Centre for Creative Arts - Time of the Writer Festival 2003

Time of the Writer 2002 Programme (11 - 16 March 2002)

The Centre for Creative Arts, University of Natal,
in association with the French Institute of South Africa
present

5th TIME OF THE WRITER

Le Temps Des Ecrivains

International Festival of Writers 11-16 March 2002

“Migrating Words”

Participants List & Biographies

Time of the Writer 2002 Full Programme of Events

Monday 11^th, Tuesday 12 ^th, Wednesday 13^th, Thursday 14^th, Friday 15^th Saturday 16^th,Monday 17^th, Tuesday 18^th

Migrating Words Publishing Forum

Book Launches

Winternachten

" Schrijvers Rondreis"

Schools Outreach Programme

Migrating Words Creative Writing Workshop

Literatures from the South - an exhibition

Using ‘Migrating Words’ as its central theme the festival celebrates the power of literature to transcend borders and this year features over 20 participants from 17 different countries. Readings and panel discussions take place from 19h30 each evening at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. The expanded outreach of activities into tertiary institutions and schools is also an important “migratory” component of the festival.

The inclusion of some of the world’s most powerful social and political commentators promises to provide opportunities for invigorating debate. African representation is especially strong and particularly the presence of pre-eminent women writers of the continent. The CCA is honoured to host Nobel prize winner, Nadine Gordimer, whose works continue to reflect the unique tones and dispositions of South African society; the prolific Egyptian activist, Nawal el Saadawi, whose novels and books on the situation of women in Arab and Egyptian society have had a deep effect on generations of young women; and Ama Ata Aidoo, one-time Minister of Education in Ghana, who found herself in trouble with the Ghanaian authorities with her committed and outspoken campaign for women’s rights.

Other contributors in the women’s contingent include much-loved South African performer and writer, Gcina Mhlophe, and Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (Nigeria), Professor of English at the University of Lagos.

The French Institute of South Africa continues its involvement in the festival by supporting the participation of four French-speaking writers, and two publishers: the zany Ken Bugul of Senegal; Kossi Efoui, an award-winning writer from Togo who lives in France; Nimrod, who is poet, novelist and essayist from Chad and also chief editor of the journal Alepth, Beth, in Paris; and Raphael Confiant from Martinique, an accomplished Caribbean writer.

Many of the writers included in the line-up live and work, or have their origins in countries which have had colonial struggles, political upheavals, and tough social conditions similar to those in South Africa. The discussions and commentary which may emanate from the festival promises festival-goers both brain-food they can relate to, and a feast of new insights.

Writers include Sherif Hetata, a novelist, medical doctor and an expert in population and migration; Sudanese-born Jamal Mahjoub, who works as a writer and translator in Denmark; David Davidar, CEO and publisher of Penguin Books - India, who recently made his literary debut; Zimbabwean author Shimmer Chinodya, a previous winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for the African Region; fellow Zimbabwean and short-story competition winner, Nhamo Mhiripiri; and Achmat Dangor from South Africa, who wrote the award-winning novel Kafka’s Curse.

A special inclusion organised in partnership with the Winternachten Literature Festival of The Hague features writers from previous Dutch colonies whose books deal largely with fresh perspectives of politics and history: Cynthia McLeod writes historical novels about Surinam; Frank Martinus Arion from the Caribbean is an award-winning writer known for his political thrillers; Henk van Woerden (Netherlands) wrote Een mond vol glas - a chronicle about Dimitrios Tsafendas, the murderer of South African prime minister and architect of apartheid, Verwoerd; Seno Ajidarma (Indonesia) has an impressive body of written work and is driven by “a stubborn need to exercise the right to tell the truth”. Michael Zeeman, a Dutch writer well known for his television show Zeeman and Books, will anchor the Winternachten proceedings.

From March 11-16 readings and panel discussions take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from 7.30pm with book launches most evenings from 6.15pm. During the day writers give workshops and seminars at schools and tertiary institutions and other venues in the Durban district. A new addition to the festival will be the publishing forums on the afternoons of March 14 and 15. Focusing on publishing issues facing writers and publishers in Africa, these forums will involve local and visiting publishing industry specialists.

