Breyten Breytenbach Literary Festival 2014 speakers | RAD Culture Zone
Breyten Breytenbach Literary festival Speakers for 2014- proudly co-hosted by the RAD Foundation
11th to 13th July 2014
[credit photographer: Leanie Clunies-Ross/Rooi Rose]
Ilse Salzwedel is bekroonde joernalis en skrywer van Johannesburg. Daar het al vier boeke uit haar pen verskyn: Seerowers, kameelkoppe en chillies vir tee (2011), die baie gewilde Bloedsusters* (2011), Onvertelde Stories van Afrikaans (2012) en Selna Visser: My hel in Dubai (2013).
Sy is ook die vertaler van Blood Sisters, haar eie boek, in 2012, en was ook die vertaler van Dwelmslagoffer: die Vanessa Goosen-verhaal, en Die Modimolle Monster, (oor die berugte aanval op Ina Bonnette).
Haar werk bring haar in kontak met ŉ wye verskeidenheid mense – van bekende openbare figure tot gewone mense, wat sorg vir ŉ hutspot van fassinerende en inspirerende stories. Haar eie lewenspad het sy eie kwota oppe en affe opgelewer, en sy gesels met deernis en baie humor oor ŉ wye verskeidenheid onderwerpe: van enkelouer wees en hoe om geskei en gelukkig te wees, tot die versorging van ŉ terminaal siek ouer. Soos die lewe haar al geleer het: life is what happens while you’re busy planning something else… Maar altyd bly die hoop – en die humor.
Ilse is onder meer bekroon met met ŉ ATKVeertjie, ŉ PICA en vier Caxton-toekennings, en is deur die FAK bekroon met die H.B. Thom-toekenning vir ŉ besondere bydrae tot die Afrikaanse joernalistiek.
Sy is ‘n gerespekteerde vryskutjoernalis wie se werk al in feitlik al die groot Afrikaanse tydskrifte en koerante verskyn het, en skryf tans veral vir Rooi Rose, LIG en Rapport My Tyd.
Ilse bied sedert Junie 2013 ook die program Skrywers en Boeke op RSG aan.
Fourie Botha is die skrywer van die digbundel Donkerkamer. Hy het in Bethal op die Hoëveld en op Nietverdiend in die Marico-bosveld grootgeword. Hy studeer uitgewerswese en Engels aan die Universiteit van Pretoria en gee vir ’n paar jaar opvoedkundige boeke uit. Aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad behaal hy meestersgrade in Engelse letterkunde en kreatiewe skryfwerk. Van sy gedigte is in Nuwe Stemme 4 en in Versindaba 2010 opgeneem. Hy werk as uitgewer in Kaapstad.
Antoinette Diedericks woon op Montagu waar sy en haar man hulle eie besigheid bedryf. Haar skryfloopbaan het begin in 2008 toe haar eerste kortverhaal die wenner was van ‘n nasionale skryfkompetisie. In 2009 is haar nuwe kortverhaal weer as wenner van die kompetisie aangewys en in dieselfde jaar het haar eertse kinderverhaal derde plek behaal in Tafelberg Uitgewers en Die Burger se kinderverhaal kompetisie. In 2010 het haar boek SPOOKSKIP as wenner van die kompetisie uit die stryd getree, waarna die storie as vervolgverhaal in die dagblad Die Burger se KleinB verskyn het. Die boek is in 2011 deur Tafelberg uitgegee. In 2012 is SPOOKSKIP vir Media-24 se MER-prys vir kinderliteratuur genomineer. Die boek is ook genomineer vir ’n ATKV Woordveertjie in 2012 en het die toekenning gekry vir die beste geïllustreede kinderboek. Sedertdien het Antoinette help skryf aan leesreekse vir verskillende Opvoedkundige Uitgewers en van haar artikels is onder andere in die Vrouekeur en Huisgenoot gepubliseer.
