D'ARTS Magazine, by the
Durban Arts Association

WRITERS FESTIVAL

Time of the Writer, the second highly popular international writers' festival pre-sented by the Centre for Creative Arts in association with the French Institute of South Africa takes place at Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from March 1 to 6.

Featured will be writers like New Zealand author Alan Duff (Once Were Warriors); Zimbabwe's Tsitsi Dangarembga (her Nervous Conditions is a KZN matric setwork) and Dutch literature wunderkind Arnon Grunberg.

Also taking part will be Veronique Tadjo (Ivory Coast), Rachid O (Morocco); Pierrette Fleutiaux (France); Patrick Erouart-Siad (Djibouti); Claude Darbellay (Switzerland), and the renowned British author Tom Holland. The South African contingent includes Etienne van Heerden, Jenny Hobbs, Johnny Masilela, Gillian Slovo, Pamela Jooste and Marlene van Niekerk.

The festival opens on March 1 at 19h30 with a programme that includes My Time as a Writer by Kate Turkington and Travels choreographed by Jay Pather and performed by Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre as well as music by Umgqumo weAfrica. The writers will be introduced by Johan Jacobs.

Thereafter, each evening will begin with a short musical performance.

March 2: Stephen Coan (presenter) with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Alan Duff and Johnny Masilela. Music by Shiyani Ngcobo - maskanda guitar.

March 3: Shaun de Waal (presenter) with Arnon Grunberg, Veronique Tadjo and Etienne van Heerden. Music by Nomashizola on one-stringed undloku.

March 4: Maureen Isaacson (presenter) with Jenny Hobbs, Pierrette Fleutiaux and Rachid O. Music by Anton Cawthorn-Blazeby on the violin.

March 5: Shirley Kossick (presenter) with Pamela Jooste, Claude Darbellay and Gillian Slovo. Music by Fakaza (isicathamiya/gospel).

March 6: Johan Jacobs (presenter) with Marlene van Niekerk, Patrick Erouart-Siad and Tom Holland. Music by Mandla Masuka (saxophone).

There'll be an informal get together with the international writers on March 5 from 10h00 to 12h00 at the NSA. Admission is free. Book for the festival at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

PERUVIAN JOURNEY

Carol Cumes emigrated with her husband to California from South Africa in the 70s. For 15 years she visited Peru studying its people, customs and cosmo-logy. Her book, Pachamama's Children - mother earth and her children of the Andes, co-authored with Romulo Valencia, is a classic of its kind.

The book is superbly illustrated by Teryl Matkins, whose skills as a photographer began with a desire to record the lives of her sons, later using this talent to docu-ment the scenery and wildlife of Africa.

In Pachamama's Children she shows her talents as both portrait and landscape photographer. The book also includes photographs taken by Carol Cumes.

Pachamama's Children is available at Adams. Price in the region of R140.

OLYMPIAD EXAM

For once, crime strikes a positive note and, for three lucky pupils, offers the chance of an overseas trip!

The De Beers English Olympiad exami-nation on March 2 - expected to be written by 5 000 students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 from 285 schools nationwide - has as its topic Crime in Literature.

Pupils were encouraged to read a choice of Agatha Christie novels, as well Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist.

Any school interested in adding their name to the mailing list for the year 2000, should contact the Olympiad Officer at the Grahamstown Foundation on (046) 622-7115.

WRITERS CIRCLE

The next meeting of the South African Writers' Circle will take place on March 11 at 19h00 for 19h30 at the Alliance Française, 22 Sutton Crescent.

The guest speaker will be acclaimed South African author Dr Deena Padayachee whose talk will be in two parts: Section 1: Mysore 1998 - a per-spective of South African Writers and Section 2: Some humorous experiences in the life of a part-time writer.

Entrance R5. New members welcome.

POETRY AFRICA

Durban's Centre for Creative Arts will host the third Poetry Africa Festival from May 10 to 15 at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre featuring a selection of readings by South African and international poets as well as discussions about their works.

Book at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

PROMETHEUS UNBOUND

This month's Prometheus Unbound Poetry Circle will take place on March 26 at 19h00 at the BAT Centre. Entrance is R5 and those wishing to attend should take along snacks to share (ie chips, dips, etc.).

More details from Simran on 21-2626.

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