Tickets for the Sneddon presentations are R15 for adults and can be purchased through Computicket or at the theatre one hour before each presentation. R5 tickets for learners, students and pensioners are available at the theatre only.

There is also an extension of the festival in Johannesburg, in French, at Alliance Francaise, Parkview, Johannesburg on March 18, with an English session at Alliance Francaise of Pretoria on March 19.

Confirmed Participants

Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana)

Akachi Adimora- Ezeigbo (Nigeria)

Seno Gumira Ajidarma (Indonesia)

Frank Martinus Arion (Curacao)

Ken Bugul (Senegal)

Raphaël Confiant (Martinique)

Shimmer Chinodya (Zimbabwe)

Achmat Dangor (South Africa)

David Davidar (India)

Kossi Efoui (Togo)

Nadine Gordimer (South Africa)

Sherif Hetata (Egypt)

Jamal Mahjoub (Sudan)

Cynthia McLeod-Ferrier (Surinam)

Nhamo Mhiripiri (Zimbabwe)

Gcina Mhlophe (South Africa)

Nimrod (Chad)

Nawal el Saadawi (Egypt)

Henk van Woerden (Netherlands)

Michaël Zeeman (Netherlands)

Micheal Chapman (South Africa)

Margaret Daymond (South Africa)

Ashwin Desai (South Africa)

Ashraf Jamal (South Africa)

John Matshikiza (South Africa)

Sarah Nuttall (South Africa)

Peter Ripken (Germany)

Alan Swerdlow (South Africa)

Pierre Astier (France)

Benno Barnard (Netherlands)

Stefan Hertmans (Belgium)

Christian Otten (Netherlands)

Denise Jannah (Surinam/Netherlands)

Bernard Magnier (France)

Kholwa Brothers (South Africa)

John Gaba (South Africa)

Sandile Shange (SouthAfrica)

Shiyani Ngcobo (South Africa)