Jo-Marie Claassen holds a DLitt from the University of Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, South Africa. She is best known for her work on Ovid’s exile, but has also published articles on Cicero, Boethius and Fronto, on comparative literature, women in antiquity, the reception of Classical architecture in South Africa and the didactics of Latin. She taught Latin, Classical Culture and Ancient History at her alma mater for many years, before retiring in 2001. As she grew up in a bilingual (English-Afrikaans) home, she has a particular affinity for code-switching. She recently published as an ebook her English translation of an Afrikaans classic, Germanicus by the poet and essayist N.P. Van Wyk Louw, which she feels deserves international exposure. She is married to Dr Pieter E Claassen, an urban planner, who also taught at Stellenbosch. They have two children and two grandsons. She is very involved in community work through her local church and teaches needlework to Xhosa-speakers, as well as chairing the church’s bursary fund for financially handicapped Black students. In her research on the alienation resulting from exile as it affected writers in the ancient world, she decided to study the same phenomenon in modern authors, concentrating on Breytenbach and on other South African struggle writers.
Irene Blom is in Pretoria gebore en het haar skool loopbaan in 1976 aan die Hendrik Verwoerd Hoërskool voltooi.
Ná skool het sy in ’n suksesvolle entrepreneur ontwikkel wat ondermeer uitgemunt het in die reël van groot sosiale funksies, blommerangskikking en spyseniering.
In 2004 het sy saam met haar gesin na Montagu verhuis waar sy in 2007 die Montagu Kuns Vereniging gestig het. ’n Jaar later het sy die ‘Montagu Art in Autumn’ kunsfees gereël waarby talle kunstenaars in Montagu en omgewing betrokke was.
Irene is ’n olieverf kunstenaar wie se skilderye reeds regoor die wêreld nuwe tuistes gevind het.
“Wat die Maan van Vol is” is Irene se eerste digbundel
Sy skryf hierin oor verlies, lewe en liefde en beskryf dit as helder oomblikke wat haar tot pynlike erkenning, maar ook tot verwondering lei.
Die geboorte van haar kleindogter, Aleyna, op 25 weke in 2011, het n besondere verdieping in Irene se lewensbeskouing meegebring.
Die klein bondeltjie lewe van 700 gram het haar opnuut die wonder van Lewe laat besef. ‘n Gedeelte van die opbrengs van hierdie bundel sal dan ook in n Trust gestort word om voorsiening te maak vir Aleyna se volgehoue mediese versorging.
Emile Manefeldt is die illustreerder vir die Bundel – Wat die Maan van vol is.
Antony Osler is a South African author of two books, Stoep Zen (2008) and Zen Dust (2012), both published by Jacana, both meditations about a Zen life in South Africa. Aside from writing, he is a dedicated sunset stoepsitter, an advocate of the High Court and a meditation teacher. He lives with his wife Margie on Poplar Grove, a farm near Colesberg in the Karoo where they host meditation retreats, run guest accommodation and host workshops for abused children. His website is stoepzen.co.za.
Stoep Zen is about taking the Zen Buddhist tradition and giving it a home on the stoep (veranda) of a remote South African sheep farm before and after the first democratic election in 1994. It was a surprise ‘sleeper hit’ that has already run into six re-prints; it was presented at Wordfest in 2008 as well as at the J M Coetzee festival in Richmond in 2011.
Zen Dust continues the theme in a new South Africa that is already a little more travel-worn and tired; it is about slowing down and going beyond cynicism, fear and romance, about giving oneself to the country and its people, about allowing the place to touch one, about recovering our enthusiasm for life in this troubled and exhilarating place. Zen Dust was launched at the Prince Albert Leesfees in December 2012. It has been the subject of radio interviews on radio 702 with Jenny Chrys-Williams and Africa Melane, radio 2000 with Ernest Pillay, and Classicfm’s People of Note with Richard Cock; the author has also made public appearances at Jenny Chrys-Williams’ annual book club bash and at Dancing in Other Words, the literary festival at Spier in Stellenbosch curated by Breyten Breytenbach. Zen Dust was also presented during the Wordfest programme at the National Arts festival in Grahamstown during July 2013 and at the Boekbedonnerd book festival in Richmond where (together with Karoo Keepsakes II) it won the Boekbedonnerd Book Award for 2013.
