The 10th African Women Writers’ Symposium (AWWS) takes place on 20 October and 26 October, in Soweto and Newtown (Johannesburg) respectively. This two-day programme, which we trust will inspire hope in these dark days in the world, includes workshops, talks, debates, and discussion on literature in our troubled world.
The talks will be livestreamed.
The Symposium kicks off on Sunday 20th October at the Soweto Theatre with the Nadine Gordimer In Memoriam Lecture presented by Professor Carolyn Cooper from Jamaica. The theme of her address is All My Weapons Within Me: Literature and Popular Culture as Sites of Female Empowerment in Jamaica. It will also explore the phenomenal impact of Caribbean music and culture on the world stage.
Prof Cooper has famously said that “Jamaica is her mother tongue and English her step mother tongue.” She currently writes a weekly column for the Jamaica Gleaner, and translates it into the Jamaican language for her blog http://carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com/
The conversation and Q&A will be facilitated by Cathy Mohlahlana. The event will be in-person as well as online.
The In Memoriam Lecture will be preceded by the launch of Nokwanda Ngombane’s debut book Who do you think you are? Nokwanda Ngombane writes the story about the political assassination of her husband Noby Ngombane in the Free State, and her life thereafter: surviving a corrupt criminal justice system, and a misogynistic society that frames widows as scapegoats for murder. Nomboniso Gasa will be in conversation with the author.
The end of the evening will feature a range of poetry and musical performances.
Note for editors
About Professor Emerita Carolyn Cooper: She is the author of two influential books – Noises in the Blood: Orality, Gender and the ‘Vulgar’ Body of Jamaican Popular Culture (1993); and Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture at Large (2004). She co-edited with Dr Eleanor Wint, Bob Marley: The Man and His Music (2003). She is the editor of the award-winning collection of essays Global Reggae (2012). She is currently editing The Bob Marley Lectures, the proceedings of an engaging lecture series on Jamaican popular music, which she initiated in 1997 as Co-ordinator of the Reggae Studies Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica.
Previous keynote addresses for the Nadine Gordimer In Memoriam Lecture have been delivered by writers from the continent and its diaspora, such as Patricia Smith (USA), Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), Leila Aboulela (Sudan), Gillian Slovo (SA), and Lorna Goodison (Jamaica), amongst others.
On Saturday 26 October, AWWS will feature various literary international and local panel discussions on contemporary issues as well as master class workshops on poetry, and publishing. Some of the highlights to look out for include a talk led by New York acclaimed hip hop poet and educator Toni Blackman, together with hip hop poet Eavesdrop from Cape Town and Gigi Lamayne, looking into the role and influence of women on urban contemporary music, including hip hop and amapiano.
The symposium also includes a thought-provoking panel called Narrating Palestine. It seeks to meander the traps of disinformation and lies perpetrated by the powerful through mainstream media. Prominent media practitioners will join the panel, including Phathiswa Magopeni (former head of SABC News and currently a board member of the public broadcaster), Qaanitah Hunter (award winning political journalist, editor and media industry leader in South Africa), and Youmna ElSayed. Egyptian-Palestinian journalist Youmna ElSayed was the Gaza Strip correspondent for Al Jazeera English for many years. The panel will be facilitated by media activist Hassen Lorgat.
Livestreaming of talks and panel discussions on Sunday 20th and Saturday 26th Oct on the following platforms:
Websites:
Facebook Page: African Women Writers Network
Full Program available on request.
All programme events are free and open to the public but RSVP is essential for audience members wishing to attend in person. RSVPs via https://bit.ly/10AWWS_RSVP or by email to afroartsurban@gmail.com
For media interviews or any additional info please contact media@jtcomms.co.za or call 011 788 7632 or 083 954 6133.
Issued by JT Communication Solutions on behalf of African Women Writers’ Symposium and Afro Arts SA
