This way we salute you ... Keorapetse Kgositsile

Born in 1938, Keorapetse ‘Willie’ Kgositsile left South Africa in 1961 and lived in exile in the United States and returned to South Africa in 1990. The recipient of many poetry awards; amongst others, inaugurated as the South African Poet Laureate in 2006 by the South African Literary Awards and the National Order of Ikhamanga Silver (OIS) for excellent achievements in the field of literature.  "To be recognised at home meant a lot," says Kgositsile.

"I have neither wings like a bird or a plane but believe me I can fly"

- Keorapetse Kgositsile

Prof Kgositsile has also studied and taught Literature and Creative Writing at a number of universities in the United States and in Africa and used these exceptional talents to expose the evils of the system of apartheid to the world.
 

Kgositsile’s poetry ranges from the unambiguously political and public to the lyric and confessional. In addition to his unique poetic voice, he is also a gifted teacher. Among his publications is an excellent book on teaching the craft of poetry – not the ‘what’ but the ‘how’.

A strong feature of his work is the recognition and celebration of his influences, his friendships with other artists and, in particular, his deep love of blues and jazz. His poetry scintillates and throbs with quotations from songs, references to music and, most importantly, to musicians themselves.

We chat to Keorapetse about his life in exile, his view on the sustainability of the arts and he also offers his wisdom to young artists.

To listen to the show just click play:




Thought of the Day:

Join us for a delightful evening in Centurion:

Book today at www.iStart2.com

(Reference: Poetry International Rotterdam)

A Delightful Evening in Centurion: 23 April 2016 @20h00

“When we focus on creating a sustainable world, when we let it sing from every village and every town, from every city and every country, we will be able to join hands and leave sustainable footprints for our children” 

- Pops Mohamed, Arts Director of iStart2.

Join us in celebrating the power of some of South Africa’s most important musical icons in a showcase of the magic that happens when musicians with seemingly different cultural backgrounds take hands to create and play music together. Pops Mohamed, Coenie de Villiers, Andries “Roof” Bezuidenhout, Dudu Majola and the beating drums of Sankobo Afrique are lined up to create a magical evening of beautiful music on Saturday 23^rd April 2016.

Acclaimed musician and producer, Pops Mohamed, has been playing, protecting, and nurturing traditional ways of making music in South Africa for the last 30 to 40 years. Mohamed sees his commitment to preserving traditions as “futuristic”. He explains this view: “It’s the same as if you’re having a problem with your hard drive. If we don’t back up things, we lose them. It’s the same with culture. If you don’t know where you’re coming from, you’ll never know where you’re going to".

Coenie de Villiers is known as the foremost writer/performer in Afrikaans, and has won numerous awards for his music including two SAMA awards for musical excellence. He is universally acknowledged as one of the most challenging and original singer/songwriters in South Africa.

Poet and musician Andries "Roof" Bezuidenhout explores matters of identity and belonging against the backdrop of changing South African landscapes. Bezuidenhout is looking forward — "... too much a part of this country to quit…” Fred de Vries describes Andries’s songs as having “a bleak, almost tinny sound… that tell tales of leaving, murder and ecological disaster. Discomforting tunes for an uncertain age, but always with a touch of humour.”

Dudu Majola

Dudu Majola, a young artist from Soweto released her first single, Nitshayelwa Nyimani recently and it features on the iStart2Sing Album. Dudu wrote the lyrics and performs it with composer Pops Mohamed. Sankobo Afrique, a drumming trio that forms part of the famous Amandla Cultural Ensemble, mesmerizes audiences with their haunting performances.

 

VERY SPECIAL GUEST from NAMIBIA

!Gubi Tietie, 87 year old Shaman and musician from Namibia will be performing the mystical sounds from the Kalahari ... unique in the world ... an experience you will never forget!

iStart2Sing (from the Mountain Side) is a unique indigenous musical experience that will fill your senses with ancient and indigenous sounds from Southern Africa; immerse yourself in the exquisite sounds of the kora, the mouth bow and the marimba. Challenge your senses with these extraordinary collaborations, never heard before.

Artists, organisations, charities, the media, the disabled community, and anyone who is serious about creating a sustainable world for all who live in it are invited to unite, join hands and celebrate the soul of Africa, in what promises to be a remarkable event. All are welcome.

The iStart2Sing Event is a collaboration between the iStart2 Foundation, iStart2Global and the Artists. It takes place on 23 April 2016 at the iStart2 Hub in Centurion from 20h00 to 22h00. Tickets cost R150 per person and can be purchased from www.iStart2.com or cash at the venue on the day.

The World Upside Down ... Liziwe Ntshengulana

"Humanity's problem will be over the day we look and see that we are fighting our shadow. The day we have a revelation that the man in the mirror has to come to embrace himself warts and all for him to change how he plays in the environment in which he lives. You can only change what you have not accepted," says Liziwe Ntshengulana. 

 "I love people who love freedom. When people can sustain themselves ...

... that is living"- Liziwe Ntshengulana

She is a life coach, a business woman, an entrepreneur, feminist, and philosopher, but there is no question that her voice as an author is that of a healer too.  On the iStart2 Show this week we chatted to Liziwe Ntshengulana about her books, The World Upside Down and Woman, Now is the Time.

