Writers, storytellers converge for festival
The 17th Time of the Writer International writers festival is at UKZN's Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre this week.
THE Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) has produced an exciting, palatable literary programme for the 17th Time of The Writer International Festival of Writers from 17 to 22 March at the UKZN Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
The week-long showcase is set to provoke, inform and inspire interesting debates and panel discussions under the theme Freeing Our Imagination, in solidarity with Kenyan writer Binyavanga Wainaina’s clarion call for Africans to use their creativity to imagine and create a continent free of the existential burdens of colonialism.
The festival, which brings together some of the world’s finest novelists, authors and storytellers to Durban, features participants from India, Kenya, Nigeria, Botswana, Togo, and Guinea.
Understanding the history that storytelling carries on the African continent, the festival is excited to present a story-telling programme, in collaboration with the Gcinamasiko Arts and Heritage Trust on Friday, 21 March.
This will see two storytellers, Nomsa Mdlalose and Mshai Mwangola in a panel discussion that will look at the art of storytelling. The panel will be facilitated by Dr Gcina Mhlophe.
In addition, Time of The Writer and Gcinamasiko Arts and Heritage Trust will host a special matinée for children at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Saturday, 22 March from 2 to 4.30pm. The matinée will feature Mdlalose and Mwangola where they will be joined by Gogo MaBhengu and Lwazi Thwala.
The final day of the festival features a discussion entitled New African Women Writers Rising, which focuses on the stories and work being produced by young female writers from Africa. This panel discussion will feature prolific authors, Hawa Jande Golakai (Liberia) and Chibundu Onuzo (Nigeria). This panel discussion will be facilitated by writer Sandile Ngidi.
Visit www.cca.ukzn.ac.za for more information.
