YOUNG BASADZI - 'Thursday Fever'

As some of you might be aware - we have been on P4 KZN every Saturday morning since the beginning of April, 2005 - soothing the poetic ear to beautiful works by some of our members. The response has been phenomenal and we hope to elevate this platform to more exciting heights...

If you are in KZN, we are in negotiations with the BatCentre for space on Thursday afternoons/evenings. Positive response from the Bat will ensure that a forum will be launched where women open their minds to all of our senses; to see, smell, taste, hear and feel... AND OF COURSE, write! This forum hopes to inspire women to be, to live, to dream, to conquer, to achieve, to build; to inspire other women to be, to live....

This means that even if you reside in JHB, the UK or wherever really - if you should find yourself in Durban - there is a home waiting just for you.

the 'Thursday Fever' is on...

Please feel free to mail us at : youngbasadzi@webmail.co.za

YOUNG BASADZI - welcome note...

My name is Rosemary Seipati Mokhosi, founding member of the organisation YOUNG BASADZI PROJECTS- South Africa and I would like to welcome you to our first on-line communication portal.

I hope that this channel will give you a glimpse into my world, and link you to the world of the young women living in South Africa today.

The hope of Young Basadzi in 2005 is to inspire - inspire young women to dream, inspire young women to live, inspire young women to be the best we can be - I believe we deserve that!

All the best for the year ahead, and thank you for being part of this amazing dream.

Please feel free to mail us: basadzi_inc@ananzi.co.za

On Dreams - unPause

On the theme – dreams (ing), we require any written expressions by women of all ages/backgrounds to submit their material for a publication.

This dreamy anthology is a collection set to hopefully give some insight on South African women's dreams today.

Due to delayed first project (I Write) progress and numerous requests – the deadline has been extended to 31, May 2005.

To the writers that have already been part of this, please feel free to change/add/enhance what you have already submitted.

All the best,

Please email all submissions to youngbasadzi@webmail.co.za

YOUNG BASADZI-the shadows we chase after...

Shadows
by Rose Mokhosi

There is a legendary south African athlete, whose record on the dream mile that used to be held in the friendly port Elizabeth remains unbroken since year 1984. In an interview on the radio, when asked what stood out as a memorable moment in that race he said: ‘my shadow’ – a moving story everlasting in my mind. He said that he was at the last 100meters of the mile and the sun was slowly shifting his shadow so that with every 10meter strides that he took, his shadow would grow farther in front of him. In trying to catch up to this dark slim figure, he said that he ran so fast - his shadow spurring him on, pulling his strides even longer and faster towards the finishline - history Made!

Now my story goes back to around the same year – I must have been about 6 years old. Staying at my grandfather’s house – it was constantly abuzz with great friends, loyal family relatives, unknown strangers. My mother was always rushing about to get teabags, sugar, milk - these were exciting times for me as it meant that my cousins and I would once again play, laugh, giggle, fool around, catch up. These intense family gatherings would be held in my grandfather’s spacious lounge – only my grandfather could resolve matters because he was so wise. ‘Stoels’ that were used only in winter (if one was in front of the hot coal stove) would be brought into the room from the kitchen. The elders and uncles would sip on tea made and brought by my mother. They would arrive in the heat of the scorching sun. The talks would commence from just when the sun hid behind the landscaped horizon and only cease with everybody in solid agreement that they were indeed tired – and this would be only once the moon was high up with scattered surrounds of twinkling stars.

On that eventful day, just as the talks started - my cousins and I were summoned in the house as it was becoming too dark to play outside. We were told to sit still on the rugged floor while my mother lit the candle placed on the table in the middle of the congregation. Reluctantly we sat still - although we still had a lot to laugh about. Knowing that I was going to be called into the bathroom to wash up the day dirt in a minute, then have dinner shortly; followed by my bed left us wanting to capture all of the fun we could before parting.

As my grandfather’s voice grew more and more monotonous – and in trying to keep still, we had to find ingenious ways to entertain ourselves. The lame flame flickering sideways, my inspiration came in the form of my grandfather’s shadow on our brown lounge wall. His features distorted, I got my cousins to witness these funny tricks my grandfather’s shadow was pulling. Progressively as the mouth grew, the forehead peaked, the neck elongated – the giggles grew uncontrollably too. The fidgety cackles apparently distracted my uncle Jim from making a very crucial point because he suddenly just kept quite. At that precise moment we were discovered, and my grandfather and his shadow turned to look at us discontentedly. One of my cousins was repressing her laugh so much that one way or another it had to come out. And a sound and firm fart was let loose - and we just openly burst out in childish guffaws.

For the athlete, his shadow was the inspiration that urged him to go as far as setting a record. For me, well… it was just a really hilarious experience.

Please feel free to contact us at basadzi_inc@ananzi.co.za

YOUNG BASADZI - the concept

The concept of Young Basadzi Projects is in itself so amanzingly big because of my love for life, and passion for my culture and the arts. Initiated in July 2004, various projects would be designed to empower and uplift the young women of south africa.

Life in the 25 years that I have been at it, has been all about beauty and abundance - only now am I able to acknowledge and just gratefully bask in it. One of the challenges as young people is that, we are either so chaotically determined to succeed or so afraid of failure that we miss the true essence of life which can lead to an unfulfilling journey of dreams that seem out there OR goals too far to achieve.

Only YOU can define success in your life - and to get there without getting too lost in the traffic, we definitely have to know ourselves intimately and truly love ourselves with very little reservation. We all have it in us, we have to see it in us, and want it for us - that is the only way!

