Persverklaring. “What is Poetry?” Internasionale Poësiefees
Saturday, April 13th, 2013
Fantastiese nuus is dat daar nog ‘n Internasionale Poësiefees op hande is. Dit is naamlik die tweeweeklange Indonesiese “What is Poetry?“-fees waarby veral digters van Indonesië, Indië, Sjina, Japan, Switserland, Rusland, en Suid-Afrika betrokke is. Suid-Afrikaanse digters wat tydens die program gaan optree, is Vonani Bila, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Rustum Kozain, Charl Pierre Naudé, Mbali Kgosidintsi, Alan Finlay en Lesego Rampolokeng.
Die fees besoek vele stede in die periode 21 April tot 4 Mei 2013.
Onderstaande persverklaring is van die organiseerders ontvang.
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What is poetry?- Festival hits South Africa´s Shores from 21st April to 4th May
Programme announcement:
“A celebration of Language“, a Festival of Poetry and the Arts is happening from the 21st April to 4th May, 2013 and will travel Northern South Africa and Zimbabwe soon!
The schedule:
Johannesburg: 21st April – Mahikeng 22nd April – Johannesburg 23rd to 25th April – Polokwane 26th April- Makhado 27th April – Hifa Festival Harare 29th – 3rd May.
It is a follow up on the hugely successful festival that took place in Indonesia in 2012. The festival brings together poets from South Africa, Indonesia, China and many other countries of the world. This two-week celebration of language will focus not only on how poets use language, but how they adapt and change it.
We celebrate the ways how poets all over the world reinvent language to express new ideas and insights and thus provoke change and reflection. Through the work of poetry we dare a comparative analysis over its importance for cultural identity and change.
The core of the festival are readings, workshops, reflections and performances with 25 renowned poets. The discussions will incorporate poets, visual artists, dancers and composers.
The programme of „What is Poetry?“ 2013, the annual International Festival of Poets and Artists, is now available on our website www.whatispoetry.net.
Participants include Toeti Herty, Samar Gantang, Rosa Herliany and Saut Situmorang from Indonesia, Sujata Bhatt (India), Chirikure Chirikure (Zimbabwe) Mindy Zhang (China), Raphael Urweider (Switzerland) Sylvia Geist and Michael Augustin from Germany, Kae Morii (Japan), Stanislav Lvovsky (Russia) from overseas and the South African poets Vonani Bila, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Rustum Kozain, Charl Pierre Naudé, Mbali Kgosidintsi Alan Finlay and Lesego Rampolokeng.
The artists Paul Emmanuel, Stephan Erasmus, Volker März, Cedric Nunn, Katharina Rohde and Minnette Vari, dancer Tumi Mokgope and pianist Jill Richards join the poets.
This two-weeks event is curated by Indra Wussow, director of the Sylt Foundation (based in Johannesburg and Sylt/Germany) and editor of a series of African fiction for the German publisher AfrikAWunderhorn.
What is Poetry? Festivals are an initiatve by: Dudy Anggawi, Michael Augustin, Silke Behl, Indra Wussow
The programme:
The event consists of internal workshops that will be held at universities which are partners of the What is Poetry?-Festival, such as the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of the North West and the University of Limpopo. Topics like „ Lived Diversity or Paradise Lost? The Global World of Poetry” or Lost in Translation – The Art of Translating Poetry” and “Once There was the Word…The Transformation of Poetry into other Art Forms” will be discussed with students, scholars, fellow poets and artists. As cooking is a language itself there will be an Indonesian food safari happening, too.
These events will be shared with the audience:
Johannesburg, 21st April
5 p.m.
Museum Sophiatown
Sophiatown – Forced Removals Remembered
Talk with photographer Cedric Nunn
(Entrance free)
Johannesburg, 21st April
8 p.m.
Afrikan Freedom Station, Westdene
In Words we Trust – opening gala
Performance Kgafela le Marabele
(entrance please check with AFS)
Mahikeng, 22nd April
8 p.m.
Mmabana Cultural Center
Africa, I Hear Your Voice So Strong – Poets Speak Out!!!
Local poets interact with poets of the international caravan
(Entrance free)
Johannesburg, 23rd April
7 p.m.
Goethe-Institute, Johannesburg
The Poetry of Language and the Baggage of the Past
with Toeti Heraty, Miriam Tlali, Saut Situmorang and Rustum Kozain
(entrance free)
Johannesburg, 23rd April
7 p.m.
Swad Restaurant, Melrose Arch
East-Western Poetry Divan
Vonani Bila, Sujata Bhatt, Chirikure Chirikure, Sylvia Geist, Rosa Herliany, Stanislav Lvovsky, Raphael Urweider, Mindy Zhang , guest: Tumi Mokgope
Moderation: Michael Augustin
Food: Dudy Anggawi
Music: MIAGI – Music is a great Investment
(For dining guests only, please make reservations at the restaurant: 011 6841007)
Soweto, 24th April
5:30 p.m.
Hector Pietersen Museum
When Words Become the Fiercest Weapon – The Role of Poetry in The Struggle Against Apartheid and Colonialism
Sujata Bhatt, Chirikure Chirikure, Toeti Heraty, Saut Situmorang, Xoli Norman, Kwezi Gule
Moderation: Michael Gardiner
Music: The MIAGI Footprint Trio
(Entrance free)
Soweto, 24th April
8 p.m.
Bolo´s, Kliptown
African dinner with introduction into Storytelling
Music: Madosini
(Entrance free)
Johannesburg, 25th April
8 p.m.
Lucky Bean, Melville
Now Words Come Strange Currencies
Dinner and poetry performance
Music: The MIAGI Footprint Trio
(For dining guests only, please make reservations at the restaurant:
011 482 5572)
Polokwane, 26th April
8 p.m.
University of Limpopo
Africa, I Hear Your Voice So Strong – Poets Speak Out!
Local poets interact with poets of the international caravan.
(Entrance free)
Makhado, 27th April
2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Guyo Book Center, Makhado
Miludzi ya Shango
Tshivenda poetry book launch
(Entrance free)
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For further information please visit our website www.whatispoetry.net or visit us on facebook and twitter.
Please direct all enquiries and requests for interviews to the curator
Indra Wussow | indra@jozi-artlab.co.za | 076 501 42 91 | 011 482 98 77