As an author, she examines the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit in the context of the world with graceful simplicity.  "Whatever is outside is a reflection of what is inside. iStart2 think differently about myself, loving myself because I live with myself 24/7," says Liziwe. 

To listen to the interview with this incredible, beautiful woman just click play:
 


 Thought of the Day:

Do not miss!!

Where: The iStart2 Hub
When: 23 April 2016
Time: 20h00

A new horizon beckons with a unique collaboration of South African legends. Experience the magic of Africa!

Join Pops Mohamed with special friends Andries "Roof" Bezuidenhout, Coenie de Villiers and Dudu Majola for an evening of exquisite music. Also featuring the drumbeats of Sankobo Afrique! Magic!
Book your tickets here or go to www.iStart2.com 

Mayibuye iAfrika ... Jay Naidoo, Gino Govender & Anton Chaka

"The dream is a promise we made to our people in 1994 that we will deliver a better life to them," says Jay Naidoo on the iStart2 Show. We chat to Jay, society activist Gino Govender and Naledi Village Chairperson, Anton Chaka about new horizons at Rustler's Valley, why they do what they do and the role of Art in this new movement.

Jay Naidoo: 

It is not every day that one gets the opportunity to interview one of your heroes. He has a few more gray hairs but his familiar passionate aura still surrounds him. Jay is a Former Minister in Mandela's Cabinet, founding GS of COSATU and political and social activist.

"Why haven't we realised this dream in the villages and the rural areas of South Africa? How do we make democracy work for the people who had so little? Together we are working to rebuild the village of the 21st century. We can with very little resources deliver the hope - those pathways of hope and opportunity that Mandela stood for - that countless leaders and countless people paid with their lives - to deliver a better future to the children that follow us," says Jay Naidoo. 

Why do you do what you do?

"The meaning of life is serving others. We have very little of that today. We should not give up hope. The overwhelming majority of people in South Africa are good people. We need to be organised to ensure that good prevails over the bad. We should stop just talking about it, but do something. Everyone can do something. Imagine 52 million people stand up today and say I am going to do something. From a smile to helping a village build livelyhoods and crops that they own. The only way to make it work is to work together and build the dignity of work and the pathways of hope and opportuntiy that our country needs. That is my hope". 

#HungerMustFall ...

"No child, no individual should go hungry. You can't have a democracy on an empty stomach. How do we work with people who are living on the margins of our society, when there is so much wealth that sits in the centre? People that have the wealth must realize that if they do not share, if they do not contribute to the wellbeing of everyone, then what is going to happen? The electric fences will not protect you from the anger that is out there".

On Art ...

"Our traditional culture of song and dance, our indigenous culture is what holds our society together. Art is fundamental. It is the glue that holds our society together. Ignoring our own culture and our own roots is a sad thing. We should build on the knowledge that our indigenous music come from. It creates an identity for us. The power of music is the glue that ties us and our culture together. Art, music and dance is fundamental to us succeeding as a country."

Gino Govender
Gino has served mass-based movements in South Africa, served internationally in Union and human rights organisations but now live a life of “active” retirement. As a founding member of Earthrise, he now spends his time working with his fellow trustees, the Naledi Village Committee and partners at Rustlers Valley Farm co-creating a new vision and long term future for the farm.  This provides an ideal setting and context to build and test new forms of community based organisations pursuing a just, sustainable and peaceful world.

The Dream
 
"How we could co-operate, collaborate, share and build the positive ideas of tomorrow, particularly for the young people. Build new economies, build new forms of organisations of people producing food that meets the needs of the communities. Co-creating, in a sense, the future and what that future could look like."

The Challenges

"When people are at the centre of determining their own destiny, then possibilities can exist. My sustainability depends on the services and the goods produced by other people. Science is important but culture plays such an important role in how people sustain themselves. The challenge is to get ordinary people to drive an agenda of sustainability".

Gino is a very compassionate man and believes Art is at the heart of this movement: "If Art is a popular expression of the will of the people it can be powerful."

Anton Chaka

Anton Chaka is the Naledi Village Chairperson. A humble man, but a man who is confident and happy to play his part in creating, helping and building a better life for the people of his Village.

"The main thing is to keep peace. You need to eat well and look at nutritious food. Kids have to benefit from what we are doing. I make sure that things needed to be done are done". 

"It is meant to be, to have to play my role as leader and elder of the Naledi Village," says Anton. It made me think back to the slogan "Mayibuye iAfrica." It was and is precisely a demand for the return of the land of Africa to its indigenous inhabitants. 

This message is at the very core of EarthRise's movement. Naidoo has given 40ha of the usable land to a separate entity, the Naledi Village Trust, where the workers and their families, reside in a village of that name. They are the only beneficiaries. The land is theirs to farm for their own profit.

Jay, high up on the Maluti Mountains with his friends, Sello and Thembi Hatang, some friends and  old comrades, Mandla Gxanyana and Rasigan Maharaj, in Rustlers Valley.

I drove back to Johannesburg with a song in my heart, grateful for the privilege to have spent a few days at Rustler's Valley. Thank you to the Rustler's team for inviting me in and for the opportunity to become part of one of the most exciting movements in South Africa.

To listen to the extended interviews, just click play:


Thought of the Day:

Upcoming Events:

Join us in Centurion for a celebration of indigenous music and the magic of Africa. Book your tickets here