WOMAN ZONE STORIES: Recent Episodes
WOMAN ZONE
Welcome to WOMAN ZONE – connecting women through their stories.
Woman Zone is a Cape Town based organisation designed to bring together women of all different backgrounds and cultures, to get to know and understand one another by sharing stories. We have several podcast series WOMAN ZONE STORIES; FINDING HERSELF: shared journeys; the new MEET THE AUTHOR: women writers and their work and special collection ARTSCAPE@50 - CONVERSATIONS. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Feedback on info@womanzonect.co.za. Happy Listening!
Now based in the United States, South African born BO PETERSEN, actor, writer, director, voice over artist and theatre teacher, has come back temporarily, to her homecountry to perform in a play she wrote called Pieces of Me. Opening at the Baxter theatre on July 11, it tells her journey of uncovering a very deeply buried family secret about her father and consequently, about herself. Here she shares the back story with Beryl Eichenberger.
The Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary African Art) is arguably one of the most creative institutions in Cape Town, not just because of what’s on the walls and floors, but because of what is created within it, not least in the educational wing.AND SO THE STORIES RAN AWAY was initially an exhibition of art for children held back in 2019. Four years later it’s become a series of children’s books – a collaboration between LIESL HARTMAN, Zeitz head of education, and artists and ‘story carers’, JILL JOUBERT and MERIDIAN BERNDT. The series of four little books areto be officially launched at the Zeitz on July 20th – but Woman Zone’s own publicist and librarian Beryl Eichenberger, who had something of an input into the series herself, spoke to Jill and Meridian at the WZ Book Club to get some more of the back story.
Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern wrote her first book at 21 and has never looked back. With 25 million books sold in over 40 countries, she is a huge, much sought after, literary success story. A big fan, WOMAN ZONE librarian and publicist Beryl Eichenberger caught up with Cecelia for a chat in the busy Green Room at this years Franschhoek Literary Festival.
With a dizzying number of fans and followers, British Nigerian Bolu Babalola, author of Love in Colour and Honey and Spice, was in Cape Town recently for the Franschhoek Literary Festival . We were delighted to have the opportunity to talk to her at The Women's Library to find out more about the woman and her words - and we invite you to listen in.
A feminist literary scholar and Associate Professor of English at the University of Cape Town, Barbara Boswell ensures that her words are not wasted. Her latest novel The Comrade's Wife (Jacana) packs a powerful punch, with some messages that should not be ignored, not by academics nor politicians.
Shubnum Khan is a Durban born author and artist. Herwriting has been published widely and her first novel, Onion Tears (2011) was shortlisted for the Penguin Prize for African Writing and the University of Johannesburg Debut Fiction Prize. Her essay collection, How I Accidentally Became a Stock Photo was published 2021 but just prior to the Franschhoek LiteraryFestival, Beryl Eichenberger took the opportunity to talk to her about all this and her latest novel The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil.
Over thirty years ago Marlene Winberg started listening to the stories of San women from the !xun tribe. Healer and storyteller Meneputo Manunga Manyeka made her promise that one day she would put them together in a book. The Gathering Bag fulfils that promise. And so that they should have wider reach and significance, Marlene worked with Sue Hollingsworth to have them shared by storytellers across the world. Here Marlene gives us the back story. The Gathering Bag, published by Manyeka Arts Trust is available through Amazon and Takealot.
With their 25th anniversary around the corner, the Saartjie Baartman Centre for women and children remains a place of safety and care for so many survivors of domestic violence. Together the team from Blocktober who've been fundraising for them, Woman Zone went to visit and deliver books for their new serenity library hub and were invited on a tour. Listen here to join in...
Bringing dance to the people and people to dance, the SboNdaba Dance company tells the storyof South Africa’s 30 year old democracy in a production called ! ke e: /xarra//ke or Diverse People Unite. At Artscape May 24 and 25, three performances only. Sbonakaliso herself shares the back story.
The second in the Daisy Talk series on Money, was given by two professionals in the business, Ethel Hamman of auditing firm Crowe and Yolisa Molefe of SNCTax. They provided invaluable information to the girls of ISeeU mentoring programme. The talk was held in the Isibaya Room at Artscape where we asked Ethel and Yolisa to tell us about their own journeys.
The short story is an increasingly popular medium, both for readers and writers. Dawn Garish, doctor and activist writer in terms of encouraging others through The Life Righting Collective, recently won an NIHSS award for her short story collection WHAT REMAINS (Karavan Press). She was an extraordinarily giving and thought provoking Guest Author.
Not technically a WZ Book Club Guest Author of the Month, but a very special guest author at the 2024 Books on the Bay Festival in Simon's Town, writer Margie Orford very honestly shared what went into Love and Fury, her memoir.
The first of the WOMAN ZONE six-part DAISY TALK series for young women learners from the Cape Flats and in partnership with ISeeU, was held at Artscape. The speaker was Dr Mpume Zenda, gynaecologist, obstetrician, sexologist, author of Mommy, My Body's Changing and founder of We See You health and information consultancy. Listen here to find out more.
Coming up next in the monthly series, in April, is Your Money with speakers Yolisa Molefe and Ethel Hamman.
