By Meneesha Govender
This year’s Time of the Writer festival is an important one – a crucial discussion is going to be taking place during this 5-day gathering of many stakeholders in South African literature.
The key focus is decolonising South African literature not only from a writing perspective, but also in terms of editing, publishing, translation, marketing, bookselling and the promotion of literature in South Africa.
The Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) has just announced its programme for the 19th Time of the Writer festival which begins on March 14 and ends on March 19. So, if you want to be a part of this important dialogue, take note of the dates, times and topics and make your way to the various venues across the city. The festival promises to be a “week of stimulating literary dialogue and exchange of ideas”, with nine South African and African writers participating.
This year’s festival has broken with tradition – it’s aimed at taking discourse to the people, the readers.
Time of the Writer has partnered with organisations, including the eThekwini Municipality Libraries department. The involvement of this department will facilitate the community engagement programme by hosting Conversations that Matter in public libraries.
...
THE PARTICIPANTS
Nikhil Singh is a self-taught artist, writer, musician and film-maker. As an artist, he has illustrated the graphic novels: The Ziggurat by The Constructus Corporation (now Die Antwoord) and Salem Brownstone with writer John Harris Dunning.
As a musician he has fronted the critically acclaimed South African art-rock bands The Wild Eyes and Hi Spider, as well as releasing a plethora of solo albums under the moniker “Witchboy”. He has also recently written and directed a feature length film Trillzone, which was commissioned by and screened at the South African National Arts festival as part of a JG Ballard symposium. Taty Went West is his debut novel.
Mishka Hoosen was given a scholarship to finish high school at Interlochen Arts Academy in the northern Michigan woods, US. She went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing at Rhodes University. She is currently studying anthropology, conducting fieldwork investigating experiences surrounding gender, sexuality, power, trauma, and artistic expression.
Her short story, Spirits of the Dead Keep Watch was featured in Short Story Day Africa’s acclaimed anthology, Terra Incognita. Her first full-length book, Call it a Difficult Night was published by Deep South Books in October 2015.
Eusebius McKaiser is a political analyst, broadcaster, philosophy lecturer and writer, based in Johannesburg. His academic background is in moral philosophy, having studied and lectured in the philosophy department at Rhodes University, before doing research in moral philosophy as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He remains an associate of the Wits Centre for Ethics.
He has two best-selling books out, A Bantu in My Bathroom and Could I Vote DA? His third book has just been released to immediate critical acclaim – Run, Racist, Run: Journeys into the Heart of Racism.
Panashe Chigumadzi is an author who grew up in South Africa but was born in Zimbabwe.
Her debut novel Sweet Medicine, was published in 2015 to both critical and popular acclaim. She is also the founder and editor of Vanguard Magazine, a womanist platform for young, black women coming of age in post-apartheid South Africa.
Last year, she became a Ruth First Fellow where she delivered a memorial lecture titled Of Coconuts, Consciousness and Cecil John Rhodes: Disillusionment and Disavowals of the Rainbow Nation.
Chigumadzi is also co-founder of the Feminist Stokvel, a collective of eight young black women in media and arts who aim to address issues facing young black women through events such as “Hair Soirees”, film screenings and panel discussions.
She is currently studying towards a Master’s degree in African Literature at Wits University.
Nakhane Touré is a multimedia artist based in Johannesburg.
After beginning his studies in literature at the University of the Witwatersrand, he embarked on a music career, resulting in an album – Brave Confusion– which went on to win a South African Music Award for Best Alternative Album as well as a Best Alternative nomination at the 2014 MTV Music Awards.
Touré has been featured as the cover artist on the October 2013 Rolling Stone South Africa. His debut music video for the single, Fog, was nominated for a Design Indaba “Most Beautiful Object” award.
Niq Mhlongo has a BA from the University of the Witwatersrand, with majors in African Literature and Political Studies. His first novel, Dog Eat Dog, was published by Kwela in 2004 and was translated into Spanish under the title Perro Come Perro in 2006. This Spanish edition was awarded the Mar de Letras prize.
Besides writing novels and short stories, Mhlongo has written a screenplay for the animated children’s TV series Magic Cellar and scripts for a comic magazine called Mshana, the first issue of which appeared in February 2007.
KZN-born Mandla Ndlovu studied at UKZN and later at the Durban NGO Community Law and Rural Development Centre and worked as a Head Paralegal in the Dalton office. In 2006 he joined the SA Police Service and was employed as an investigating officer.
He started his writing career in 2002. He has written several genres including radio dramas, novels, short stories, kids’ books and poems. Ndlovu has won the MML Literature Award in 2007, 2009 and 2013 and has novels prescribed as set work for high school pupils.
Christa Biyela began writing radio dramas in 1994. She self-published her first motivational book Getting Dirty, Sex is Great, but let’s be Honest in 2014. She is currently an Uzalo telenovela writer and storyliner, a programme which airs daily on SABC 1.
