Friday, March 27, 2015

THE TANTALISING WORLD OF SKIETREKER




His dazzling repertoire and resume includes the following

1. Apartheid ek gaan jou Boks vol 1 (2007)

2. EP SuperGod 2011 (Cd)

3. Apartheid ek gaan jou Boks vol 2 (Book & Cd) (2013)

4. Released 3 free singles (Audio) (2014)



Skietreker feat Bishop TD Jakes – The struggle is in your mind (Remix)

Skietreker featuring Pastor Casey Treat – Finding your identity (Remix)

Skietreker - I wish




5. Respect our gifts (Book, Cd, Dvd) (2015)




Monday, March 23, 2015

FOR MALOME AGAIN !






By Richard Skietreker Seape

It feels like it has been decades without your presence;
Your zeal for literature and consistency in what you do,
There is truly a lot that I have taken from you as a young man
who is still to settle down in life and let a mark on this continent,

If i had to say you are missed that would be an understatement
because i know that many will not affirm to all your celebrated contributions
in the Free State and abroad, for indeed as people
we are quick to criticize and
quick to destroy
and slow to rebuild
and where respect and standing ovations are necessary
that is when we choose to shy away
and refuse to congratulate but prefer to rather keep
the Kudos for our own self-being as if that will change the ridiculous
price of bread;



Still in your absence we continue to grow seeds
like you have taught, though not the same without you,
We are truly blessed to have had a man of such calibre
amongst our midst
and it is indeed a historical landmark
that will speak of you Oga
That you came you saw you inspired you taught
and you excelled but most importantly
even when people thought you were finished
and gave you another label
You smiled and gave them hope
And a drink to toast to success and good wishes

You continued and put consistency on your shoulders
and now we celebrate and salute you

I would personally like to thank you
for the robust heart painted and dipped in Gold
and for the sharp tongue that gave
Birth to the Tebogo Series / Poems from Mauritius etc

I'm humbled to have been present
when you were present & availed yourself

Your absence has left a Gap of inspiration
But with Bards like Ntate Lechesa, Motheane and Qoopane & More
our rich culture & history of words
will touch and change hearts
and those who appreciate the things we write
for after all this is all we know.

And what we don't know we will accomplish
when we wake up for the second time
for now all we can do to change & be the change is
to become students of life
and learn and follow in the footsteps
of those who came & paved the way!

Thank you Ntate!

No one has ever done it like you
 


Thursday, March 19, 2015

THE GATEPOST LAUNCHED




The excitement and euphoria in the eastern Free State (South Africa) fizzes over with the launch of a newspaper covering the area, The Gatepost. In this maiden edition there is a superb interview with world class African writer, Zakes Mda

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

OLA ROTIMI AND THE WORLD OF THEATRE





The Nigerian writer, Ola Rotimi achieved global renown thanks to his major contributions to the world of theatre over the years.  

Rotimi wrote, produced and even starred in many fine dramas during his lifetime. 
His acclaimed plays included The gods are not to blame, Our husband has gone mad again, and Kurunmi.       

From the very beginning it was clear that Rotimi  was a formidable talent, despite some early criticism from Dapo Adelugba who referred to the "chafing at the heels of Yoruba grand saws and expressions" by Rotimi; and "uneasy oscillations in his language and style" generally. Adelugba at this stage dubbed Rotimi's work as "interesting apprentice".

Kurunmi the play by Rotimi was appreciated by a great deal of readers and critics though, and had several productions around the world. I remember it was filmed for Nigerian television with Rotimi himself starring as Ogunmola the warrior:  

"That's your own headache!". 

The play, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, also by Rotimi is a very powerful work with many praising the dignity of the king: "Let the land know this: Ovonramwen Nogbaisi is henceforth set to rule as king after the manner of his fathers before him...no matter how stout and long the human neck, on top of it must sit a head. Henceforth a full moon's my glow - dominant and un-open to rivalry throughout the empire".       

