories of us and/or things you like/appreciate about me that you want to share, these would be very welcome! #birthday #aries gratitude #artist #portrait #art #poet #performer #visualartist #writer #translator #author #femme #lgbt #lgbtq #queer #trans #transgender #zomfam #mauritius #montreal #lamackerel #kamalamackerel (at Pátzcuaro, Michoacán) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTN-vCLkDw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[findthebae]

Hi! It’s Addison from the Disney movie Zombies! I’m looking for anyone except for Bree and Bucky because I already found them! But im especially looking for my Zomfam, Zed, Zevon and Zoey! In my canon, my parents gave me an ultimatum. They said that I had to give up dating Zed, because no daughter of theirs was dating zombies. So I moved out and Zevon graciously took me in. I didn’t think he would but they welcomed me with open arms. If this sounds familiar, interact and I’ll respond! 💖

! ! !

[moonbeams-and-midnights]

😍😍😍

[careol-arc]

lowkey wants to join in on the zomfam

[asarahworld]

Merry Christmas, Zomfam!

I want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas from my family to yours!!

🦌🦌🦌🎅🏻

[canoncalled]

Hi! It’s Addison from the Disney movie Zombies! I’m looking for anyone except for Bree and Bucky because I already found them! But im especially looking for my Zomfam, Zed, Zevon and Zoey! In my canon, my parents gave me an ultimatum. They said that I had to give up dating Zed, because no daughter of theirs was dating zombies. So I moved out and Zevon graciously took me in. If this sounds familiar, interact and I’ll respond! (Also no one under 18 pls as I’m 25!)

[kamalamackerel]

Immense gratitude to everyone who witnessed ZOM-FAM's wonderful opening at @buddiesto last night. I can't believe this is the work I get to do, and that I get to do it for 3 more shows this weekend. Tonight's show will be followed by an artist talk-back with @sortofbilal, tomorrow's show with a conversation with @kaichengthom, and Sunday's matinée will be a relaxed performance. There are a few tickets left. Link in bio! Photo credit: @mimnagh.ca #zomfam #performance #performer #interdisciplinary #show #spokenword #poetry #dance #art #artist #queerartist #queermtl #queerart #queerperformance #mauritius #mauritian #buddies #toronto #lgbtq #lgbt #queer #trans #femme #kamalamackerel #lamackerel #transmauritius #queermauritius (at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkjfkB1LzBI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kamalamackerel]

Thanks to everyone who came out for the performance of ZOM-FAM at @vuesurlareleve last week. It was such a meaningful moment, to finally be in communion with an audience, but more than anything, to fall in love, all over again, with this work. My heart is full 💖 Merci à tous·tes d'être venu·es à la performance de ZOM-FAM à @vuesurlareleve la semaine dernière. C'était un moment profond, de pouvoir enfin être en communion avec un public, mais plus que tout, de tomber en amour à nouveau, avec cet ouvrage. J'en ai le cœur tout plein 💖 Photo credit: @draven888 #VueSurLaReleve #VSRL #festival #performance #performer #spokenword #poet #show #dance #interdisciplinary #poetry #zomfam #kamalamackerel #lamackerel #mauritius #montreal #trans #queer #lgbtq #lgbt #femme #art #artistic #mtlart #queermtl #mtlmoments (at Maison de la culture Claude-Léveillée) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdrkWfGImVs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kamalamackerel]

[english version below] Je présente aussi un laboratoire du nouvel ouvrage que je développe, 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍'𝒐𝒄é𝒂𝒏, un récit poétique [EN FRANÇAIS, OUI!] mis en scène à travers la danse, le rituel, le mouvement au Festival @offtamtl les 31 mai et 1 juin. C'est un tout nouveau territoire artistique que j'explore, et j'aimerais bien avoir vos commentaires sur l'évolution de ce travail! Lien dans la bio! I am also presenting a new work-in-progress of my new work in development, 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍'𝒐𝒄é𝒂𝒏, a poetic score [IN FRENCH, YES!] that is portrayed through dance, rituals and movement at the Festival @offtamtl on may 31 and june 1. This is a new artistic terrain for me, and I would love to get your feedback on this work in progress! Link in bio! [Photo credit: @vanessafortinphotographe] #OFFTA #festival #performance #performer #spokenword #dance #interdisciplinary #poetry #poésie #zomfam #ocean #kamalamackerel #lamackerel #mauritius #montreal #trans #queer #lgbtq #lgbt #femme #art #artistic #mtlart #mtlmoments (at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels)) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccxd498LGBg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[kamalamackerel]

This is such a surreal thing for me to announce, but here it is: I am presenting a new performance 𝐋𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞 : 𝐬𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐧 𝐞𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚 𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐞 at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal as part of Af-Flux Biennale Transnationale Noire on Nov 6 & 7, at 13h30. It is free, but seats are limited. LINK IN BIO. Photo credit: Vanessa Fortin #mbam #mmfa #afflux #biennale #transnational #noire #blackart #blackartist #performance #performer #ritual #poetry #poet #installation #zomfam #qtbipoc #gay #trans #transgender #femme #mauritius #lemorne #montreal #transmauritius #lamackerel #kamalamackerel (at Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVgZ0fdrPmS/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kamalamackerel]

