"ZONG" IN SOUTH AFRICA

Excitement is mounting in Bloemfontein, South Africa, as a book-length
reading of celebrated Canadian academic and creative writer, NourbeSe
Phillip's work takes place at the City library.

Of especial interest is the fact that this African reading will
take place simultaneously in Africa whilst a similar reading is taking
place in Toronto, Canada with the protagonist and author present.

NourbeSe Phillip was born in the Carribean Woodlands, Moriah, Trinidad
and Tobago. She was educated at the University of West Indies. She is a world-acclaimed poet, novelist, playwright, essayist and short story writer.

It is her recent work Zong!(2008) which will be at the epicentre of
global interest on Monday 16 April as a cross-section of the literary
fraternity in South Africa converges at the Bloemfontein City Library
to bask in the reading from her exceedingly powerful extended poem (Zong).

The author, NourbeSe Phillip is palpably excited over the reading in
South Africa. She said: "This reading is intended to remember all
those who lost their lives on board the Zong...I will be happy if
people are clad in white to honour Olokun, the Yoruba deity of deep
waters."

The celebrated writer also expressed her wish that the section titled
"Ebora" should also be read at the reading.

Charmaine Mrwebi of the Bloemfontein City Library, a young African
female author and essayist too, said: "We are very excited about this
poetic reading of Mme NourbeSe Phllip's work. She deserves plaudits for remembering
her roots despite being based in an Eurocentric environment. I have read
some passages from the internet on Zong and the work is not only
extra-ordinarily powerful and moving; but one cannot but cry over the
plight of slaves at that time, especially the disgusting and insanitary
conditions of our black female slaves in the horrific ship."

The book-length reading session will commence at 2pm South African time
and will roughly take place at the same time as the event in Toronto.