On my own part, over the years - perhaps in my naivety - somehow I always juxtaposed Rotimi's Our husband has gone mad again, with Ama Ata Aidoo's The dilemma of a ghost - with the theme of wives "from outside" finding it difficult to fit in. The theatrical effects in both plays remain impressionable.
                                            
Rotimi had to go through the whole drama himself of being a Nigerian with its absurdities - eg when in real life he was brutally flogged by security officials as documented by Wole Soyinka... Rotimi recorded many of the absurdities and outrageousness of society in his plays.     


On the whole, Ola Rotimi's life and work in the theatre shows that he belongs to the pantheon of the all-time great African playwrights - like Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, Efua T Sutherland, J.P Clark, and Zulu Sofola.  

- Leke Giwa

Monday, March 9, 2015

In Search of a Plethora of Critics...


By O Bolaji

Savour these comments on a trio of world class, renowned writers:

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

"That king Shakespeare - does not he shine, in crowned sovereignty, over us all as the noblest, gentlest yet strongest of rallying signs; indestructible..."

- Thomas Carlyle.

SAUL BELLOW

"Nature does not owe us perfection. Novelists don't, either...(Bellow is) an author who as Randall Jarrell once wrote of Walt Whitman, is a world, a waste with here and there, systems blazing at random out of the darkness - those systems as beautifully and astonishingly organised as the rings and satellites of Saturn..."

- Sam Tanenhaus. 

T.S ELIOT

"(He) seemed pure zenith, a colossus, nothing less than a permanent luminary, fixed in the firmament like the sun and the moon..."

- Cynthia Ozick.   

A fair amount of people might feel that there is a touch of hyperbole and the use of superlatives in these references or allusions to these writers. But this does not mean that critics are united in singing the praises of these writers. Over the years many other critics were not too enamoured with this trio.         

Hundreds of critics would ineluctably have their say in respect of a surfeit of writers; but imagine a situation where writers or their books are largely ignored for one reason or the other.  Pertinently and relatively, in Africa few of our creative works are comprehensively and rigorously analysed by critics and reviewers to the extent that we can endeavour to sift the wheat from the chaff as it were.

A great deal of books, including novels, has now been published in Africa mainly in the last 50 to 70 years. But it still took some time for critics around the world to start focusing on such works. Eustace Palmer, a formidable academic from Sierra Leone, was one of the first African critics in this wise. Recently he looked back on his first celebrated book, An Introduction to the African Novel (published in the 70s):    

"When I started teaching at Fourah Bay College (in Sierra Leone) modern African literature was just coming to the fore, and we African literary academics were therefore expected to take an interest in it, and not merely leave it to British and American enthusiasts like Bernth Lindfors and Gerald Moore.

"So I developed an interest in African literature and decided to apply some of the skills I had acquired at Edinburgh University, with some modifications to its study. After teaching one or two texts I decided to write a book on the African novel, giving my frank views about a selection of African novels. I called it simply An Introduction to the African novel. It was published by Heinemann and soon became something of a classic...". 



(Pix above: Eustace Palmer)

Nowadays the number of critics writing on African literature has multiplied, but so also has the number of books being published by African writers in our modern era. What usually happens is that critics would focus on a few celebrated works/authors, whilst many good writers and books are essentially ignored. 

Positive reviews (and the opposite) are feasible only when diverse readers and critics join the fray or crucible - and focus on as many published works as possible. Books written in African indigenous languages are the ones that suffer most with a general paucity of literary-critical material in this sphere. What price a plethora of perspicacious critics as regards African writing?

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

THE LITERARY WORK OF OKOT P BITEK




By Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

Perforce Western domination in Africa through the long obliterated colonialism scandalously played a scurrilous role to ultimately liquidate African communities and its culture.  However, tentative questions have been raised as to why colonialism should be involved while Africa is absolutely free from foreign puissance.  In fact to some pundits and scholars this cannot be cryptic or peculiar, but to the younger generation definitely it can be flummoxing.    Young people don’t see any obvious repression by extrinsic forces and they are tractable by the comfort and privileges of today.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting to appreciate that African literature has punchy and sufficient answers to the questions that are pertinent to Africa, including colonialism.  To start with, early modern African writers like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Leopold Senghor, Es’kia Mphahlele, Bessie Head, Richard Rive, Okot p’ Bitek, Peter Abrahams etc had churned out breathtaking literary materials that proliferate astronomically.  Essentially the literature they produced is still remarkable and relished by number of people unanimously.

