A day with a Guji girl
While the book was officially published in November 2013, Ms Hunter held the re-launch, along with a book signing and reading as a way to discuss her work with the community and help raise funds for CANSA.
Mail and Guardian’s political reporter, Qaanitah Hunter launched her book Diary of a Guji Girl at Mediclinic Newcastle on Sunday.
While the book was officially published in November 2013, Ms Hunter held the re-launch, along with a book signing and reading as a way to discuss her work with the community and help raise funds for CANSA.
Diary of a Guji Girl is based on a blog Ms Hunter started in 2013. It is the story of a young Muslim woman named Amina from Newcastle, who attempts to juggle her life while studying, working and staying true to herself and culture.
Before the launch, Ms Hunter was only in Newcastle once before in 2011, and said she came up with a story line with a lighter approach.
“I needed a platform to write something lighter and it had started as a spoof,” she said.
While it was never intended as anything serious, Ms Hunter said her blog quickly acquired a massive following. “I had people stopping me, asking what was going to happen next.”
Despite its humorous outlook, Ms Hunter said she wrote the book as a way to encourage people to write their own story and create a generation of readers.
“Without reading, how do you enrich yourself? Fresh ideas are created through reading,” she said.
Guests found the event fulfilling as they were able to interact with the Guji Girl herself.
Estella Naicker, CANSA’s community mobiliser, also gave a brief talk on CANSA and it’s function within the society and how important it was to ensure awareness was created to help fight the dreaded disease.
