Christine Mautjana writes on African women's writing

It is rather exciting that many young South African Black women interested in arts and culture now regard me as something of a role model after I published my first book – which is actually a series of interviews with writers. Many are putting me on a pedestal, which I do not deserve. The truth is I am just like everybody else – largely ignorant, but willing to learn. I must confess that I used to be very intimidated too as regards literature in particular until I mixed with academics, even professors, and discovered that even they were very ignorant in certain spheres. How much more myself? As a woman the scope and breadth of literature, in Africa specifically is breathtaking. I am happy to have contributed my small quota in this wise but it is just a humble beginning. The first obstacle is that I am quite young and I have to do my research about the literary past but even this can only be tentative. Also, should one focus on South Africa alone (narrow-minded, really) or Africa? I prefer our continent when it comes to our writers. But let us start with female writers. Perhaps black female writers. As a South African woman I know now that our icons include illustrious names like Miriam Tlali, Lauretta Ngcobo, Sindiwe Magona. I have tried to at least read samples of their work. Mama Ngcobo is very polished and suave; Magona strikes me as a woman who has performed miracles – somehow overcoming great poverty during apartheid (including three young kids) to travel overseas and become one of our great writers. Read her early works and how she struggled to feed her kids and you burst into tears; not to talk of the lot of “domestics” over the years… Then there are other great black African female writers, including those living overseas. From neighbouring Zimabawe the late Yvonne Vera, and Tsitsi Dangarembga have gone down in history. What about Buchi Emecheta and (the young) Helen Oyeyemi – both based in London – who are already part of English literary canon? As women there is also this impediment of feminism. Women these days are expected to be beating the drum of women’s rights and all that goes with it; but unfortunately this can be counter-productive. Feminism is a complex series of ideas that can be confusing. Let us not confuse this with a fringe male minority doing terrible things to women (eg rape) What do women want? True lasting love; or just exploiting men? This brings Nadine Gordimer to my mind, the first African (and South African woman) to win the Nobel Award for Literature. She has over the years been criticized for allegedly not supporting women’s rights or feminism which is absurd. Her literary achievements speak for themselves. It seems to me that the great lady is being attacked for nothing. What do women really want? Are we losing or gaining from this so-called feminism? I mean I am proud to be a black woman. In South Africa women continue to perform wonders, including very young and young women. We see how we work so hard to develop ourselves, take care of our loved ones. Yes there are some obstacles but should we exaggerate them? Can we in all honesty say that our sex counts against us? Are there not so many outstanding women doing great things in their field, including literature? Like Angela Makholwa a relatively new outstanding black female writer. In my book, there are many black Free State writers featured. They include Nthabiseng jah Rose Jafta who is now making waves (with two female poets) after putting together the book, Free State of mind. Three bright black young ladies. Can we accuse them of not grabbing opportunities open to them? No. - CHRISTINE MAUTJANA (Christine Mautjana is the editor of the book, Interviews with Effervescent Writers. Mbali Press. 2012. See image ABOVE)

Mfundo Ngcangca's debut work

This new book lifts the l;id on teeming tourism potential!!! "The tourism industry is one with many opportunities for entrepreneurs and the unemployed. It is well supported and encouraged in South Africa, but myself I decided to write a tell – all book about the pitfalls in the industry. Born and bred in Sterkspruit, today working for the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. I felt the need to put pen to paper when I noticed a growing trend within tourism. People have turned to be selfish. Fewer are sharing the big cake which is tourism. This multi-faceted , money spinning industry continues to hold many in its thrall. But instead of the tourism becoming full of employment opportunities which could grow in multiple directions, I noticed companies working alone instead of together. Certain sectors do not want to share with others, now the industry becomes cruel and affect all of us. For example, people in the transportation or hospitality sector want to own everything without utilizing or outsourcing other emerging entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is important to the growth of the tourism industry at large." Read this book for more details!

Tiisetso M Thiba pens WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDOW

(Performed during Writers Workshop at Mcgregor Museum in Kimberly 18 11 2011) The cascade of the water Running down to the window-pane The mist is over now And i can see vividly The night has packed Its stars and moons and is gone I have seen the yellow sun-rise going up When i looked through the window The birds were dancing to the symphony of the new day They are no longer scared now for monsters of the sinister The heart beat is normal now All intimidation has passed When i looked thru the window I have seen exquisite roses wet with the morning mist Stomach full of glee before the agony of the sun When i looked thru the window I have seen no changes But only time has changed! By Tiisetso M Thiba

