THANK YOU for 14th Poetry Africa and Poetry Africa on Tour

Not sure how to say thank you for such an amazing 14th Poetry Africa Festival.. THANK YOU to the amazing network of participating poets, loyal poetry supporters, funders, media, colleagues at the CCA and at the venues – EST, BAT, DUT, CAMPUSES, SCHOOLS, PRISON. The weather wasn’t the finest Durban can offer.. but we managed to stay dry for TALA and the animals .. so all in all great! SO THANK YOU! Yes, even to the weather.

And thank you to all the partners for Poetry Africa on Tour.. wish I could have been there, but I was in spirit. The pictures and media about the tour show what a strong series of events it was. This is only possible when partners love poetry as much as Poetry Africa does! Thank you all!

The Opening Night of 14th Poetry Africa

The Opening Night of 14th Poetry Africa

14th PoetryAfrica Opening night poets

14th Poetry Africa opening night
Left to right: Lebogang Mashile (South Africa), Souleymane Diamanka (France), Ghassan Zaqtan (Palestine) , Ernie Smith (South Africa), Jayne Fenton Keane (Australia), Meena Kandasamy (India) in front of Concord Nkabinde (South Africa), Mama C (Tanzania), Natalia Molebatsi (South Africa), Ngwatilo Mawiyoo (Kenya) in front of Claudio Pozzani (Italy), Jorge Palma (Uruguay), Ronelda Kamfer (South Africa), Mutabaruka (Jamaica), Barolong Seboni (Botswana),
Busiswa Gqulu (South Africa), Kobus Moolman (South Africa), Frank Chipasula (Malawi), Marí Peté (South Africa), Gcina Mhlophe (South Africa)

Missing from full line up: Gabeba Baderoon (South Africa), Pitika Ntuli (South Africa), Eric Paliani (Malawi)

Ernie Smith joins Poetry Africa festival

Ernie Smith joins Poetry Africa festival

Legendary Durban musician Ernie Smith steps into breach to replace Erik Paliani, the Malawian guitarist who is unavailable for the Durban leg of Poetry Africa. Smith will join Concord Nkabinde in a series of short performances that kick-start each evening of the festival at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. The musicians are also involved in innovative collaborations with some of the poets.

Poetry Africa runs from 4 to 8 October at the Sneddon with the festival finale at BAT Centre on 9 October. Visit http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za for full programme details
Visit – http://www.erniesmith.co.za

Some early photos have been posted from Poetry Africa on Tour Malawi

Some early photos have been posted from Poetry Africa on Tour Malawi

Poetry Africa on Tour Malawi

From Mutabaruka,from album Poetry Africa on Tour Malawi

More photos from Poetry Africa on Tour Cape Town

More photos from Poetry Africa on Tour Cape Town

Poetry Africa on Tour, Cape Town, Album 2

and in case you missed the earlier post here it is

Poetry Africa on Tour, Cape Town 2010

Nielen Bottomley took these photos please credit Poetry Africa on Tour and her if you use them publically for publicity purposes,  all other rights contact the festival http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za +27(0)312602506 cca@ukzn.ac.za

POETS CALLING THE STATE TO ORDER, UMUZI

PRESS RELEASE 27 SEPTEMBER 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UMUZI POETRY PROJECT: LETTER TO SOUTH AFRICA – POETS CALLING THE
STATE TO ORDER http://wp.me/p16aMx-K

At the 2010 poetry festival, Versindaba, in Stellenbosch, the internationally celebrated writer Marlene van Niekerk presented a colloquium titled “Letter to South Africa” on behalf of the University’s Department of Afrikaans and Dutch. Poets, including the likes of Breyten Breytenbach and Leon de Kock, were invited to write a variation on or a reworking off the Allen Ginsberg poem “America”, but to speak to South Africa.