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TIME OF THE WRITER 2002
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS:
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Ticket prices for the evening presentation. R15 for adults and R5 for student/pensioners. Queries: Tel 031 260 3118 during office hours. No charge for workshops, book launches and seminars (unless mentioned).
Monday 11 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS		VENUE
19h30	Opening Night	Welcome by Peter Rorvik Guest speaker: John Matshikiza Self introduction by participating writers		Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
		Entertainment: Gcina Mhlophe
Tuesday, 12 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS	MODERATOR	VENUE
09h00 -10h30	Seminar Ken Bugul, Kossi Efoui			French Studies, University of Natal-Durban
14h00 -16h30	Educators forum Cynthia Mcleod, Akachi Adimora- Ezeigbo, Frank Arion, Achmat Dangor, Stefan Hertmans, Christine Otten, Benno Barnard			Documentation Centre, Greyville (for educators only)
16h00 -17h30	Seminar Ama Ata Aidoo			English Studies, University of Natal-Durban
18h15 -19h00	Jonathan Ball Book Launch The House of Blue Mangoes by David Davidar			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre Deck
19h30	Music Interlude John Gaba			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
	Readings & panel discussions
	Writing from a Socio-Historical Perspective David Davidar, Sherif Hetata, Jamal Mahjoub		Alan Swerdlow
	Drama & Literature Kossi Efoui, Gcina Mhlophe		Ashraf Jamal
Wednesday, 13 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS	MODERATOR	VENUE
11h30	Street children interaction Gcina Mhlophe, Kossi Efoui			Thutukhani Harm Reduction Centre
11h00 -12h45	Seminar Seno Ajidarma, Michael Zeeman, Sherif Hetata			Journalism School, Natal Technikon
12h30 -14h30	Forum /workshop Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Nawal el Saadawi			Senate Building, University of Durban-Westville
12h20 -14h00	Seminar Benno Barnard, Christine Otten, Stefan Hertmans			Afrikaans & Nederlands Dept., University of Natal-Durban
13h15 -14h55	Seminar Nadine Gordimer, Achmat Dangor			Creative Writing Studies, University of Natal-Durban
17h00 -18h00	UN Press book launch Have you seen Zandile? and Love Child by Gcina Mhlophe			Exclusive Books, Gateway
19h30	Reading Nadine Gordimer		Michaël Zeeman	Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
	Readings & panel discussions Rewriting History Seno Ajidarma, Frank Arion, Henk van Woerden, Cynthia McLeod, with Michaël Zeeman
	Music Finale Denise Jannah with Sandile Shange and Dan Chiorboli
Thursday, 14 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS	MODERATOR	VENUE
12h15 -13h00	Forum Nawal el Saadawi & Sherif Hetata			Shepstone 4, University of Natal-Durban
13h30	Publishing Forum The Publishing Industry in S.A./Africa (speaker Brian Wafawarowa)		Michael Chapman	Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
15h30	Publishing Forum The Role of the Media in Developing Book Culture (speakers: Annari van der Merwe, Michael Zeeman)		John Matshikiza
14h00 -16h30	Aspirant Writers workshop Shimmer Chinodya, Jamal Mahjoub, Ken Bugul, Henk van Woerden			KwaMuhle Museum, Ordnance Road
14h30 -15h30	Seminar Raphaël Confiant, Nimrod			French Studies, University of Natal-PMB
15h30 -17h00	Seminar Ama Ata Aidoo			English Studies, University of Natal-PMB
18h15 -19h00	Brevitas book launch A Million Years Ago in the Nineties and The Shades by Ashraf Jamal			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre Deck
19h30	Music Interlude Shiyani Ngcobo			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
	Readings & panel discussions In Praise of Africa and the Caribbean Nimrod, Raphaël Confiant		Peter Ripken
	South African Writing Today Achmat Dangor & Nadine Gordimer		John Matshikiza
+22h00	Jazz Denise Jannah as special guest with Sandile Shange			Rivets, Hilton Hotel
Friday, 15 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS	MODERATOR	VENUE
10h30 -11h45	Seminar Michaël Zeeman, Seno Ajidarma, John Matshikiza			Journalism School, M L Sultan
13h00	Publishing Forum Book Culture in a multi-lingual society (speaker: Francis Galloway)		Sarah Nuttall	Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
14h45	Publishing Forum Publishing issues from the point of view of the writer (speakers: Peter Ripken, Michael Zeeman)		Sarah Nuttall
15h45	Publishing Forum S.A. publishers engagement with foreign markets (speakers: Maud Felix-Faure, Bernard Magnier, Pierre Astier, Peter Ripken)		Sarah Nuttall
18h15 -18h45	Jonathan Ball book launch The New Century of South African Poetry edited by Michael Chapman			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre Deck
19h30	Music Interlude Denise Jannah with Kwam Gaga School choir			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
	Schools short story competition awards		Michael Chapman
	Readings & panel discussions The Woman's Voice in Africa Ama Ata Aidoo, Ken Bugul, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo		Margaret Daymond
Saturday, 16 March top
DATE/TIME	EVENT	PARTICIPANTS	MODERATOR	VENUE
09h00 -10h00	Seminar Henk van Woerden			Afrikaans & Nederlands Dept., University of Natal-Durban
18h30	Protea Book House, The French Embassy, the French Institute of S.A., and Alliance Franciase book launch Plaisir de Lire (The Pleasure of Reading) Edited by Ivan Gut			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre Deck
19h30	Music Interlude Kholwa Brothers			Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
	Readings & panel discussions Writing in Modern Day Zimbabwe Shimmer Chinodya, Nhamo Mhiripiri		Sarah Nuttall
	The Writer as Activist Nawal el Saadawi		Ashwin Desai
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DATE/TIME	EVENT			VENUE
Monday, 18 March
	An extension of the festival in French.			Alliance Francaise, Parkview, Johannesburg
DATE/TIME	EVENT			VENUE
Tuesday, 19 March
	An extension of the festival in English.			Alliance Francaise of Pretoria

The Centre for Creative Arts acknowledges funders and partners with great appreciation:

French Institute of South Africa;

Prince Claus Fund for Culture & Development;

National Arts Council of South Africa

FNB Fund;

Interfund;

Winternachten Literature Festival;

Royal Netherlands Embassy;

Netherlands Ministry for Culutre

Durban Africa;

Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature;

BASA (Business & Art South Africa);

Pro Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland;

Adams Campus Books;

Exclusive Books;

Kwela Books;

KZN Education & Culture Directorate;

Kwela Books;

University of Natal;

Alliance Française;

BAT Centre

Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre

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