She writes a drama series Rockville Season 4 and Igazi Season 1 both to be broadcast on Multichoice’s channel Mzansi Magic.
She is also a scriptwriting external moderator for DUT’s (Durban University of Technology) Drama and Performance Studies Department.
Besides being a writer, she was a creator, writer and producer of Sihlomulelana Ngolwazi HIV/Aids weekly show on Ukhozi FM and Siphila Kayi 1 Ukhozi FM’s first sitcom.
Biyela’s performing arts passion extends to the theatre industry, where she was a Durban Theatre judge for a period of seven years.
She is one of the judges for the Pansa/NLDTF Festival of Reading of New Writing.
...
DAYTIME PROGRAMME
Conversations that Matter will take place during the day and begins at 11am. These are round table discussions, led by experts in various fields of literature.
Tuesday, March 15– Conversations That Matter: The Book and Knowledge Production – KwaMashu Library
Writers Niq Mhlongo, Panashe Chigamudzi, TO Molefe, Percy Zvomuya, Nakanjani Sibiya and poet Mputlane wa Bofelo expose the landmines awaiting writers who challenge literary traditions and their inherent exclusion of certain voices.
Wednesday, March 16– Conversations That Matter: The Book and Gatekeepers – Ohlange Library
Has the South African literary landscape shifted to accommodate previously poorly documented and valued contributions? Which attitudes delay decolonising access? To open the discussion are Professor Sihawu Ngubane, Thabiso Mahlape, Kholeka Mabeta, Duduzile Mabaso, Mandla Matyumza and Siphiwo Mahala.
Thursday, March 17– Conversations That Matter: The Book and Readership –UmKhumbane Hall – Cato Manor
This discussion is aimed at exploring questions on readership often posed to booksellers, librarians and festival organisers. You can expect to hear from Cedric Sissing (Adams Books), Benjamin Trisk (Exclusive Books), Fortescue Helepi (African Flavour Books), Sinenhlanhla Buthelezi (Goethe Library), Tebogo Mzizi (eThekwini Municipality Libraries), Mignon Hardie (FunDza Literacy Trust), Frankie Murrey (Open Book Festival), Dr Maria Van Driel (Jozi Book Fair) and Jennifer Platt ( Sunday Times). Issues like the challenges of pricing, public expectations and the historical misconceptions on reading cultures in South Africa will be explored.
Friday, March 18– Conversations That Matter: The Book and Language – uMlazi Library
This is an important discussion that will be led by academics and cultural producers who are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of marginalised languages.
This conversation will be initiated by Eric Ngcobo, Dr Mpho Monareng, Dr Gugu Mazibuko, Dr Pamella Maseko, Professor Nobuhle Hlongwa and Wangui Wa Goro.
Saturday, March 19– Conversations That Matter: The Book and Intersectionality – Qashane Library
As a result of recent shifts in the quality of contributions produced outside the academy, the topic of Intersectionality has relocated academics and social commentators alike. The youth are proving to be the aorta of the argument and keeping pulse with contemporary readings on Intersectionality demands the voices of those who bravely tackle this pertinent and inflammatory subject. To open the discussion are Eusebuis McKaiser, Milisuthando Bongela, Nakhane Toure, Lindokuhle Nkosi, Mputlane Wa Bofelo, Mbali Matandela and Zethu Matebeni.
The events are free to anyone with a library or student card. And should you wish to sign up for a library card before the event, officials will be on hand to assist you in doing so. Bring along a valid ID document and proof of residence.
If you don’t have a library or student card, you can still attend for a nominal fee of R20.
EVENING PROGRAMME
Evening events will entail readings and discussions and start at 7pm. Here audiences are free to engage with writers on the creative and technical processes that affect their writing.
Tuesday, March 15– The Madness of History – eKhaya Multi Arts Centre in KwaMashu
Ashwin Desai and Mishka Hoosen will have a conversation on the importance of retrospective meditations on self, historical figures and the family.
Wednesday, March 16– Why Must a Black Writer Write About Blackness? – Ohlange High School
Panashe Chigamudzi and Eusebius McKaiser will share their experiences as writers who write without curiosity’s gaze.
Thursday, March 17– They Write What They Like – Umkhumbane Hall, Cato Manor
Crossing the borders from short stories to novellas to poetry to essays, writer Niq Mhlongo gives insight into his unique take on the world across genres and mediums.
Friday, March 18– Tuning In… – uMlazi Cinema
Writing for listeners is an art that requires its own stage. Christa Biyela and Mandla Ndlovu, two audio drama maestros, open their lyrical vaults on the Zulu audio drama.
Saturday, March 19– The Alchemy of Fiction – Clermont Hall
How pliable is truth? In this panel, musician turned author Nakhane Touré and Nikhil Singh discuss the roles fantasy, biography and imagination play in the erection of the worlds they create.
For more details about the Time of the Writer, visit: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za.