FeedJozi Book Fair Special: Independent Publishers Network, Andile Mngxitama and More
Alert! The 2009 Jozi Book Fair, which, together with the Jozi Spoken Word Festival, make up quite a treat for Joburgers this week (one brought to you by Botsotso Publishing and Khanya College), have been augmented by a third programme of activities for independent and progressive publishers from all around Africa.
Held at Museum Africa, Newtown, on Thursday and Friday 6 and 7 August, the conference will be attended by BOOK SA members Botsotso, Dinkwe Productions, Modjaji Books and Wordsetc and friends Kwani?, Timbila, Ge’ko Publishing, Baobab and Chimurenga, among others.
The purpose of the conference is, quite simply, to establish a network of small and independent publishers that can serve as a resource for all.
It’s not clear whether registrations have closed, but BOOK SA is sure that the group will welcome late-comers: contact Fouad of Khanya College for more information on fouad.asfour@khanyacollege.org.za.
Here, meanwhile, is the complete programme (streamed via Scribd iPaper – viewable to users of Firefox and Chrome; download it here if you’re using Internet Explorer):
Independent Publishers Network Programme
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
MEANWHILE, more news on the conference and the Jozi Book Fair. The Sunday Independent’s Maureen Isaacson interviewed one of the participants of both, the writer and publisher Andile Mngxitama, who has “discovered the beauty of self-publishing”. We live in the age of the pamphleteer, he explains:
Andile Mngxitama is spearheading the self-publishing movement. He writes in the third edition of New Frank Talk: Critical Essays on the Black Condition that frustrations with mainstream publications and the demands of the market gave birth to New Frank Talk.
He has discovered “the beauty of self-publication – you write what you like!” As the title suggests, NFT is inspired by Steve Biko’s pen name, “Frank Talk”.
“It’s the time of the pamphleteer right now. A self-publishing movement is the greatest equaliser. Ideas alone will ensure sustainability, not title or privileged access. Such a movement threatens the monopoly of mainstream publishers. New Frank Talk is showing the way. We hope through this initiative that we can kickstart a whole movement of writing, self-publication and distribution in our society.”
In Mngxitama’s brilliant 10 000-word piece, Blacks can’t be racist in the latest NFT – which will be launched at the fair – he offers insights into the intricacies of our current racial politics.
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
NEXT, word from Khanya College is that Luli Callinicos (pictured left), Oliver Tambo’s biographer and member of the institution’s Board of Trustees, will open the Jozi Book Fair on Saturday 8th August at 9am:
Luli Callinicos’ literary career had its origins in her activism and the vigorous pursuit of social and political change. A member of the Congress of Democrats since her youth, she began to write letters to the newspapers as part of a concerted campaign against the apartheid regime after the ANC was banned. She also wrote short articles for Fighting Talk, a journal edited by Ruth First in the fifties and early sixties, and in the sixties taught English literacy to workers in the SACTU offices in Johannesburg.
In 1974 Luli began to publish labour history articles, translated into isiZulu, for the Durban-based workers’ newspaper, Abasebenzi as an extension of her participation in worker education.
In 1976, in the wake of the student uprising, Luli became part of the educational team that wrote for People’s College, a supplement for The World newspaper. She produced a weekly double-page spread about alternative history for eighteen months before it was banned in October 1977, following the death of Steve Biko.
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
FINALLY, BOOK SA received this invite from Shafinaaz Hassim, author of Daughters are Diamonds, whose new book, Memoirs for Kimya, will be available at the Jozi Book Fair “at Stall 26 both days of the Fair (8-9 Aug) as well as the official launch reading and booksigning on Women’s day 9Aug at 2pm.”
Aug
