323:. Xhosa culture split between Believers and Unbelievers, adding to existing social strain, famine and social breakdown. It is believed that 20,000 people died of starvation during that time. In the novel, Mda continually shifts back and forth between the present day and the time of Nongqawuse to show the complex interplay between history and myth. He dramatizes the uncertain future of a culture whose troubled relationship with the colonizing force of Empire, as well as their own civil factions, threatens to extinguish their home of Qolorha-by-Sea.
348:
acknowledging that the uprooted life brings new perspectives but at the cost of a haunting fear of inner incoherence. Yet, as his autobiography discloses, on the stage and on the page Mda has found a different kind of continuity through the steadying presence of imaginative belonging. To his credit, in a deeply unsettled life, he has nurtured this capacity to find within the creative act itself new, reviving forms of homecoming."
301:(1995), takes place during the transitional years that marked South Africa's transformation into a democratic nation. It follows the character of Toloki. After finding himself destitute, he invents a profession as a "Professional Mourner". He traverses the violent urban landscape of an unnamed South African city, finding an old love amidst the internecine fighting present in the townships and
203:, South Africa, in 1948. and completed the Cambridge Overseas Certificate at Peka High School, Lesotho, in 1969. He pursued his BFA (Visual Arts and Literature) at the International Academy of Arts and Literature, Zurich, Switzerland, in 1976. He completed a MFA (Theater) and a MA (Mass Communication and Media) in 1984 at
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as a "gregarious and transfixing memoir": "First fate, then choice, have shaped Mda into a perpetual outsider who partly belongs to the three societies — Lesotho, South Africa and the United States — that have served as his provisional homes. He writes from inside the exile's ambiguous fate,
253:, "a non-profit entity which seeks to coordinate and bring together African writers in the Diaspora and writers on the continent to promote sharing of skills and other resources, and to foster knowledge and learning between the two groups."
334:(Mda acknowledges this at the outset of his novel). Like Peires, Mda identifies Mhlkaza, Nongqawuse's uncle and one of the key players in the event, with William Goliath, the first Xhosa person baptised in the Anglican church.
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When he started publishing his work, he adopted the pen name of Zakes Mda. In addition to writing novels and plays, he taught
English and creative writing in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
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for his contributions to world literature. His novels have been translated into 21 languages, including the translation of
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Most recently, he went to the United States, where he became a professor in the
English Department at
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was named one of the top ten South
African books published in the Decade of Democracy.
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and
British literary awards for his novels and plays. He is the son of politician
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Mda is a founding member and (as of 2011) serves on the advisory board of the
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Mda's account of the cattle-killing draws heavily on that of historian
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242:. As of July 2021, he is a Lecturer in Advanced Academic Programs at
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1269:"Zakes Mda and Greg Marinovich win Sunday Times Literary Awards"
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On 8 June 2012, Mda was awarded an honorary doctorate of the
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1132:(Thesis). University of Pretoria, Faculty of Humanities.
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The potential of an
Afrikaans translation of Zakes Mda's
311:(2000), Mda's third novel, is inspired by the history of
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1190:"Commonwealth Writers' Prize Regional Winners 1987–2007"
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Fools, Bells and the
Importance of Eating: Three Satires
1099:
16:
South
African novelist, poet and playwright (born 1948)
991:"2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature Longlist Revealed"
951:"Sustainability of literary prizes, as new one debuts"
1052:"Memories of South Africa During and After Apartheid"
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900:, African Writers Trust. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
997:. The Single Story Foundation. 12 November 2015.
957:. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013
711:Sometimes There is a Void: Memoirs of an Outsider
645:And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses: Four Works
470:Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book: Africa
1295:
919:African Writers Trust. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
1109:live broadcast from UCT Website on 8 June 2012.
1354:South African male dramatists and playwrights
1126:to renew the South African national narrative
1119:Alberts, Margaretha Johanna (November 2024).
930:"Goretti Kyomuhendo of African Writers Trust"
283:At the 2024 "Time of the Writer" festival in
207:, United States. He completed his PhD at the
922:
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319:prophetess whose prophecies catalyzed the
1195:. Commonwealth Foundation. Archived from
1021:"Time of the Writer 2024 Keynote Address"
1369:South African dramatists and playwrights
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939:, 22 May 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
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1339:21st-century South African male writers
1334:21st-century dramatists and playwrights
1319:20th-century South African male writers
1314:20th-century dramatists and playwrights
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1090:, University of Cape Town, 8 June 2012.
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603:Bits of Debris: The Poetry of Zakes Mda
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759:The Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture
1266:
1219:African American Literature Book Club
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609:And the Girls in their Sunday Dresses
1344:21st-century South African novelists
1324:20th-century South African novelists
427:Amstel Playwright of the Year Award
126:Zanemvula Kizito Gatyeni "Zakes" Mda
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408:Amstel Playwright of the Year Award
256:In 2013, he became a patron of the
13:
1279:from the original on 19 April 2018
1226:from the original on 31 March 2023
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1170:from the original on 2 August 2023
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1214:"The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award"
1062:from the original on 26 July 2023
1001:from the original on 24 July 2023
872:from the original on 26 July 2021
290:
171:) (born 1948) is a South African
1349:21st-century South African poets
1329:20th-century South African poets
1267:Malec, Jennifer (25 June 2017).
1158:De Waal, Shaun (17 March 2000).
910:"What is African Writers Trust?"
