I’ve been thinking about the intense, complex energies of South Africa which were spectacularly on display at the festival. What I found most fascinating about Poetry Africa was the diversity of the types of poetry, which ranged from rap / slam to poetry with music and quieter ‘page’ poetry. It was interesting because the old argument of ‘what is poetry’ starts kicking about in lively fashion in a place where a bunch of poems look totally unlike each other. At one poet’s forum (called an ‘indaba‘), it got a bit heated as seventeen different poets debated definition, purpose and aesthetics with the full knowledge that these debates can never reach any definite conclusion but are important to have in any case. Something new to me — apparently there are some South African poets using their poetry in advertisements and there were some charged debates about the ethics of commercialising poetry with some poets denouncing it and others justifying it with the argument that ‘if we can make money from poetry, why not?’ One rather surprising viewpoint was: ‘We are all selling something anyway — our opinions, our values etc — so why not shares or soap?’ Well, I’d rather be ’selling’ my own opinions than somebody else’s soap. But to each his own? Of course, I’m also curious to know what the quality of soap-selling poetry would be.
A special report from two regular BOOK SA contributors. Text by Sarah Frost, images by Liesl Jobson.
The 13th Poetry Africa International Poetry Festival, hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, was, as usual, an intense conflagration of poetry, ideas, and people, from SA, Africa and beyond. As one of the poets selected for the Durban Showcase, I participated in the pre-festival performance of 12 poets and slammers representing Durban, at The Workshop Shopping Centre’s Amphitheatre. I was struck by the vitality of the young Zulu poets who performed, and saddened that the bulk of their subject matter was promiscuity, HIV, and social/sexual violence. Good that the poets are grappling with real issues though – and that they were given a platform for this.
David Rubadiri, eminent Malawian academic and diplomat, set an appropriate tone for the rest of the fest with his keynote address at the opening night, in which he explained how excited he was to be part of a Creative Writing Programme at UKZN, honouring African writing with his dignified words. The lineup from Africa also included Poetry Africa returnee Susan Kiguli (Uganda), who last performed in Durban in 2000. Kiguli, an academic and widely recognised as one of the most important poets in East Africa, grabbed the audience’s attention with her sincere delivery, her strong narrative style, and her accurate and loving descriptions of life in Africa.
Odia Ofeimun, from Nigeria, and dubbed the “gentleman poet” by Ewok (two-time Poetry Africa SlamJam champion, participating poet and compere), delighted the audience, particularly with his lyrical love poems. Nina Kibuanda (Democratic Republic of the Congo), poet and actor, made the connections between theatre, musicality and poetry explicit in his performance. Tania Tomé (Mozambique), poet and singer, also mirrored a sense of theatre plus an interest in traditional culture in her poetry. Malawian singer and poet Chigo Gondwe cast herself as an “ethno-urban-hiphop-soul-poetess”, revelling in the positive aspects of the Africa continent.
The strong SA lineup this year included poet and novelist Mogane Wally Serote, although – for this listener, the great man seems to have lost some of his earlier (idealistic, yet hard-hitting) impetus. This was certainly not the case for Lesego Rampolokeng, an influential contemporary SA poet, whose political and emotional edginess I found energizing and challenging. Jennifer Ferguson, a multi-award winning performer, composer, poet, and classically trained pianist, wowed us with her powerful voice and evocative lyrics, focusing (overstepping her time limit occasionally) on landscapes of the spiritual. Diminutive in stature but not in energy or voice, Sindiwe Magona, already known as an author and playwright, launched her first anthology of poems at the festival, Please, Take Photographs (Modjaji Books). Liesl Jobson, an established SA poet, charmed the audience with her quaint, yet ascerbic, poetry using humour to convey basic home truths. Loftus Marais, whose debut collection of poems, Staan in die algemeen nader aan vensters, has been received with critical acclaim, won me over with his poem about politics and a poetry “engagee” – clearly a poet with vision and potential, and a keen eye for describing his mother city, Cape Town. Bongani Mavuso, poet, radio presenter, and senior producer at Ukhozi FM launched his latest anthology, Zibuyela Ezimpandeni (Shuter and Shooter) at the festival. His commitment to developing Zulu community identity is commendable.
From further afield, Indian poet Anindita Sengupta, an emerging voice in Indian poetry, read interestingly subtle (rather than didactic) feminist poems. İlyas Tunç, from Turkey, but with a strong SA connection, having just finished work on a mammoth anthology of contemporary SA poetry in Turkish translation, read quite curiously resonant poems, exploring language and imagination.
