Africa Centre

Malika Ndlovu and Lorelle Viegi, Curator and Project Manager of the newly launched Badilisha! An African Poetry X-change has announced the second event the Badilisha! 2008 calendar. This is a forum discussion entitled Poetry on the Map.

This gathering will engage role players and stakeholders in the ‘cultural tourism’ industry, as well as poets and representatives of established poetry networks and platforms in the Cape Town. The focus of the discussion will be to look at how poets as part of this city’s “hidden treasures” can better expose themselves to a market or sector other than arts and culture. Doing this could help poets and support them in sustaining themselves and their work whilst growing public /corporate /tourist understanding of what poets contribute to the cultural and social landscape of the Mother City.

The event will comprise of 2 parts:

1. Poetry Performance/Presentations: A key outcome of the event is to create broader platforms for poetry by opening up spaces for exposure and economic advancement, particularly for new voices. To this end, invited poetry group or network representatives have been asked to recommend one or two poets from their organisations or networks open the way for the discussion.

2.Guest Speakers and Forum Discussion:

Invited Guest Speakers invited are Nicole Moody (Verses & CT Tourism)
Iain Harris (Coffee Beans Routes), Zenariah Barends (Community Health Arts Trust (CHAT) and the Cape Cultural Collective). Each will give a 10min input to contextualise and catalyse the discussion, which will be facilitated by Malika Ndlovu.

Other participants have been identified in terms of their involvement in the promotion of poetry in the city or their potential for such engagement. Some of these include Bulelwa Basse (Lyrical Base Poets), Hugh Hodge (Off the Wall Poetry Sessions), Silvana Dantu (African Equations), Zayd Minty (Cape Town Partnership), Hale Tsehlane (SUPS), Diana Ferrus (UWC Poetry Society), Pamela Qasana (CPUT) Ingrid Fiske (Centre for Extra-Mural Studies) Gus Ferguson (Snail Press) Suzy Bell (John Brown Publishing) Sean Germond (Pygmalion) Astara Mwakalumbwa (Poetry Delight), Marcia Raymond & Rheina Epstein (City Library Poetry Group), Anne Schuster (Women Writing Workshops), Keith Gottschalk (Landsdowne Local Poetry), Shelley Barry (CTV), Brian Currin (Brian Currin Online Marketing & Rhythm Records), Marianne Thamm (Theatre SA), Beryl Eichenberger (Mothercity Bookfest & Hippo Communications).

Participants are invited to engage in the facilitated forum discussion to promote the sharing of information, resources and skills, aiming to stimulate and encouraging wider communication and networking between the participants and the larger sectors they represent.  Ultimately towards greater support and access to work opportunities for poets as well as the creation or more efficient implementation of mutually beneficial programmes/projects in Cape Town and beyond.

The overall event will be recorded and key points raised and recommendations emerging from the forum discussion will later be circulated to all participants, so that a substantial information resource is created and the exchange extends beyond this gathering.

POETRY ON THE MAP : PROGRAMME

13 December 2008,

First Floor, 44 Long Street, Cape Town.

14:00 – 15h00      Guest Poets’ performances/presentations

15:00 – 15h30      Presentations from 3 invited guest speakers:
Nicole Moody, Iain Harris, Zenariah Barends

15h30 - 16:30     Open Discussion

16h30         Refreshments Served

17:00            Close

Facilitator – Malika Ndlovu

The Africa Centre is proud to present The Crossing, the incredible true life journey of Jonathan Khumbulani Nkala from Zimbabwe into South Africa. Award-winning actress, director and voice coach Bo Petersen directs, and written and performed by 28 year old Jonathan Khumbulani Nkala.

This inspiring tale will play at The Gymnasium, above the new Space Theatre, 44 Long Street from the 20-22 Nov, 26-29 Nov and 3-6 Dec at 20:15; Saturday matinees at 15:00.
Bookings: Computicket - 083 915 8000 - www.computicket.com
Ticket price:  R50

The Africa Centre will host the opening night of The Crossing.