567:We Shall Sing for the Fatherland
403:We Shall Sing for the Fatherland
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1384:Writers from the Eastern Cape
1252:. 4 June 2007. Archived from
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258:Etisalat Prize for Literature
1374:South African male novelists
787:South African History Online
34:Zanemvula Kizito Gatyeni Mda
7:
1025:University of KwaZulu-Natal
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723:The Sculptors of Mapungubwe
659:She Plays with the Darkness
492:Hurston-Wright Legacy Award
321:cattle-killing of 1856–1857
99:Commonwealth Writers' Prize
36:1948 (age 75–76)
10:
1400:
1100:Doctoral acceptance speech
995:African Literary Magazines
199:Zanemvula Mda was born in
975:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
561:New South African Writing
539:Barry Ronge Fiction Prize
375:Awards for Mda's writing
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339:Sometimes There is a Void
214:
211:, South Africa, in 1989.
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1379:South African male poets
866:Johns Hopkins University
679:The Madonna of Excelsior
627:The Nun's Romantic Story
591:Banned: A Play for Radio
369:The Madonna of Excelsior
244:Johns Hopkins University
195:Early life and education
1359:Ohio University faculty
1164:The Mail & Guardian
1081:"Honorary docs for two"
639:When People Play People
353:University of Cape Town
209:University of Cape Town
72:University of Cape Town
1364:South African atheists
851:at Barnes & Noble.
842:"Madonna of Excelsior"
783:"Zanemvula Kizito Mda"
621:The Plays of Zakes Mda
39:Herschel, Eastern Cape
896:8 August 2021 at the
817:www.english.ohiou.edu
741:The Zulus of New York
251:African Writers Trust
240:University of Vermont
1256:on 26 February 2009.
1160:"A decade of prizes"
1124:The Heart of Redness
1086:13 June 2012 at the
935:20 July 2011 at the
813:"English Department"
672:The Heart of Redness
509:The Heart of Redness
487:The Heart of Redness
465:The Heart of Redness
412:Special Merit Award
309:The Heart of Redness
183:. He has won major
88:The Heart of Redness
1202:on 23 October 2007.
1105:17 May 2019 at the
928:Lamwaka, Beatrice,
915:6 June 2021 at the
847:7 June 2011 at the
823:on 21 December 2015
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341:, was described by
332:The Dead Will Arise
295:Mda's first novel,
1056:The New York Times
717:Our Lady of Benoni
374:
344:The New York Times
232:visiting professor
1027:. 15 March 2024.
1023:(Press release).
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337:Mda's 2011 book,
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747:Wayfarers' Hymns
692:The Whale Caller
579:Dark Voices Ring
448:M-Net Book Prize
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230:. He has been a
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64:Alma mater
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305:settlements.
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78:Notable works
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1281:. Retrieved
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1254:the original
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1228:. Retrieved
1217:
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1197:the original
1184:
1172:. Retrieved
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1141:. Retrieved
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874:. Retrieved
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827:27 September
825:. Retrieved
821:the original
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795:. Retrieved
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278:Kole Omotoso
266:Dele Olojede
255:
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228:Athens, Ohio
221:
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125:
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104:Sunday Times
103:
87:
81:
18:
1304:1948 births
1174:14 November
862:"Zakes Mda"
735:Little Suns
665:Melville 67
633:Soho Square
615:Joys of War
534:Little Suns
328:Jeff Peires
260:(alongside
1298:Categories
770:References
313:Nongqawuse
181:playwright
58:playwright
46:Occupation
367:In 2004,
189:A. P. Mda
117:A. P. Mda
25:Zakes Mda
1283:19 April
1277:Archived
1230:29 April
1224:Archived
1168:Archived
1143:21 March
1134:Archived
1103:Archived
1084:Archived
1060:Archived
1035:21 March
1029:Archived
999:Archived
971:cite web
933:Archived
913:Archived
894:Archived
870:Archived
845:Archived
797:21 March
791:Archived
789:. SAHO.
753:See also
585:The Hill
573:Dead End
423:The Hill
389:Ressult
303:squatter
238:and the
201:Herschel
173:novelist
119:(father)
86:(1995),
50:Novelist
1066:26 July
1005:25 July
961:25 July
876:26 July
745:(2021)
739:(2019)
733:(2015)
727:(2014)
721:(2013)
715:(2012)
709:(2011)
703:(2009)
697:(2007)
689:(2005)
683:(2002)
677:(2002)
669:(2000)
663:(1998)
657:(1995)
649:(1995)
643:(1993)
637:(1993)
631:(1992)
625:(1991)
619:(1990)
613:(1989)
607:(1988)
601:(1986)
595:(1982)
589:(1982)
583:(1980)
577:(1979)
571:(1979)
565:(1979)
559:(1977)
113:Parents
544:Winner
522:Winner
497:Winner
475:Winner
453:Winner
431:Winner
386:Award
363:Awards
285:Durban
215:Career
90:(2000)
1200:(PDF)
1193:(PDF)
1137:(PDF)
1130:(PDF)
530:2017
505:2001
483:2001
461:2001
439:1997
419:1979
399:1978
383:Work
380:Year
317:Xhosa
1285:2018
1232:2024
1176:2021
1145:2024
1068:2023
1037:2024
1007:2023
977:link
963:2023
878:2021
829:2018
799:2024
699:Cion
393:Ref.
315:, a
276:and
179:and
177:poet
108:2001
56:and
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