All the poets mentioned above were heard at evening performances taking place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre during the week. Apart from these, a packed daily programme included performances, seminars, workshops, poetry competitions, and school visits. The CCA must be complimented on its efforts to integrate Poetry Africa with the broader, and less advantaged, eThekwini community. The last day of the festival, Saturday, saw a full day of activities at the BAT Centre, which included poetry workshops, open mic opportunities, the Durban SlamJam all culminating with the Festival Finale on Saturday night. Leading Zimbabwean protest-poet Outspoken, together with his band the Essence, rhymed truth to power, and played the Festival out. Here’s to the 14th Poetry Africa Festival in 2010, long may this vibrant cultural event make Durban a poetic landmark!
Liesl Jobson’s 2009 Poetry Africa photos
Monica Rorvik’s photos of this article’s contributors
Poetry Africa 2009 was oganised by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), the 13th Poetry Africa festival is supported by the Department of Arts and Culture, Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation (HIVOS), National Arts Council, French Institute of South Africa, Pro-Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, African Synergy Book Café and the City of Durban.
Here’s an interview with Tunç conducted by Niren Tolsi; and following the Q&A, find several of Tunç’s poems:
Imagining Turkish poet Ilyas Tunç as the eye in the societal storm is irresistible.
Tunç, who will participate at the Poetry Africa International Festival in Durban next week, writes poetry that delves into a range of themes — from memories of childhood to an individual sense of desolation — with brevity, insightfulness and grace. His words appear to cast perspectives on life’s maelstrom from a point of thoughtful calm, which serves to leaven their impact, rather than detract from it.
[...]
Niren Tolsi: You are from Sinop, birthplace of the Cynic philosopher Sinopian Diogenes. In one of the more famous anecdotes regarding Diogenes, he is said to have wandered the streets of Athens during the day with a lantern, searching for an honest man. Some would suggest that the act of carrying of a lantern in the daylight on this particular search is the poet’s task, imbued with both an air of futility and yet vital for humanity understanding itself. Can you please comment.
Ilyas Tunç: I was born in Ordu, a small city on the Black Sea coast in Turkey. But I have been living in Sinop for eighteen years. Built on a peninsula it is a castle city where Sinopian Diogenes was born and spent his childhood. A few years ago his statue was built in the Lonca Gate, the entrance of the city.
Yes, Diogenes wandered the streets in the full daylight with a lantern. When asked what he was doing, he would answer, “I am just looking for a good man.” He found nothing, but rascals, scoundrels, despots … This phrase, on the one hand, manifests an irony in itself. On the other, it reflects the tragedies of the age when Diogenes lived. There has been a great number of tyrants throughout the human history, which doesn’t mean that no good man exists. Indeed, the lantern in his hand symbolises hope. People must search until finding. What Diogenes said, to an extent, is true, but not completely. For the earth gives birth to good men such as Steve Biko, Ken Saro Wiva, Che Guevera, Deniz Gezmi…
A stirring week of words, rhymes, performance and ideas is to be experienced at Durban’s 13th Poetry Africa festival which runs from Monday to Saturday next week on the Durban campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).
Hosted by the university’s Centre for Creative Arts, the big event starts with a pre-festival showcase of Durban-based poets at The Workshop shopping centre’s amphitheatre, in the city centre, at 11am on Sunday.
Poets performing at this event were chosen during a week-long open audition at the Centre for Creative Arts. Some of the selected poets will also perform curtain-raising poems on three separate evenings at UKZN’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, as well as battle it out for the Durban SlamJam crown set for Durban’s Bat Centre on October 10.
The festival week encompasses introductory performances by the full line-up of participating poets at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Monday. The festival’s opening night will also include a keynote address by renowned Malawian writer and poet David Rubadiri.
The week will thereafter feature four poets every evening, through to next Friday, before the festival finale at Bat Centre on October 10.
Poetry Africa regrets to announce the cancellation of Indian poet Sunil Gangopadhyay’s participation in the 13th Poetry Africa Festival which runs in Durban from 5-10 October. There has subsequently been a programme reshuffle and legendary Malawian poet and this year’s opening night keynote speaker David Rubadiri will now also present his poetry during Gangopadhyay’s slot. Poet, novelist, playwright, university professor and diplomat, Rubadiri was born in Liuli, Malawi, in 1930. He attended King’s College, Budo, in Uganda from 1941 to 1950 and thereafter studied at Makerere University, where he graduated with a BA degree in English Literature and History. He went on to the University of Bristol in England (1956-1960), where he obtained an MA degree in English Literature.