Reviews of Zen Dust so far:
‘Pitch Perfect’ – Steven Coan, Witness
‘A unique, quietly compassionate perspective…Osler’s warmth, spontaneity and quiet, wry wisdom reveals the wonder of ordinary things’ – Peter Fabricius, Independent
‘Stories that made me laugh out loud, sometimes cry, observations that made me wake me up and look with new eyes, reflections that compelled me to stop and breathe’ – Wanda Hennig, Sunday Tribune
‘Like Osler’s first book this one is filled with compassionate wisdom, insight, humour, quirky poetry, poignant encounters and piercingly tender observation’ – Julienne Du Toit, Country Life
‘Zen Dust goes beyond philosophy to provide a record of a fading, forgotten world’ – Business Day
’A wonderful mixture of compassion and common sense’ – Peter Stratton
‘An intimate account of a special journey’ – Josine Overdevest, The Citizen
‘Although still part of a troubled and fractured society, Antony Osler lives in a world of gentle beauty, a world which abounds with grace and wonder’ Anton Krueger, Wordstock
Ken Barris is a writer and critic based in Cape Town. His publications include academic research, two collections of poetry, a collection of short stories, and six novels. His work has been translated into Turkish, Danish, French, German and Slovenian. He has also won various literary awards, including the Ingrid Jonker Prize, the M-Net Book Prize, and the 2013 University of Johannesburg Prize for his novel Life Underwater. His latest novel Sunderland, a collaboration with Michael Cope, has just been launched.
Jan Christiaan van Tonder is op 29 Augustus 1954 op Sabie gebore. Hy het in Durban grootgeword, op Stanger gematrikuleer en aan Tukkies ‘n BA-graad met die volgende hoofvakke verwerf: Afrikaans, sielkunde en kriminologie. Sy skryfloopbaan begin in 1979 in die tronk toe hy as bewaarder in die Point-gevangenis in Durban gewerk het. Die verhaal wat hy daar geskryf het, is gepubliseer en aangewys as Huisgenoot se kortverhaal van die maand.
Naas tronkbewaarder was hy ook al onder meer kaartjieondersoeker, stoker, restaurantbestuurder, opleidingsbeampte, joernalis, omroeper, skilder en skrywer.
Hy was hofverslaggewer en kunsredakteur van Die Transvaler (Pretoria) en daarna is hy aangestel as ‘n hoofsubredakteur by die SAUK in Pretoria, waar hy benoem is vir ’n Artes-toekenning vir radioverslaggewing.
Van Tonder het in 1983 gedebuteer met die novelle Wit vis. Dit is gevolg deur ’n bundel kortverhale, Aandenking vir ’n vry man, wat in twee gevangenisse afspeel. Sy daaropvolgende kort roman, Is Sagie, was in 1987 en 1988 naaswenner van die ATKV-prosaprys. Sy vierde boek, Die kind, het in 1990 die ATKV-prosaprys en in 1991 die FAK-prys vir ontspanningsleesstof ontvang.
Sy roman Roepman wat in 2004 verskyn, was in 2005 op die kortlys van die WA Hofmeyr- en M-Net-prys. Die boek is ses jaar later verfilm, met Van Tonder as mededraaiboekskrywer.
‘n Versameling rubrieke wat in Rapport verskyn het, Anderkant omdraai, verskyn in 2011 en die opvolg van Is Sagie in 2013 onder die titel Is weer Sagie. Laasgenoemde twee boeke is op RSG voorgelees. Die skrywer werk reeds aan die derde roman in die Sagie-trilogie.
Van Tonder het in 2007 die Sanlam-teaterprys vir die toneelstuk, Lewensreg, ontvang. Dit is by die KKNK, Volksbladfees en Aardklop-kunstefees opgevoer. Die teks is in 2008 deur Genugtig! Uitgewers gepubliseer. Hy skryf ook ‘n klug, Die onbeholpe djin, wat in 2011 by die Aardklop-kunstefees opgevoer is.
