Woordfees starts this Friday
Two recent non-fiction works that drew tremendous public opinion, Secret Revolution by former apartheid spy boss, Dr Niël Barnard, and the work on Namibia’s Independence by Dirk Mudge, will be discussed at the Windhoek Woordfees which starts this Friday evening.
Two recent non-fiction works that drew tremendous public opinion, Secret Revolution by former apartheid spy boss, Dr Niël Barnard, and the work on Namibia’s Independence by Dirk Mudge, will be discussed at the Windhoek Woordfees which starts this Friday evening.
Earlier this year, Barnard published his take on the negotiations with Nelson Mandela, then still incarcerated, which ultimately lead through a negotiated settlement to universal suffrage, a new constitution and an the interim government that took South Africa through the transition phase.
Dr Barnard headed South Africa’s National Intelligence Service from his appointment as a young 29-year old university professor through 12 years of turmoil, clandestine negotiations, and eventually a new political dispensation. His book is written by phantom author, Tobie Wiese, but the good doctor’s style and vocab has not been lost in the retelling. His discussion with Prof du Pisanie can be seen as the heavyweight opening shot for the rest of the Woordfees.
The philosophical discourse between Prof du Pisanie and Dr Barnard is this Friday 24 July, starting at 18:00 at the Village Opera House, next to Fresh & Wild on the corner of Liliencron Street and Robert Mugabe Avenue.
A book discussion follows the next day, Saturday 25 July. A tale about civilian life during the border war by Deon Lamprecht, and the landmark publication by Dirk Mudge on the political process that culminated in Independence, are the two books that will be discussed, each in a 45-minute session. The venue is again the Village Opera House.
Then it is the turn of two local authors, Kobus Lombaard and Elsa van der Merwe to introduce their latest work. Lombaard’s Skadu oor die Sonwyser (Shadow across the sundial) and van der Merwe’s Marionette, will be contextualised for better understanding by the audience.
The last installment of the Woordfees is scheduled much later for 15 August when local yarn spinners will tell it out to see who comes the closest to Jan Spies.
The new generation Namibian storytellers comprises Shorty Beukes, the winner of the Gondwana Collection story time competition earlier this year, Koos Lekkerlag of Hentiesbaai and Johannes Koeseb of Keetmanshoop.
The story evening starts at 18:00 and the entry fee is N$130 per person. This covers refreshments, both solid and liquid.
The Windhoek Woordfees is sponsored by FNB Namibia, Air Namibia, Namibia Breweries Limited, and the Afrikaans newspaper, Die Republikein, is the official media partner. Smaller sponsors are Herman van Wyk of Windhoek Stationers, Marieta Bouwer Agency, Fleur du Cap, Utopia Boutique Hotel, The Village, Nambil Meat Products, Wilde Eend Bistro and Sicilia Restaurant.
The Windhoek Woordfees is organised by its committee members Chrisna Beuke-Muir, Piet Heyns, Ronelle Rademeyer and Dr Estie Maritz, with the able assistance of Jolene Nell.
