Kopano Matlwa
(South Africa, 1985) is the rising star of South African literature. Her first novel Coconut deals with the quest of black South Africans for their new identity in a post-apartheid society and was the recipient of the European Union Literary Award in 2007. It is also a set work and used as a teaching tool at many schools within South Africa, and universities in South Africa and abroad. Three years later she received the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature. Her second book, Spilt Milk, appeared in the Netherlands in 2011 entitled Gedane zaken. In this novel school principal Mohumagandi and father Bill meet up, years after their secret love affair. The enthusiastic black principal and the stiff, awkward father clash when the latter has to deal with the indecent behaviour of four pupils and solve it. Matlwa sees Toni Morrison as her great example. She is also a medical doctor and a Rhodes Scholar currently pursuing a masters in public health at Oxford University.
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Archive available for: Kopano Matlwa
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African Meet & Greet in Dakota Theater
With: Adejoke Babington-Ashaye, Helon Habila, Kopano Matlwa, Nancy-Josee Ntumba Ciakudia, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Vamba Sherif
This year Writers Unlimited goes into town, organising informal meetings with the foreign writers. On Saturday 21 January the festival hits Theater Dakota, for a Meet & Greet with the African writers Helon Habila (winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize), Kopano Matlwa (rising star in South African literature) and Nii Ayikwei Parkes (poet, writer and BBC radio commentator). Also a performance by singer and lawyer Adejoke Babington-Ashaye!
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Lust and Colour
What about sexual relationships between white and black in post-apartheid South Africa? Do women in Brazil, which swelters with eroticism, move as freely as it seems? Dutch men, fantasising about black women - and the other way round. Kopano Matlwa, Edney Silvestre and Robert Vuijsje talk about the clichés surrounding sex in multicultural societies. Host: Wim Brands. In English.
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Forgive or Forget
Can we learn from history or is humanity doomed to go on repeating the same mistakes for ever? Did the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission bring just that or did it yield anger and division? Do Indonesia and the Netherlands suffer from amnesia concerning the black pages in their history? Forgiving and Forgetting: Anil Ramdas chairs a debate between Leila Chudori (Indonesia), Kopano Matlwa (South Africa) and Adriaan van Dis - who has ties with both Indonesia and South Africa - who talk about the most effective strategy. In English.