The second of two networking events hosted at the Spier Estate by the Africa Centre. The Africa Centre has invited the toast of Cape Town for excellent food, super wine, riveting entertainment and stimulating conversation with:

21 November 2008, Luncheon 12.00:
David Kramer, musician and composer
Andrew Boraine, CEO, Cape Town Partnership
Mokena Makeka, Architect of the new Cape Town Station
Mariette Du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism
Zubeida Jaffer, journalist, author and political commentator
Zolani Mahola, lead singer of Freshly Ground
Bo Petersen, actress
Tony Grogan, Cape Times cartoonist
Mike Wills, broadcaster and columnist

The first of two networking events, hosted at the Spier Estate by the Africa Centre. The Africa Centre has invited the toast of Cape Town for excellent food, super wine, riveting entertainment and stimulating conversation with:

19 November 2008, Dinner 19.00:
Dr Nonhlanhla Khumalo, Head of Paediatric Dermatology, Red Cross Hospital
Marianne Thamm, Fleur du Cap Theatre judge, Fair Lady columnist and author of a forthcoming biography on Helen Zille
Rhoda Kadalie, Business Day columnist and political commentator
Prof Bongani Mayosi, Professor of Medicine of UCT’s Medical School and Head of Medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital
Margie Orford, crime novelist
Fatima Hassen, TAC leader and anti-xenophobia activist
Imraan Coovadia, writer of Green Eyed Thieves, Sunday Times Literary Awards Runner Up 2007
Nick Ferguson, Indigo Properties, owners of the building that houses the New Space Theatre
Sipho Ndadambi, assistant curator of the Parliamentary art collection

The official opening of the Africa Center at its new offices at First Floor, 44 Long Street, Cape Town.

at First Floor, 44 Long Street, Cape Town.

With: Rui Sorero (turntables); Paulo Chibanga (turntables)

WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Wed Oct 1, from 8pm); the Assembly (Fri Oct 3, from 8pm)

As the riddim providers behind acclaimed bands such as 340ml, Tumi & Volume and Levi pon the Mic, the Mozambique born, Johannesburg based Rui Sorero (bass) and Paulo Chibanga (drums) are the contemporary South African equivalent to the famed riddim factory Sly & Robbie. And like their Jamaican heroes, Rui and Paolo are also dub producers. As a selector, Rui has also produced the acclaimed Dub Vaults I &II compilations, focused on contemporary South African dub. During their DJ sets at PASS, Rui and Paulo will select a mashup of local and international reggae, dub, dancehall and dubstep.

With: Linda Buthelezi (voice, guitars); Mpumi Mcata (guitars); Molefi Makananise (bass); Tshepang Ramoba (voice, drums)

WHERE/ WHEN: Guga S’thebe in Langa (Thurs Oct 2, from 6pm); the Assembly in District 6 (Fri Oct 3, from 9pm)

BLK JKS are an internationally acclaimed, Johannesburg based band. Says music journalist Miles Keylock: “What makes them hip is that they’re South African and damn it, they sound it. In fact listening to BLK JKS is kind of like taking a slow cruise through Jozi with your windows rolled down. Afro-jazz riffs segue into tribal rhythms, which swagger through street-level sociology before exploding into hardcore bursts of noise, kwaai kwaito beats and addictive rock hooks. It’s not funk rock. It’s not punk rock. It’s not indie rock. It’s just music, and it’ll infect your mind if you let it.” BLK JKS have released two EPs. The latest, Mystery, was recorded at the famed Electric Lady studios in New York.

With: Anthony Joseph (voice); Andrew John (bass); Colin Webster (sax, flute); Adrian Owusu (guitars); Paul Brett, Paul Zimmerman and Craig Tamlin (percussions)

WHERE/ WHEN: the Assembly in District 6 (Thurs Oct 2, from 9pm); Mowbray Town Hall (Sat Oct 4, from 6pm)

Anthony Joseph is one of the leading writers of his generation. Born in Trinidad, his experimental poetry, fiction, music and spoken word performances fuse Calypso rhythms with a postmodern eye, creating what he calls ‘liquid textology’. Joseph is the author of two poetry collections, Desafinado and Teragaton, a novel African Origins of UFOs, in addition to releases featuring his Jazz septet The Spasm Band. The band’s debut album Leggo de Lion has echoes of dub poets, Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Sun Ra cosmic visions, but the Spasm Band definitely has a sound of its own. Joseph’s new collection of poetry Bird Head Son is due in 2008 followed by a new Spasm Band album with the same title.