Twee radiodramas uit die skrywer se pen, Die swakkeling en Die ware Jacob, verower die derde prys in RSG se Radiodramakompetisie.
In 1998 publiseer H&R die skrywer en die fotograaf Lanz von Horsten se koffietafelboek The Little Karoo / Die Klein Karoo.
Talle van Van Tonder se reis- en kortverhale is in koerante, tydskrifte en bloemlesings gepubliseer, terwyl verskeie van sy boeke al op universiteite en in skole voorgeskryf is, naamlik Aandenking vir ‘n vry man, Is Sagie, Roepman en Die kind. Laasgenoemde reeds die afgelope 23 jaar.
Die volgende boeke van Van Tonder is vertaal: Die kind (in Engels as Ongenagama, the Child with No Name) en Roepman (in Engels as Stargazer en in Vlaams as Roepman).
Die skrywer woon tans in Gordonsbaai.
Willie Bester is regarded as one of South Africa’s most important resistance artists. He incorporates recycled material into his paintings, assemblages and sculpture, usually commenting on political injustices and human rights issues of the day.
View his work here: http://www.williebester.co.za/
Read Willie’s profile here: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/pebble.asp?relid=7833
Christa du Plessis het ‘n onderwysgraad by die Universiteit van Pretoria verwerf. Sy het ongeveer 20 jaar se onderwyservaring en hou skool by Pelham Senior Primêre Skool in Pietermaritzburg. Twee van haar groot voorliefdes is lees en Afrikaans. Sy geniet dit ook om kinders af te rig vir redenaarskompetisies en het al verskeie kere as beoordelaar by die ATKV se redenaarskompetisies opgetree. Sy is tans besig met ‘n honneursgraad in Afrikaans by die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal.
Mario d’Offizi is a Cape Town based poet, writer and magazine editor. He is married with four children and has seven grandchildren.
Bless Me Father, first published in 2007 and reprinted in 2010, is his first book. The autobiography was translated into Italian and launched at the Ferrara Literary Festival in Ferrara, Italy, in October 2011. www.africanperspectives.co.za
Review: I found Bless Me Father an almost overpowering and emotionally draining read. This is a story of a rich, fascinating, but intermittently tragic life, told with scrupulous, graphic, and disturbing honesty. It is eminently readable and accessible, written as it is in a recognisably South African voice, which would nonetheless appeal to a much wider audience. It is part of our human nature to want to look through a window into another’s life, and here the window is crystal clear and the life well worth looking into.
There are hidden depths to the story too. There is pattern, despite the lack of chronology in the arrangement. Mario’s intermittent hedonism and obsessiveness and his two failed marriages are surely directly related to his unhappy childhood, his consignment to Nazareth House and Boys’ Town, his abuse there, and subsequent traumas. Another pattern that is discernible is his gradual social and political awakening that issues in his life-changing visit to the DRC, which so neatly frames the action. Mario was a child of apartheid South Africa, who, through his own sensibilities and experiences, ultimately transcended it.
For me the most striking aspect of the book is the lack of bitterness displayed throughout, despite the writer’s exposure to so much violence and abuse of various kinds. His nature rises above it all, so that ultimately its message is positive, optimistic, and life affirming.
Mario d’Offizi speaks in a fresh and uniquely South African voice about the harsh realities – as well as moments of great joy – of a real, authentic South African life.
B.A. (Hons) (English), B.A. (Hons) (History), M. Phil. (History Education),
David Kramer’s interest and passion has, for forty years been to explore a South African identity in the songs and musicals that he has written and directed.
In 2001 David presented a concert showcasing eccentric musicians from small towns in the Karoo called KAROO KITAAR BLUES A documentary about David’s work with these musicians has been shown internationally on television.
KAT AND THE KINGS, written together with the late Taliep Petersen, had international success, winning the Laurence Olivier Award on the West End and being performed on Broadway.
His musical Die Ballade van Koos Sas, was the first musical to be performed in Afrikaans on a British stage.