[english below] si vous avez raté ma performance-rituel 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 // 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍’𝒐𝒄é𝒂𝒏 // 𝒎𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒌𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒏 𝒛𝒊𝒍 présenté dans le contexte de mon expo 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑰𝑺/𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑶𝑫𝒀 dans le cadre de @momentabiennale à @lagaleriedeluqam, la performance est maintenant disponible en ligne et peut être visionnée jusqu'au 24 octobre. je vous ai mis un lien dans la bio! \\ * // * \\ if you missed my ritual performance 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 // 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍’𝒐𝒄é𝒂𝒏 // 𝒎𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒌𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒏 𝒛𝒊𝒍 presented in the context of my exhibit 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑰𝑺/𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑶𝑫𝒀 in the context of @momentabiennale at @lagaleriedeluqam, the performance is now available online to be streamed until oct 24. there's a link in my bio! « 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑲𝒂𝒎𝒂 𝑳𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒐-𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔: 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒖𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔. 𝑨 𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝑳𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒍 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆. » gratitude to Emil Briones & @babemaharjan for being part of this femme ritual. gratitude to @jessica_sofia_lopez for being a superstar & supporting me in bringing this vision to fruition. gratitude to Jean-Michael Seminaro Sandrick Mathurin for documenting the performance. #momenta #momenta2021 #performance #performer #poem #poetry #poet #installation #multimedia #yourbodyistheocean #moncorpsestlocean #zomfam #artist #artistic #artistsoninstagram #artistlife #literature #qtbipoc #bipoc #gay #queer #trans #transgender #oneofthem #montreal #mauritius #transmauritius #lamackerel #kamalamackerel (at Parc Verdun) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUaH6ygg52i/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kamalamackerel]

It's been a year since ZOM-FAM has been out into the world. I had only one dream for this poetry: That she would make her way into people's hearts. (Well two dreams: I also *really* wanted this book to make the CBC books preview list 'coz I have lil'immigrant dreams like that, y'know?) 🌸🌊 The way these stories have been received in the world has exceeded all my expectations: It not only made the CBC books preview list, but became a CBC Best Book of Poetry, a Globe & Mail Best Book Debut, a finalist for both the QWF Concordia University First Book Award and the Writers' Trust of Canada Dayne Ogilvie Prize! 💫🌱 #ZOMFAM has also been featured on CBC Books, CBC Arts, Radio-Canada, CityNews, Fugues, Revue Jeu, Spirale, Autostraddle, Xtra & so much more, with reviews in Canthius, Arc, Montreal Review of Books, Room, & World Literature Today called it "a milestone in Mauritian literature." It's presently being taught in universities in the UK, the US and Canada 😭✨ In January, ZOM-FAM went into its 2nd print run, which I still can't believe. This means that 1,000+ copies of this book have made their way onto people's bookshelves 🤯🤯 But more than anything, the greatest joy has been when the book landed in Mauritius this July. This was the true homecoming. True, expansive joy, like I never thought possible ♥️💙💛💚 So gratitude is in order: first of all for my wonderful, dedicated & diligent publishers @metonymypress. For all the indie bookstores that have stocked & promoted this book (& the many who hosted me for online readings & talks!) For everyone who invited me to teach, read, meet students, run workshops! Everybody who has read, shared, reviewed, made an IG story & generally celebrated this poetry in their life. This means so much 🌻🙏🏾 @aun_li & Kai Yun Ching, again, for this dreamy cover that still takes my breath away 😘😍 And all the queer, trans & racialized writers out there who supported me over the past year, taught me the ropes of "the industry," supported me so I could sustain myself through this journey & still find joy, & still remain true to myself, my heart, my values. THANK YOU! 🙏🏾💫🌱💖 Photo credit: @___sel_de_mer https://www.instagram.com/p/CT5t6NvLtKM/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kamalamackerel]

Here are a few stills from 𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧, from my new video project developed in partnership with video-artist extraordinaire, Alejandro de Leon, and supported by the @canada.council #DigitalOriginal grant. In this series of video capsules, we take inspiration from my debut poetry collection ZOM-FAM (@metonymypress) to create a decolonial and queer poetic universe captured & expressed through the moving image. Working with video as a (new) medium was particularly stimulating as it allowed me to draw from my fields of practice in performance, visual arts and spoken word to create a new interdisciplinary world for the poetry to inhabit. You can order #ZOMFAM from your local bookstores anywhere in Canada, US and Europe! #video #videography #videoart #poem #poetry #poet #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #artist #artistic #artistsoninstagram #artists #artistsofinstagram #artistlife #literature #visualart #qtbipoc #bipoc #gay #queer #trans #transgender #oneofthem #montreal #mauritius #lamackerel #kamalamackerel (at Montreal, Quebec) https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0MeHVH7ik/?igshid=kpykwnw88pnc

[kamalamackerel]

