Ethiopian Italian Author, Performer Gabriella Ghermandi to Perform and Lecture

The International and Global Studies Program (INST) and Italian (ITAL) Program will host acclaimed writer, performer and musician Gabriella Ghermandi for two events on Monday and Tuesday, April 20-21. Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited to attend.

On Monday, April 20, at 5:30 p.m. in Kimpel Hall 404, Ghermandi will present a narrative performance titled "Queen of Flowers and Pearls." Based on her novel with the same English title, the performance weaves together storytelling, short readings and traditional Ethiopian songs to explore themes of identity, migration and the lasting impact of Italian colonialism.

Through the story of an Ethiopian family across generations, the performance traces a journey from Ethiopia to Italy, highlighting memory, resistance and cultural heritage. Presented in an intimate storytelling style, the event will also feature moments of live song and a visual transformation into traditional Ethiopian dress, creating an immersive and engaging experience for the audience.

On Tuesday, April 21, at 5 p.m. in Hillside Auditorium 206, Ghermandi will deliver a lecture titled Counter-Narratives: Challenging Stereotypes of Ethiopian Women in Fascist Colonial Italy and Beyond. In this talk, she examines how Fascist-era propaganda shaped stereotypes of Ethiopian and Eritrean women and offers counter-narratives rooted in lived experiences.

Drawing on her research and her project Maqeda, Ghermandi reinterprets historical materials while exploring the impact of colonial practices such as madamato. Blending historical analysis with her work as a writer, performer and musician, she highlights the importance of reclaiming and re-telling women's stories.

These events are co-sponsored by the International and Global Studies Program, the Italian Program, the Department of English, Department of Theatre, the School of Art, and the Professor Antonio Marinoni and Rosa Zagnoni Marinoni Endowed Chair in Italian. If you have any questions, please contact the International and Global Studies Program (inst@uark.edu).