Specifically Okot p’ Bitek a Ugandan essayist, poet, novelist, translator and editor had played an enormous role in ventilating his repine about colonial encroachment of Africa.  It is indispensable to point out that p’ Bitek was not a racist, tribal bigot, or a dramatic stereotype African writer.   Inadvertently he did not promote bunkum racist vitriolic against the West but he rather proscribed the pathological demeanour of the West which caused mayhem in African communities. 

Because he benefited from the privileges that the West brought in Africa, in particular education and he was also a national soccer player of Uganda.  In the summer of 1956 he participated in the Olympic Games in London and remained in England to study at several institutions, including the Institute of Social Anthropology in Oxford and University College, Wales.  He was first recognized as a major new voice in African literature in 1966 when he published Song of Lawino.   Essentially, named director of the Uganda National Theater and Cultural Center, political pressure, however, forced p’Bitek from his directorship after two years.  He moved to Kenya, where, with the exception of frequent visit to universities in the United States, he remained throughout the reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.  After founding the Kisumu Arts Festival in Kenya and later serving as a professor in Nigeria, p’ Bitek eventually returned to Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, where he was a professor of creative writing until his death in 1982.

Okot p’ Bitek had produced a corpus of exhilarating literature.  He was a smashing inspiration in Africa.  What made him so sensational and sagacious in African literary context?  Firstly, after his educational accomplishments, he remained firmly strong about Africa’s pride and identity; secondly he was a pragmatic cultural activist who unashamedly propagated African consciousness through art and culture.  This is completely displayed by his explicit verve to establish the highly successful Gulu Arts Festival, which celebrates the traditional oral history, dance and other arts of the Acholi people.

To accentuate further, p’ Bitek had certainly enraptured the world by his Afro-centric style of writing.  One of his famous works, Song of Lawino is a plea for the preservation of Acholic cultural tradition from the encroachment of Western influence.  The prose poem is narrated by Lawino, an illiterate Ugandan housewife, who complains bitterly that her university – educated husband, Ocol, has rejected her and his own Acholic heritage in favour of a modern lifestyle.  Perceiving his wife as an undesirable impediment to his progress, Ocol devotes his attention to Clementine (Tina), his Westernized mistress.  Throughout the work, Lawino condemns her husband’s disdain of African ways, describing her native civilization as beautiful, meaningful, and deeply satisfying:  “Listen Ocol, my old friend, /The ways of your ancestors / Are good. / Their customs are solid / And not hollow…”  She laments her husband’s disrespect for his own culture and question the logic of many Western.

Of course, as a young African myself I am completely fascinated and impressed by the unequivocal writing of the versatile and salubrious p’ Bitek.  His total commitment and genre of literature he produced make one to realize how exquisite Africa is.  Unlike today where you see young generation blending literature with some strange foreign element, one will be in consternation when he reminisces about the heyday of African literature when the world used to evince winsome interest on it.  Apparently, it is really ambiguous to see only few African writers doing exceptionally well in this wise. 

Frivolity and other bizarre trends employed by so called emerging young African writers threaten the solid existence of African literature.  By trying to make African literature some kind of fashion music is actually egregious for quintessential literature.  It can be better if young people concentrate on genuine and outstanding literature instead of making absurd gaffe.  How will the world continue to respect and regard African literature when writers depreciate quintessential literature?  What is more interesting is that early African writers often began their quest for literature at their young age. Okot p’ Bitek is an example.  At the age of twenty-two he published his first literary work, a novel in Acholic entitled Lak tar miyo kinyero wi lobo? (1953; White Teeth).



For African literature to continue to be appealing and spread profusely it will be much better for writers to draw awesome inspiration from a writer of the calibre of p’ Bitek.  He has been prodigious in expressing what is congruous to Africa.  In particular he strongly emphasized rudimentary education through African folktales which apparently is something ignored by Africans themselves.  As a result of urban life African values and culture are shockingly dwindling and eventually another new lifestyle is developing.  This has been a major subject to p’ Bitek work, that Africans must invariably retain their cultural values.  In the preface to his essay collection Africa’s Cultural Revolution (1973), p’ Bitek explained:  “Africa must re-examine herself critical.  She must discover her true self, and rid herself of all apemanship.”   


