Hosted every year at Suidoosterfees, Artscape from 27 April to 1 May 2023, the Jakes Gerwel Discussions which began in 2018 with four talks, are a series of book discussions which “will appeal to all book lovers and those interested in robust discussions about relevant topics that affect our daily lives,” says Theo Kemp, executive director of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation.
“Over the years, I am proud to say, we were able to grow and now have about 14 sessions. First, I think it is so wonderful to gather again – and without masks. The discussions are intimate and provide such a great platform for people to engage with writers, leading figures in South Africa and fellow citizens. It is a perfect opportunity to express your views on matters that involve all of us. But you don’t have to raise your voice, you can also just come and observe, and listen to the views of other people. If you are serious about living in South Africa, if you are interested in our politics and literature, this is the place to be. And it is for free plus a coffee!
“Writers are interesting people. Well, mostly. So, it is always unpredictable what happens on the stage during our talks! It is worthwhile because the discussions always offer some food for thought. You might laugh or cry, agree or annoyingly disagree, but you will not leave the venue without feeling and thinking something, and mostly in a way you did not think of it before.,” says Kemp.
What is close to Kemp’s heart since 2020 is welcoming back “JGF family members with their brand-new books” – these are writers who have participated in the foundation’s mentorship or residency programmes at Paulet House in Somerset East See www.jgf.org.za.
This year is no exception with JGF welcoming the Cape Town based facilitator of JGF’s Yoh! Project, a poet who participated in the PEN Afrikaans/ PEN South Africa/ PEN Nederland Uninterrupted Time to Write 2022 residency and two writers mentored in the JGF/NB Publishers’ Mentorship Programme for Upcoming Writers of Fiction and Non-Fiction.
These are their slots, presented by the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and the ATKV.
The Jakes Gerwel Discussions are supported by NB Publishers, Jonathan Ball, Penguin Random House SA, Bookstorm, the Afrikaans Language Council and Vriende van Afrikaans.
All events are free, but book your place with Theo Kemp: theo@jgf.org.za. Books of all the writers on the programme, will be sold by Wordsworth at the venue.
My Word! Ideas for creating a writing culture in the classroom
In collaboration with LAPA/ Penguin Random House SA
With Thérèse Hulme, Marcia Woolward and Yoh! Poets
Language: Afr, Eng
Venue: ATKV Innovation Lounge
Date and time: 27 April 11:30
Duration: 60 min
Price: Free, book at theo@jgf.org.za
Praat jy! / My word! highlights the stories of Thérèse Hulme and the young people she inspired to start writing over a period of 17 years. Some of the young poets were part of the Yoh! Group, founded by the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and Thérèse at Grassy Park Secondary School. It’s five years later and the Yoh! youngsters, who dutifully attended Zoom workshops throughout the pandemic, are now published poets!
Moerstaāl
In collaboration with NB Publishers
With Loit Sōls and Veronique Jephtas
Language: Afr
Venue: ATKV Innovation Lounge
Date and time: 28 April 13:00
Duration: 60 min
Price: Free, book at theo@jgf.org.za
Moerstaāl, which Loit Sōls worked on during a writers’ residency presented by the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and PEN Afrikaans in 2022, gives a voice to the poet’s ancestors and the first people at the southern tip of Africa. The maternal figure features prominently as a life-giving force in the volume. Veronique Jephtas, who also attended the Foundation’s residency programme when she wrote her poetry debut, Soe rond ommie bos, is in conversation with Loit.
’n Kind soos ek
In collaboration with NB Publishers
With Crystal-Donna Roberts, Deidré Jantjies and Suzette Myburgh
Language: Afr
Venue: ATKV Innovation Lounge
Date and time: 29 April 11:30
Duration: 60 min
Price: Free, book at theo@jgf.org.za
“I wanted to create a character who looks like me,” says Crystal-Donna Roberts about her first youth novel, Speurder Sammi. In Stories in die wind, Deidré Jantjies chronicles the stories of the people from the Richtersveld, Namakwaland and the Kalahari. Both authors participated in the Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s and NB Publishers’ mentorship programme for emerging writers. They pen the stories of characters who were absent in children’s books for way too long.
Authors and Discussants
Thérèse Hulme has a doctoral degree in Pastoral Therapy with a specialisation in Narrative Therapy (UNISA). She has been working for the past eighteen years as a narrative practitioner.