Our first literature project took off in September 2004, where an invitation was sent out on a national quest to compile works by young black south african women writers. The idea was embraced by women right across the country, and it led to the birth of a stunning collection called: ‘I Write – A Collection of Written Expressions by Young South AFRICAN women’(more on this later... )

We are already hard at work with the second collection, 'On Dreams' and once again, the response has been absolutely phenomenal. We will venture into other spheres in terms of the arts whereby we can come up with more original/innovative ways to present the talents of our south african women e.g. food, photography, music.

The possibilities are limitless, and we endeavour to showcase only the best. So watch this space!

Please feel free to mail us: basadzi_inc@ananzi.co.za

YOUNG BASADZI - ' Amandl'embokodwe'

'Amandl'mbokodwe' - means 'Power of the Rock(Women)'

Young Basadzi Projects hereon takes another venture in showcasing more of young women writing in South Africa today.

We invite you to submit:

· short stories of not more than 2000 words,
· all pieces to be in isiZulu,

· the deadline for submissions is: 30 April, 2005

This effort will take YOU and Young Basadzi Projects to new heights as we aim to target the Department of Education in having this anthology featured in their catalog for their school curriculum.

The manuscript will be edited by the team at Young Basadzi Express Forum where we aim to produce the most exciting and comprehensible anthology featuring writing of our times.

If you have any further queries, OR require more information - please do not hesitate to contact me: 072 8968 191 (Rose) / mailto:youngbasadzi@webmail.co.za

'Reflections On Jailbirds' by Mari Pete

Time of the Writer - 2005 Book Launch: Jail Birds – Muthal Naidoo
Published by Botsotso Publishing

I had the privilege of receiving a copy of Jail Birds hot off the press and would like to share with you some of what it has done for me. I am commenting as a reader, not a publisher or critic.

Jail Birds is a rich tapestry of short stories. It reveals many identities of ordinary South African women of all colours, and it challenges some of those stereotypes.

Muthal Naidoo puts the spotlight on issues of power - lack thereof, and at times, empowerment in many guises. Parvathy in the story “Not your car!” is a delightful example of a woman’s tenacity, and some of the unconventional ways in which we take back our power. (This story inspired me to write a poem about my own stolen car, still to be written.)

In Jail Birds I found subtle touches of imagination, sorrow and humour.

Perhaps most importantly, it honoured me as a reader through some of the stories’ open-endedness. It has left room for me to co-create – one of the hallmarks of a good story.

Jailbird expanded my horizons and I recommend that you read it too.

Please feel free to mail us at: youngbasadzi@webmail.co.za

YOUNG BASADZI - at Time of the Writer

On the 6th - we launched Muthal Naidoo's book and it went very well - original with the ENACT theatre group acting out one of the stories in the collection - 'Jailbirds'.

I think the hope of every writer is to not only have the book published at the Elizabeth Sneddon at what is fast becoming an international round-table for writers across the world - but also, to connect with your readers.

Can I just point out that I got so excited about this launch (being the first I have actually ever attended) that I decided I was gonna have a whole Indian theme going as I was assisting with the event's programme. I got music by Deepak Ram, I got the punjabi-top, and my black dot - and I was ready for an evening of calm incense-filled aura with Muthal Naidoo.
WELL - the jailbird chick Muthal, who in my mind was supposed to be this 70yr old woman - was in her denim jeans, jacket and funky hat. She literally looked younger than me, and I swear I even looked more Indian than her. Enjoyed the evening immensely- Mari's reflection was so subtly and beautifully written in response to Jailbirds.

Yesterday, the 7th, saw the Publishers' Forum at the KwaMuhle Museum in Durban, which I had been anticipating in awhile. And YES - there is much need for a constructive platform where publishers and authors come together in building a healthy relationship that sees both parties benefiting from the literary world.

The morning programme started at 9thirty - and there was coffee/tea/juice; with a light lunch of samoosas, little sausage things on toothpicks, pastry with fillings, fried chicken pieces and pineapple slices(meant to serve as presentation which I enjoyed thoroughly).

My frustrations grew with the talented writers, who seem to not want to take responsibility for their work; to the unenthusiastic publishers who are frankly telling us that they are running a business. The fact of the matter is - a publisher is NOTHING without a manuscript ( the same does NOT however apply vice versa, especially with options such as self-publishing/internet-publishing ) which makes me BELIEVE that writers need to be informed of the power they hold in their hands (both literally and figuratively). This knowledge, I believe is critical if we are to change the face of the publishing industry in South Africa.

As writers, we owe it to ourselves to first EXPLORE and CREATE and EXPLORE our own niche, our own market - and then take care of that market by producing literature that is proudly home-grown. This will avoid situations where our work is 'supposedly' competing with the international bestsellers at our local bookstores.

Our books OUGHT to be the first and ONLY option when a reader walks into Exclusive Books.

Obviously, this process will require much dedication from the writers in producing quality work, AND some risk-taking steps by the publishers. I have faith that our writers are on the right path and what our publishers perhaps need to do is think 'out the box', see the bigger picture and long-term benefits instead of palpitating about the immediate cashflow. The thing is that cashflow will stay a 'palpitatory issue' for publishers in years to come for as long as we, collectively as writers and publishers do not explore and take advantage of what is potentially a huge market share in our country. Books like 'Da Vinci's Code' will continue to dominate and remain superior to our own publications.

There is a definite need for change if we are to become a nation that prides itself in our diverse literary arts and culture - with special attention to our indigenous languages.

These are but only MY views and reflections and should be treated as such. But please feel free to comment and mail us at: youngbasadzi@blogspot.com