P’ Bitek s work must be a continuous subject among the Africans, because it contained unambiguous reality about the survival of African identity.  A conscious African will be wary of the power of technology which predominantly influences large number of people.  In fact people are more concerned about writing text messages on the technological device such as Smartphone’s etc and conspicuously neglect quintessential writing.  Therefore, patently this can have negative consequence on upcoming generation of writers as they will not comprehend the importance of grammar and literature.  Sincerely a honest plea is in order to the effect that African literature must always remain authentic, germane and appealing as to avoid its complete corrosion.


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

6TH ANNUAL NORTHERN CAPE WRITERS FESTIVAL (2015)



By Tiisetso M Thiba

Once again this year 2015 Northern Cape under the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture hosted the 6th annual Northern Cape writer’s festival start from 26 to 28 February 2015 with the Theme of ‘The doors of learning and culture shall be opened’.

The three day event was held in front of Kimberley Library. Since the origin of the Writers Festival, the festival has been growing strength to strength each and every year said MEC of Sports, Arts and Culture Lebogang Motlhaping in an interview.



This annual event engrossed national and international writers, poets and authors to share their experience and skills with the aspiring writers in the province and far beyond.
Writers, poets and authors attracted by festival this year included the renowned Dr Don Materra, Diana Ferrus, Prof Pitika Ntuli, Sabata Mpho Mokae, Prof Lesego Malepe, James Matthews, Ipeleng Tlhankana, Iyaba Ibo Mandingo from New York.

Others included Jowhari Trahan from California, Tina Schouw and Gontsewa Chaane. From the Free State came the likes of Hector Kunene, Nthabiseng “Jah Rose” Jafta, and Charmaine Kolwane

Aficionados of Literature from different provinces in South Africa visited Kimberley to form part of the unique festival, and some of them believe that the event will be much bigger next year and attract plenty of writers and public to celebrate the event together. 

The stage was open for all writers to read from their books and poets to bless the word-lovers with the unspoken words.

“When a reader enters the pages of a book of poetry he or she enters a world when dreams transform the past into knowledge made applicable to the present, and when visions shape the present into extraordinary possibilities for the future,” A memorable quote courtesy of Aberjhani.



Round table discussions were held and directed by Dr Don Mattera and the discussion topics included creative writing process and writing in the indigenous languages to restore our mother tongues for the present and future generations. Pupils from local schools benefited from the festival by forming part of skills development programme through creative writing workshops held by writers.

Writer, author Mark Kotze was the master of the ceremony of the writers festival and he was one of the five authors who launched their books during the festival. This added to the razzmatazz and excitement.


The event ended on high note when Iyaba Ibo Mandingo read from his book ‘Sins of my father’ and veteran poets such as James Matthews, Prof Pitika Ntuli, Dr Don Materra, Diana Ferrus and Tina Schouw rendered their splendid poems and left the audiences demanding for more!



Monday, March 2, 2015

THE ENEMY CALLED DEATH - By Mary B. Peter


THE ENEMY CALLED DEATH

A poem by Mary Bisola Peter



I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its urgency to take me beyond
Its thick and wavy breeze keeps finding me
The rain, with its powerful thunder
Does not favour me
It nearly ripped my heart out

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its need to take me home
On the road I tread
I can't help but, be watchful
If death is on my trail
For the thought of death is unpleasant

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from what must come
When the wind blows
When the thunder strikes
A little shake of the earth
I can't help but fear

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from the mighty one
Whose arrival is unannounced
How shall I battle thee
Thou foe of man?
Messenger from beyond

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its echoes of mockery laughter
Wherever I go
Its eyes pursue me, stabbing into my back
I feel its unending appetite
For the soul of men

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its bulging and greedy eyes
Eyes which reddened
Reddened at the mere sound of a plea
Red bulging eyes, full of rage
Rage to devour the soul of man

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its unfailing grip
Death! Whose mission is destiny
Death! Oh death!
Death! The unexpected guest

I've run from the deep shadow of death
I've run from its ungracious wrath
Its claws can not catch me
Its gaze I have run from
Until the due time
The Maker's own time....