Leading African writers gather in Johannesburg in a continental dialogue about the future
The Department of Arts and Culture will host the second African Women Writers Symposium and a Tribute to Nadine Gordimer in Johannesburg from 18 to 20 November. This event is held in partnership with the Windybrow Theatre and Wits University: School of Languages and Literature and supported by MNET.
The symposium is organised under the theme “Dream, Speak, Read, Reclaim”. The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Joe Phaahla, will present a keynote address at the opening on 18 November.
The event will provide a space for African writers to engage in a dialogue about African writing and its contribution to “being African in the world”, focusing especially on writing by women. This gathering takes place at a time when major changes have taken place in the north of Africa. Women writers from Egypt, Libya and Algeria will share their thoughts with a South African audience.
In honour of Nadine Gordimer’s contributions to literature, African writers, both men and women, will also look at the role of writers’ organisations on the African continent and intellectual interventions that can be made. Organisers say that this “will strengthen the struggle of Africans to assert their worldview in continental and international fora on their own terms”.
It is hoped that this gathering will encourage the emergence of a Pan African voice and continent-wide projects to strengthen writers’ role in the literary arts and the literary economy.
African writers on the three day programme include Nawal El Saadawi (Egypt), Ekbal Baraka (Egypt), Nadine Gordimer (SA), Willie Kgositsile (SA), Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), Farah Abusheshwa (Libya / Ireland), Doreen Baingana (Uganda), Ingrid Winterbach (SA), Oswald Mtshali (South Africa), Leloba Molema (Botswana), Aderemi Raji-Oyeladi (Nigeria), Maggie Orford (SA), Lola Shoneyin (Nigeria) and Kadija George (Sierra Leone /UK).
Poetry will be performed by, among others, Abena Koomson ( Ghana / USA ) who is well-known for having originated the role of Funmilayo Anikulapo- Kuti to rave reviews in the Off-Broadway production of FELA! the musical and indeed for having participated in the original Broadway cast as well as Tade Ipadeola (Nigeria), an intellectual property lawyer by profession, who will read extracts from his challenging epic work titled “Sahara Testaments”. They will be joined by South Africa ’s very own Natalia Molebatsi, Masoja Msizi and Napo Masheane’s whose performances are riveting and inspiring.
The programme has been scheduled strategically to co-incide with the 88th birthday of Africa ’s only literary Nobel Laureate, Nadine Gordimer and the gathering also pays tribute to her contribution to African writing. Ms Gordimer will participate in an inter-generational dialogue with participants and the audience, and emphasise the importance of reading and writing in a democracy such as ours.
This symposium follows on the highly successful, pioneering gathering last year when African women writers and women writers of African descent met and resolved to meet regularly to advance the cause of women, the continent and human solidarity.
“By convening this gathering, we are ‘walking the talk’ and building on our mandate in supporting a movement of African intellectuals, where African women have pride of place”, says Lisa Combrinck, of the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC). “We hope to build on what we started last year”, she adds. “In our view, encouraging youth to write about their lives and to enter the creative economy through writing is a key platform to meeting challenges now and in the future”.
CEO of the Windybrow Theatre, Mr Vuyo Maphela says “I am proud to be associated with such an illustrious meeting of minds, as the Windybrow is committed to promoting African writers. We will start at home to reach out to a wider African readership and audience.”
The symposium will strive to further activate a broader cultural movement that is inspired to work towards the regeneration of Africa .
The opening on Friday 18th November will be held at the Sci-Bono Centre in Newtown . The second day’s activities will be held at Windybrow Theatre, while the concluding discussions will take place at WITS University ’s New Science Building, on Sunday, the 20th November.
Creative writing workshops will also be held at the Windybrow Theatre, the Luthuli Museum near Durban and at PACOFs in Bloemfontein .
Author engagements will take place in and around Johannesburg.
For a full programme, visit the website www.awwn.co.za
Media enquiries:
Lisa Combrinck
Cell: 082 821 4886
Tel: 012 441 3144
Mack Lewele
Cell: 082 450 5076
Tel: 012 441 3083
For attendance, please e-mail: bookings@awwn.co.za.
