Books: New SA poetry anthology launches March 21, 2021: Yesterdays and Imagining Realities

Books: New South African poetry anthology launches March 21, 2021: Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry 

An exciting new anthology of South African poetry, Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry , will be launched on March 21, 2021 and will feature the voices of 26 young poets- 30 poems in the anthology. There is no charge to attend the launch which will be streamed on multiple platforms. The launch programme will include readings by Mazwi Shazi and Masindi Netshakhuma; conversations between literary vlogger Linda Kaoma, translator Sabelo Soko and publisher vangile gantsho about the process of creating the anthology and there will be input from Toni Giselle Stuart. The anthology is available to purchase for R180, in-store or by delivery with a postage fee applicable. The anthology is produced through the continued poetry partnership between the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and impepho press with the support of Total SA. Bravo! Info as supplied.

New poetry anthology remembers the past and dreams the future through voices of young poets

A new anthology of poetry honours stories from the past and projects hopes for the future through the eyes and voices of twenty-six young South African poets. 

Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry is produced through the continued poetry partnership between the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and impepho press with the support of Total SA. 

The anthology gathers thirty poems from poets under the age of thirty, to remember and to dream this complicated country onto paper.

Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry will be launched on Sunday 21 March as part of the 24^th edition of the Time of the Writer International Festival, which is presented by the University of KwaZulu Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA). 

“We invited young poets from South Africa to submit their original, unpublished poems, inspired by the theme ‘Archiving of Imaginary Stories’,” says Selen Daver, Cultural attaché of the French Embassy. “We received almost 400 entries and were delighted to announce the thirty poems at last year’s Poetry Africa festival organised by the Centre for Creative Arts.”

“We are honoured to accompany a new generation of South African poets with this project, which culminates with the launch of the anthology at the Time of the Writer festival. The theme resonates with the Africa 2020 Season in France programme, asking poets to explore, for example, how different narratives relate to the history of the world, how do we identify missing narratives in those stories and how is memory passed on and for what purpose?” says Daver.

The launch date of 21 March also fittingly coincides with World Poetry Day and South Africa’s Human Rights Day. 

“We are proud to be collaborating with the French Institute of South Africa and Total SA to bring this book to life,” says impepho press publisher vangile gantsho. “impepho press is committed to celebrating and archiving African stories while preserving indigenous languages. What a gift it is to witness this country through the imagination of young creatives.”

The selection panel of poetry experts included Tshefhiwa Mukwevho, Nakanjani Sibiya, Toni Giselle Stuart and vangile gantsho.     The anthology features work in five South African languages – English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa and Venda – and each poem is presented in English as well as its original language. Translations were carried out by Domina Munzhelele (tshiVenda), Kwazi Ndlangisa (isiZulu), Mbongeni Nomkonwana (isiXhosa), Pieter Odendaal (Afrikaans) and Sabelo Soko (isiZulu). 

The cover was designed by artist Banele Khoza. Original work by Keneilwe Mokoena, Pebofatso Mokoena and Mxolosi Dolla Sapeta appears inside. All three were commissioned to create pieces that resonated with the theme and the poetry.     

Poets included in the anthology are: Anathi Jonas, Angela Mthembu, Annathea Oppler, Bongeka Nkosi, Busisiwe Mahlangu, Cebolenkosi Nkosi, Claire Mary Taylor, Jennifer Sheokarah, Keith Lewis, Kylin Lötter, Masindi Netshakhuma, Masoodah Mohamed, Mazwi Shazi, Mbasa Tsetsana, Mthabisi Sithole, Nqobile Lombo, Ntsako Mlambo, Nteska Masoabi, Olivia Botha, Ronewa Mukwevho, Sarah Lubala, Thandolwethu Gulwa, Tshifhiwa Itai Ratshiungo, Wade Smit, Xabiso Vili and Zizipho Bam. 

IFAS Africa 2020 Season in France programme is a multidisciplinary cultural season designed to enable greater understanding of the world from an African perspective. 

The launch of Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry will include live readings from Mazwi Shazi and Masindi Netshakhuma. There will be a discussion between literary vlogger Linda Kaoma, translator Sabelo Soko and publisher vangile gantsho about the process of putting the anthology together, and a word from Toni Giselle Stuart. 

Join the launch of Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry on Sunday 21 March from 15h00 to 16h30 streamed live on the Time of the Writer Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TimeoftheWriter, Twitter (@timeofthewriter) or YouTube www.youtube.com/centreforcreativearts. The event will also be streamed on the IFAS and impepho press Facebook pages. 

Copies of Yesterdays and Imagining Realities: An Anthology of South African Poetry can be purchased at The Commune (Braamfontein) and Exclusive Books nationwide or directly from impepho press for R180 (excl. postage). 

 About:

French Institute of South Africa /Institut Francais d’Afrique du Sud (IFAS) 

In 2020, The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) marked twenty-five years in South Africa. IFAS is the cultural agency of the Embassy of France in South Africa, one of 96 French Institutes in the world. It comprises three departments, operating in the cultural, audio visual and research sectors. IFAS notably organises and supports artistic events at different venues and festivals throughout the country, thanks to strong local partnerships. IFAS is a platform for cooperation that encourages cultural diversity and exchanges between South Africa, France and the rest of the continent. From performing arts to visual arts, from gastronomy to literature, all aspects of culture are covered. 

IFAS strives to share the best of French and Francophone culture with South Africans and to promote South African artists on the international scene. It does so through residency programmes and by supporting young talent and cross-cultural projects. 

impepho press

impepho press is a Pan Africanist, intersectional-feminist publishing house committed to the sincere telling of African and international stories, celebrating both the fragility and resilience of human experience. It believes in championing brave, particularly feminist, voices committed to literary excellence.

Time of the Writer

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) presents the 24th edition of the Time of the Writer International Festival that will be hosted virtually on the festival’s social media channels from 15 to 21 March 2021. The written word envelops online as South African, African and International writers meet for a thought-provoking week of literary dialogue, exchanging ideas, and stimulating discussions. Time of the Writer features a diverse gathering of leading novelists, social commentators, activists, playwrights, short story writers and poets. This 24^thedition features authors in conversation, panel discussions, a public participation programme, and exhibitions focused on many socially relevant themes such as whistleblowing, migration, colonialism, gender-based violence and sexual identity.

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