Meet 2018 Brittle Paper Awards Winners at Abantu Book Festival

The Abantu Book Festival kicks off today, 6 December, and will end on 9 December. Among the festival’s guests are winners and finalists of the 2018 Brittle Paper Awards: Zimbabwean-South African Panashe Chigumadzi, who won our Essays & Think Pieces Award for “History Through the Body or Rights of Desire, Rights of Conquest”; South African Sibongile Fisher, who won our Creative Nonfiction Award for “The Miseducation of Gratitude”; and South African Mapule Mohulatsi, who was a finalist for our Anniversary Award for “The Nervous Condition of the Mother Tongue.”

Chigumadzi and Mohulatsi are at the event to discuss their new books. Chigumadzi’s These Bones Will Rise Again (The Indigo Press, June) combines reportage, memoir and critical analysis to “reflect on the November 2017 ousting of Robert Mugabe, radically reframing the history of Zimbabwe to include the perspectives of workers, women and urban movements.” Mohulatsi’s Mizz President (Everychild Books, August) is a 32-page children’s book about a girl thrust into an unexpected position of power.

The three authors can be met at the event. Here are their schedules.

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FRIDAY, 7 DEC.

Performance ft. Lebohang Masango & Mapule Mohulatsi

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Topic: On Historical Fiction: Broken Rivers and Dance Drills

Moderator: Sibongile Fisher

Description: What goes into historical fiction? Accomplished scribe, Fred Khumalo, and debutant Mphuthumi Ntabeni, discuss the ins and outs of historical fiction.

Featuring: Mphuthumi Ntabeni, Fred Khumalo

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SATURDAY, 8 DEC.

Performance ft. Mapule Mohulatsi & Mzwandile Ntombela

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SUNDAY, 9 DEC.

Topic: This Generation

Moderator: Panashe Chigumadzi

Featuring: Lola Shoneyin, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

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Here is the opening event.

THURSDAY, 6 DEC.

Eyethu Lifestyle Centre: 18:00

Host: Lebo Mashile

Musical Performance: Zuko Collective

Poetry Performance: Mxolisi Mtshali

Keynote Address: Bibi Bakare-Yusuf

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And the hotly-anticipated Main Event featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

FRIDAY, 7 DEC.