RICHARD RIVE: Advance, Retreat

The late Richard Rive was a great writer from South Africa (“coloured”) whose life was eventually tinged with tragedy as he was murdered in his South African home over 20 years ago. This is a collection of short stories. They are of remarkable depth and well written. They show the author at his masterly best, imaginative with a host of fine characters. Stories in this collection are - Moon over district 6, Dagga smoker s dream, Rain, The bench, Resurrection, No room at Solitaire, Drive-in, Riva, The visits, Make like slaves, The man from the board, Advance, retreat. The stories here can be enjoyed by readers around the world. There are excellent pictures of Cape Town over the decades. The intensity and empathy is overpowering. There is frustration, angst, sorrow, and prejudice. There is also sophisticated irony The late Rive s other books included – The emergency, The emergency continued, Buckingham Palace District 6, African Songs, Olive Schreiner, Quartet, writing Black, Modern African prose: an anthology K. Motheane

BESSIE HEAD: The collector of treasures

South Africa’s Bessie Head - though she made her name in Botswana, is one of Africa's best known and respected female writers. The collector of treasures was her fourth book, published in 1977. This book draws on the oral tradition of Southern Africa, using the language and imagery of the story-telling tradition. The collection focuses on village people from Botswana and the status and position of women in Africa. The fine stories in this collection are - The deep river, Heaven is not closed, The village saint, Jacob, Life, Witchcraft, Looking for a rain god, Kgotla, The wind and a boy, Snapshots of a wedding, The special one, Hunting, and The collector of treasures In a famous review of this work overseas, The Tribune wrote inter alia: “Bessie Head s short stories have an extraordinary simplicity and breadth of vision, a tolerant acceptance of things as they are, which if applied by a European writer inside the structure of a European novel, would cause her to be hailed as a new humanist saint, a Tolstoy, a Gorki. “ In this work, there is plenty of empathy and sympathy for the people on the ground, especially the women. There is shocking violence and tragedy too - eg in Life, and in The collector of treasures. This remains a collection of brilliant stories. - K Motheane

The Way of All Flesh

It is both depressing and inevitable. Writers come and go, metaphorically, no matter how larger than life they might appear, no matter their longevity. Two random great writers serve to show this - Agatha Christie, and John Updike. They wrote for decades, made their mark, and despite going the way of all flesh, are still admired by millions. And this is the reassuring thing about writers and books - we can still read their work even after they have departed this world. Like William Shakespeare who died a hundred years ago. The Bronte sisters. Charles Dickens. Joseph Conrad, and many others. Yet we still feel depressed when these literary giants die during our lifetime. Such is the case here in South Africa too. Over the last few years it does seem as if too many of our fine writers have died. When the illustrious Es kia Mphahlele died a few years ago at almost 90 we knew he had made his mark as a true African literary giant, world respected. We should read and re-read his works, like Afrika, my music. Largely, this applies to writers like Mazisi Kunene, and Lewis Nkosi too who also went the way of all flesh quite recently. Mazisi was a genius with his African, Zulu poetry, and Lewis Nkosi was an all-round sophisticated wordsmith. The late Denis Brutus was a very sophisticated poet, too. An academic and intellectual. Many lovers of poetry will always remember him for - A troubador I traverse all my land. And what about Phaswane Mpe and Sello Duiker who also died a few years ago? Their cases are particularly poignant, as they died very young and had so much talent. Just like Emily Bronte, one might say. Then there are others like Sheila Roberts, Bree O’ Mara, Guy Willoughby. All excellent South African writers who also departed this world recently. We should do all we can to keep their literary legacy alive. - Casely Khumalo

Getting to grips with our literature

For we young ones who love literature, our passion is not as simple as we thought. There is so much to learn that it is frightening really. Writers clubs have been helping us. We knew English literature was boundless with hundreds of books overseas, but we did not know that even African and S.A literature is so wide and diverse. But I have learnt a lot in this wise, and will continue to do so. The experts say literature is a life-long pursuit and one should start with SA Black literature, with the pioneers. I now know about Sol Plaatje, Peter Abrahams, Es’kia Mphahlele. I even read Plaatje’s Mhudi! As regards recent S.A writing one has also been introduced to impressive writers like Lewis Nkosi, Gomolemo Mokae, Zakes Mda, Njabulo Ndebele, Duiker, Mzemane etc. I read Zakes Heart of Redness which I found quite elevated. But trying to read or understand Kgafela ao Mokgodi was even more difficult, great poet though he is. So I would rather play his C.D verses over and over again! Yet when one considers the contributions of our African women to literature our awe increases. For we young ones they are our grandmothers really. The women are among the world s best in writing. I have in mind world respected writers like Miriam Tlali, Sindiwe Magona, Zoe Wicomb, Laureta Ngcobo. Superb South African female writers. I read many parts of Magona’s Mother to mother - brilliant. - Jeffrey Tshabalala