Last year, thanks to the @canada.council #DigitalOriginal grant, I had the opportunity of exploring video as a creative medium. I partnered with Mexican-Canadian video-artist Alejandro de Leon, and together we started developing a series of video capsules inspired by my debut poetry collection ZOM-FAM (@metonymypress) Finding ways to articulate poetry through the moving image has been a very exciting process. The medium demanded that I reimagine my relationship to my current fields of practice so that my background in performance, visual arts and spoken word could merge into a new form altogether. Developing video work is a slow process. We do hope to exhibit this project in its full scope sometime in the next year or so. But for now, here are some video stills from from the piece 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. [You can order #ZOMFAM from your local bookstores anywhere in Canada, US and Europe!] #video #videography #videoart #poem #poetry #poet #poetrycommunity #poetsofinstagram #poetsofig #artist #artistic #artistsoninstagram #artists #artistsofinstagram #artistlife #literature #visualart #qtbipoc #bipoc #gay #queer #trans #transgender #oneofthem #montreal #mauritius #lamackerel #kamalamackerel (at Montreal, Quebec) https://www.instagram.com/p/COvI1PSnnbv/?igshid=10tya5scfmqfy

[kamalamackerel]

it's now been more than 2 weeks since ZOM-FAM has been published.⠀ ⠀ i've spent most of the past 2 weeks hard at work, doing long hours in studio with my team of creative collaborators as we gear up for the premiere of ZOM-FAM, the interdisciplinary solo performance, at @mtlartsinter which is now just 2 weeks away. i haven't quite had the space to process the arrival of this book into the world.⠀ ⠀ i dedicate ZOM-FAM to both my grand-mothers. i haven't known any of them, as they passed away many years before i was born. but i don't think any these stories would have been written if it were not for them, if it were not for the parts of them that live in me. at the core of my trans-feminine identity, at the core of my gender travels lies the spiritual journey of honouring my grandmothers & the parts of them that live inside my breastbone. ⠀ ⠀ the little i know of Rita & Dana-Pakion is that they were two extremely resilient women who lived an endless life of woes & hardship under the colonial regime of plantation life & who died very young of a bruised heart. i can only hope that in writing this poetry, in healing my own femme bruised heart, i have managed to bring some peace & rest to their spirit, to the longings, hauntings & silences that have been passed on from generation to generation within the lineages of my family.⠀ ⠀ i am very happy i wrote this book. this is the book i have dreamed of birthing & i couldn't be more grateful for this 5+ years process. it fills my heart with joy & love, & i can only hope that you will read it too & that it will fill your heart with joy & love as well.⠀ ⠀ i have also been very blessed to have just the right people to accompany me, support me & bear witness along the years. & for that, for all of you, my heart is filled with gratitude 💖 ⠀ #zomfam #poem #poetry #poet #lyric #literature #canlit #storytelling #performance #performer #art #montreal #montrealart #mtlart #queermtl #indenture #mauritius #island #ancestors #queer #qtbipoc #lgbt #gay #transgender #femme #queerart #lamackerel #kamalamackerel #mauritian #gratitude (at Mauritius) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFpCFf4Ame_/?igshid=3t0oqtca4iic

[kamalamackerel]

ZOM-FAM, my debut collection of lyric poems, finally goes to print today! ✨🌻🌛⠀ ⠀ The past week has been busy, as we ran a last fine-tooth comb through the manuscript & adjusted the very last details in the book. In exactly 8 weeks from now, this baby will be out into the world & I cannot wait! 🌱🌾🌿⠀ ⠀ I have to say: getting to hold the Advance Reading Copy in my hands & reading it through cover-to-cover has been a surreal & magical experience. I am indeed very much in love with this work. I think it's absolutely beautiful!⠀ ⠀ But more than anything, reading this book, I asked myself: is this the book that I have dreamt of putting out into the world? The answer is yes, absolutely, yes, yes & yes!⠀ ⠀ At this point, there is nothing else I can ask for. I do think of my work as an artist, as a writer, as being that of walking in my light & honouring my truth, however complex, shifting & uncomfortable that can be. And I think ZOM-FAM does just that: it honours my life trajectory, it celebrates the child in me, & it does justice to the long & ongoing journey of coming into myself & finding my most honest artistic voice. 🌺🌸🌹⠀ ⠀ I hope you will enjoy reading this book! It's available for pre-order (link into bio) & on Sept 10, you'll be able to grab it from any bookstore.⠀ ⠀ If you are a reviewer who wants an Advanced Reading Copy, please get in touch with @metonymypress at publish@metonymypress.com⠀ ⠀ Immense gratitude for Ashley & Oliver, my publishers @metonymypress, for being such superstars! And for @aun_li and @kaiyunching threading their love for me into this book cover ❤️⠀ ⠀ #zomfam #poem #poetry #poet #lyric #literature #canlit #storytelling #performance #performer #art #montreal #montrealart #mtlart #queermtl #indenture #mauritius #island #ancestors #queer #qtbipoc #lgbt #gay #transgender #femme #queerart #lamackerel #kamalamackerel #mauritian #mauritianlit (at Montreal, Quebec) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCd5QdUg83N/?igshid=12chpugjlnqk3