As a poet, Thérèse debuted in Nuwe stemme 3 (2005). In 2009 she self-published piemp – a volume of poetry and a drama of the young people of Scottsville in Kraaifontein. She is also a published children’s book author.
In 2013, Thérèse and Linda van Duuren founded The Cape Town Narrative Co-op (www.capetownnarrativeco-op.org/) with the mission to take Narrative Practice into the everyday reality of school and NPO settings, through their workshops and training.
She is currently running the Yoh! creative writing project for the Jakes Gerwel Foundation with staff and learners at Grassy Park High School.
Thérèse Hulme
- Marcia Woodward is the facilitator and principal at Grassy Park High School, home to the Yoh! Project.
Cover photo of Loit Sōls, courtesy of Izak De Vries/LitNet
Loit Sôls is ’n veelsydige visuele kunstenaar, musikant en digter. Hy is die skrywer van die digbundels My straat en anne praat-poems (1998) en Die Faraway Klanke vanne Hadeda (2006) asook, onder andere, die album Serious Kak-praat (2004). Hy het musiekoptredes in verskeie lande buiten Suid-Afrika op sy kerfstok, byvoorbeeld, Nederland, Engeland, Indonesië en Botswana. Van sy gedigte is in ’n aantal bloemlesings opgeneem en ook in ander tale vertaal. Hy is genooi om in 1999 in Nederland aan die Winternachten-poësiefees deel te neem en in 2001 aan die Jakarta International Poetry Reading in Indonesië. In 2021 behaal hy ’n MA in Kreatiewe Skryfkuns aan Rhodes Universiteit.
Crystal-Donna Roberts is 'n Suid Afrikaanse aktrise wat haar kinderjare deels in Bonteheuwel, Kensington en Factreton in Kaapstad deurgebring het en toe haar hoërskoolopleiding in Bloemfontein voltooi het. Sy het haar BA-graad in drama en teater aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat verwerf. Crystal-Donna is bekend vir teaterwerk soos Rondomskrik met Hennie van Greunen as regisseur, Kanna hy kô hystoe onder regie van Gerben Kamper en Bidsprinkaan met Janice Honeyman as regisseur. In die film- en televisiebedryf was sy betrokke by produksies soos The Endless River, Krotoa, Arendsvlei en Swartwater. Behalwe vir haar werk as aktrise, wil Crystal-Donna graag haar liefde vir die verbeelde en binnewêrelde van mense op papier uitleef.
Deidré Jantjies is ’n professionele flamenco danseres en ook ’n kultuuraktivis wat passievol is oor die stories van historiese vroue. Sy is die stigter van Na Aap Produksies wat tot nog toe onvertelde stories en die geskiedenis van Suider-Afrika na die silwerdoek bring. Na ’n lang betrokkenheid by verhoogoptredes, spits Jantjies nou haar al haar energie toe op die skryf van haar eie stories vir kort- en speelfilms.
Suzette Kotzé-Myburgh werk sedert 1990 in die uitgewersbedryf en vir die laaste een-en-twintig jaar is dit op ’n vryskutbasis. Sy het haar BA-graad met lof behaal aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, gevolg deur ’n honneursgraad in joernalistiek. Suzette is ’n vaardige taalgebruiker en, benewens die teksredigering wat sy doen, het sy ook die volgende op haar kerfstok: manuskripkeuring en -ontwikkeling, vertaal- en proefleeswerk, projekbestuur en selfpublikasies, boek- en filmresensies (LitNet, Die Burger, kykNET se Dagbreek) asook skrywersonderhoude (RSG se Skrywers en Boeke). Sy tree verder op as mentor vir teksredakteurs en as aanbieder van redigeringslypskole. Sy is die medesamesteller van Nuwe Kinderverseboek, Rympies vir Pikkies en Peuters, Rympies vir Kleintjies en Kleuters, Nuwe Stories 1, 2 & 3 en die US Woordfeesbundels vanaf 2016 tot 2019.
Veronique Jephtas is 'n drie-en-twintigjarige skrywer, aktivis, digter, regisseur en aktrise van die Paarl. Sy het haar honneursgraad in drama en teaterstudies in 2019 aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch voltooi en in kreatiewe skryfwerk gespesialiseer. Sy het haar debuut as dramaturg by die 2020 Woordfees gemaak met die teks Hoe change hulle met Marlo Minnaar, onder leiding van Lee-Ann van Rooi. Sy was ook onlangs te sien in die Kanna-bekroonde produksie van Malan Steyn Jakkals en Wolf Onbeperk.
