10-12 OCTOBER 2025
The Living Chiofta: Some Stories That Came Out of Songs – Words, Sound & Memory
18:00
LIVE READINGS WITH MUSIC
With Mike Hajimichael – a cross-cultural literary experience
SUMMARY
Author Mike Hadjimichael presents The Living Chiofta through a multi-dimensional event that combines literature, music and personal storytelling. He will read selected excerpts from the book, highlighting its emotional and cultural richness, while original songs that are thematically connected to the work will accompany the evening. With reflections and stories, he will invite the audience to a lively dialogue around identity and memory, in an open and participatory atmosphere.
This presentation highlights The Living Chiofta, Mike's new book as a pioneering dub poet, performer and academic, whose work marries spoken word with music to explore themes of identity, resistance and diaspora.
For the book festival, Mike proposes a multimedia presentation that combines live readings of excerpts from The Living Chieftain with acoustic musical interventions. The program includes original songs performed live, inspired by the themes of the book, offering an experiential experience that moves between storytelling and melody.
This is a performance beyond a simple reading — an experiential journey based on the tradition of oral storytelling and musical expression. It reflects the concept of the "organic artist" that Hadjimichael has developed, bridging personal history with broader cultural concerns.
The event is aimed at a general audience and invites the audience to delve into issues of place, memory and identity, in a festive meeting of literature with live music.
BRIEF CV
Mike Hajimichael (aka Haji Mike) is a writer, poet, academic and pioneering dub poet whose work bridges cultures, sciences and creative media. Born in Cyprus, Haji Mike established himself as the first Cypriot artist to combine reggae and tradition in the 1990s, creating a unique voice that addresses issues of identity, resistance and diaspora. His early recordings and performances established him as a politically aware artistic presence, with language functioning as both rhythm and message.
In addition to his artistic work, Mike is an accomplished academic. He holds a PhD in Cultural Studies, and teaches at the University of Nicosia, with research interests that include music, media, and cultural studies. He is particularly known for developing the concept of the "organic artist", a theory that highlights the role of art as a tool for social change.
His new book, The Living Chiofta (Marathovounos Press, 2025), is a major work that combines poetry, songs, and memory, drawing inspiration from Cypriot culture and history. This book marks a new creative chapter in his writing career and has already generated discussion and positive comments.
In addition, he published the book Bob Marley and Media: Representation and Audiences (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023), which examines in depth the global image of Marley and its mediation through the media and the culture industry.