He received a GMT Lifelong Achievement Award in 2005 for his contribution to Afrikaans music. He has also been honoured by SARRAL and entered in their Composers Hall of Fame, awarded The Order of the Disa and an Honorary Doctorate of Literature by UCT. In 2009 he was recognized by the Akademie van Wetenskap en Kuns and received their Prestige Award.
On the 25th April 2014 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University Of Stellenbosch.
Petrovna Metelerkamp, joernalis/skrywer/uitgewer, het in Januarie 2000 die uitgewery Hemel & See in Vermont gestig. Sy is ook die skrywer van die volledige biografie van Ingrid Jonker. Onder die versamelaarsboeke wat by Hemel & See verskyn het, tel die bundels met briewe van Audrey Blignault, Peter Blum, Uys Krige, W.E.G. en N.P. van Wyk Louw en Hennie Aucamp.
Evette Weyers:”Voor my geboorte het my ma reeds geweet dat ek ‘n meermin was en nie uit die binnesee sou kom voor ek nie die groot oseaan daar buite gehoor het nie. Ek was in elf skole dwars oor die land wat goed was vir my as enigste kind. Ek het nooit leer spel nie. BA graad gekry met Wiskunde, Engels en Sielkunde as hoof fakke. Kuns by Pretoria Technikon studeer en klei ontdek. Sedertdien beelde gemaak, veral geinspireer deur gedigte en woorde se transformasies.. Op die 50tigste herdenking van die atoombom ontploffing oor Hirosjima, was my beeld ‘Woman dreaming peace” op die vredesmonument in die internasionale vredestuin, “The Garden of Us” in Hirosjima geplaas.
My pa het my van kleins af geleer om liggies op die aarde te trap . Ek het geweet my missie as kind was om die wilde plekke van die aarde op te pas. Ek leer steeds vir kinders en volwassenes oor die see en hoe om saam met bobbejane te leef.
Ek was gevra om ‘n boek te skryf oor die stories agter my beelde en my lewe saam met Marius. Woorde is so verleidelik en nie onderhewig aan swaartekrag nie. Skryf is my wilde perde. Hulle kom nooit as ek roep nie. Raap my telkens onverwags op, op ‘n stywe gallop. Ek weet net ek wil hulle nooit mak maak nie. Ek is amper klaar met my Engelse vertaling van my boek ‘Wat die hart van vol is…..’ En my uitgewers, Hemel en See, sal die Engelse weergawe ook uitgee: ‘Forgotten orchards of the imagination.’
Terence de Jager, the Assistant Curator of the Montagu Museum Gallery – published his first poetry book in 1999 called “DIE ANKER”. The second book called” JIREH, n Jaar vir Hom” was published in 2001.
He was awarded a GOLD and NATIONAL GOLD at the Afrikaans EXPO both for poetry and short story.
It has taken 11 years to write the new book “SELF”. This is a book of poems and a short story about living with depression. Terence AKA “Dame DD” will launch the book with a cabaret show “PIEKNIEK + POETRY” as we join him on his life’s journey on 11th July at the Breyten Breytenbach Boekefees.
4 comments on “Breyten Breytenbach Literary Festival 2014 speakers”
Will it be possible to record all the speeches and compile a DVD? Deoni.
Hi Deoni, we will have to ask the organisers of the festival. It is an awesome idea! Thanks for the suggestion. I will refer it to the RAD Foundation. 🙂
Fabulous line up – Great BLOG – thank you!
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This entry was posted on May 19, 2014 by Tonya Laure-Smith in Breyten Breytenbach Boekefees, Culture, Inspirational Individuals, Literary Arts and tagged Antoinette Diedericks, Antony Osler, Breyten Breytenbach, Breyten Breytenbach Boekefees, Christa du Plessis, Daniel Hugo, Darryl David, Darryl Earl David, David Kramer, Emile Manefeldt, Evette Weyers, Fourie Botha, Ilse Salzwedel, Irene Blom, Jan Christiaan van Tonder, Jo-Marie Claassen, Ken Barris, Mario d’Offizi, Petrovna Metelerkamp, RAD Foundation, Terence de Jager, Willie Bester.