5 to 10 October promises to be a stirring week of words, rhymes, performance and ideas, as the 13th Poetry Africa international poetry festival ignites Durban with poetry from around South Africa, Africa, and the world. Hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts, Poetry Africa’s intensive week-long programme kicks off with a pre-festival showcase of Durban-based poets at The Workshop Shopping Centre’s Amphitheatre on 4 October at 11h00.
The poets performing at the showcase were chosen from a week-long open audition held at the Centre for Creative Arts. Some of the selected poets will also perform curtain-raising poems on three separate evening at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre as well as battle it out for the Durban SlamJam crown on 10 October at the BAT Centre. The festival week encompasses introductory performances by the full lineup of participating poets at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Opening Night, 5 October. Opening Night will also include a Keynote Address by legendary Malawian writer and poet David Rubadiri. The week will thereafter feature 4 poets every evening, through to 4 October, before the perennially rousing Festival Finale at the BAT Centre on 10 October. (more…)
The Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) will be host the 13th POETRY AFRICA, International Poetry Festival from 5 to 10 October 2009. The evening events will take place from 5 – 9 October at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (19h30), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and the BAT Centre on 10 October.
A major component of the festival is the schools programme which consists of a school visits by participating poets and a poetry competition. Poetry Africa invites learners to submit material for the poetry competition which is held in conjunction with the festival. Learners should please submit poems by Wednesday, 16 September 2009 for our judges to make the final selection of winners. Entries received after this date will not be accepted.
There is no particular topic for the poems and they can be written in either English, Zulu or Afrikaans. Illegible entries will not be considered – poems to be typewritten or printed if possible. No more than 2 poems per pupil are to be submitted, with a maximum length of one A4 page per poem.
Prizes will be given for the best entries and all winners will be given complimentary tickets to attend the festival on the evening of Friday, 9 October 2009 when it is hoped they will read their poems and where they will receive prizes. All winning entries will be displayed in the foyer of the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre for patrons to view.
If you are a learner and would like to be involved in this competition – submit your poems, together with your school’s name, teacher’s name, and your school telephone number to the Centre for Creative Arts by no later than 16 September 2009. Entries may be hand delivered to the Centre or faxed to 031 260 3074 or posted to
CENTRE FOR CREATIVE ARTS UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL DURBAN SOUTH AFRICA 4041
For more information on the festival or the competition, contact the Centre for Creative Arts on 031 260 2506 or 031 260 1816 or visit the website: www.cca.ukzn.ac.za.
The written word again takes centre stage as twenty writers from nine countries arrive in Durban for a stimulating week of words, books, ideas, and talk at the 12th Time of the Writer International Writers Festival. The week-long festival, which takes place from 9 to 14 March, 2009, is coordinated annually by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), and has developed an extensive programme that draws perhaps the most diverse literary audience in the country, cutting across race, class, and age. The festival features a customary strong South African and African presence this year, with a diverse gathering of novelists, short story writers, journalists, cartoonists, and political commentators, presenting their ideas in the public arena. (more…)
12th TIME OF THE WRITER FESTIVAL Durban, South Africa: 9-14 March 2009
The Time of the Writer international writers festival, co-ordinated annually by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal), will bring together South African, African and international writers in a week-long programme of stimulating literary events from March 9 to 14, 2009. The festival is informed by interpersonal dialogue and intercultural exchange between writers, and between writers and public. (more…)
In all the boisterous excitement you’d have forgiven the wry 2008 Poetry Africa delegate Anton Kreuger (dressed in sporty red gangster fatigues) for thinking Durban’s BAT Centre dealt with “rehabilitating wild animals” – as all the discerning reserve of the preceding days at the festival viewing took an energised turn for the spirited during Saturday’s finale.
And what a show it was, with underground poetry collectives and budding aficionados holding stage with big international draw cards in the kind of humid clamor you’d expect from roof-raising speakeasies and underground resistance rallies. With Africa’s tenuous political rectitude and propensity for ethnic hatred trawling between the lines of many of the weeks performances, the festival honoured the power of the word in a fittingly joyous, conciliatory reply. (more…)
Anindita Sengupta was a participant in the recently-concluded Poetry Africa 2009. She shares her thoughts on the event:
Turkish poet 