Endometriosis is a disorder that can cause a woman a lot pain on many levels. It can also impact childbearing. In her aptly named book HOT WATER (Jacana), Nadine Dirks shares the experience - physical, mental, social and medical - with all the consequences.
The Gathering Bag: Remembering the heroines of traditionalSan stories is curated by Sue Hollingsworth and Marlene Sullivan Winburg. It brings together ten traditional narratives originally told in the !xun language and retold by storytellers from around the world. In Part 1 professional storyteller Sue Hollingsworth explains. The book published by Manyeka Arts Trust is available through Takealot, Amazon and at !Khwa ttu
The Train House on Lobengula Street, is Zimbabwean born writer Fatima Kara's first novel. Featuring some strong women and set in an Indian community in what was then Rhodesia, it comes directly from Fatima's own experience, her memory and her heart. It's published by Envelope and distributed by Blue Weaver.
A gentle book about an ungentle, and all too common, disease. Cancer, navigating the journey by palliative care specialist Cherry Armstrong and published by Quivertree, brings you everything you need to know if cancer comes your way.
Catch some of the mood and all of the music we shared at the Woman Zone year-end, stress-releasing Celebrate Body & Soul party - thanks to singer-songwriter Trudy Rushin
More than just a search for her own real identity, Unathi Kapa’s thought-provoking, self-published memoir will throw light for many on what it’s like growing up not knowing who ‘your people’ are.
When Dr Beryl Botman's husband, Professor Russell Botman died in 2014, she write through her grief in a book called With(out)You. At the launch of her second book Still Love Remains, she spoke to Beryl Eichenberger about her writing journey.
She's a writer, a poet, a teacher and academic, but it's as an editor that Helen Moffett has made an extraordinary and extensive mark in literary circles working on more writers manuscripts than most of us have had hot dinners. Listen here as she shares her secrets.
Taking African storytelling to another level Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi has written two epic, award-winning novels, The First Woman and Kintu as well as a cross-cultural collection of short stories, Manchester Happened. Here she talks about her origins and thinking as a storyteller.
Members of WEAVE, the Women’s Education and Voice Expression collective founded 26 years ago, got together for a reunion to talk about their journeys, individually and as a group, and about their ‘herstorical’ publication ink@boilingpoint: aselection of 21st century black women’s writing from the southerntip of Africa. Listen here to share the inspiration.
How Classification Became Culture is the sub-title of Tessa and Lynsey's book Coloured (Jonathan Ball). It asks many questions, amongst them What does it mean to be Coloured? It also provides many thought-provoking answers. In conversation with writer Nadia Kamies they shared just some of the thinking behind the book.
Award winning author of The Veil of Maya, doctor/writer Chantal Stewart shares the back story to her writing and her debut novel with Beryl Eichenberger .
A book that was a long time in the making, The Sex Lives of African Women is about so many more things than sex - like culture, religion, patriarchy, abuse - to name a few. It's also about self-discovery, freedom and healing. Author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah shares the inside stories of over 30 women
As an official Living Legend there could be no better person to celebrate than writer Sindiwe Magona. To close the Artscape Women's Humanity Festival 2023, her lively 80th birthday event featured friends, family, lots of fun and the presentation of a special tribute book Sindiwe's Gift.
At 93, Paarl-born Margaret Newman's brain is as fresh as a daisy. Here she shares her secret and gives a glimpse into a life well-lived despite the challenges that only South Africa could offer.
The Woman Zone Book Club guest author of the month during the Artscape Women's Humanity Festival, was Karen Lazar author of 'W is for Witness'. Following a stroke, Karen is also disabled. She shares thoughts on that and on writing with Beryl Eichenberger...
An installation in the Marble Foyer at Artscape as part of the Women's Humanity Festival, contains uncomfortable statistics. It's called She Had a Name 365 - performance artist Carin Bester explains...
Every year as part of the Artscape Women's Humanity Festival, Fine Music Radio give Woman Zone an hour of airtime to showcase some of the women featured in the Festival. Presented by Theresa Smith and produced by Beryl Eichenberger, this year guests included: Marlene le Roux CEO of Artscape, Fatima Dike playwright, Acting Judge Rehana Parker, Hayley Philander founder of IseeU mentoring programme and poet Lebo Diverse. Listen here!
Knit & Natter is a Woman Zone 'Everywoman' project. And on Sunday August 6th, as part of the Artscape Women's Humanity Festival it sure attracted a lot of women...listen in here!
The first black woman in South Africa to have had a play published and performed, there is much to celebrate about Fatima Dike. At 75, she is one of the Artscape Women's Humanity Festival icons, hear her as she shares just some of her story.
In her book, Off-Centre and Out of Focus (Fourthwall Books) Nadia Kamies reflects on what it was like Growing up 'Coloured' in South Africa, primarily through photography. She spoke to Theresa Smith at the Woman Zone Book Club.
Writing Searching for Papa’s Secrets in Hitler’s Berlin took its toll on author Egonne Roth. It uncovered for her how her father’s experiences shaped her life – but ultimately it also helped her find her own identity. She talks here to Beryl Eichenberger.
Many thousands of women, in South Africa and across the world, have hysterectomies every year. Often they come as a shock, as hers did for Melanie Verwoerd. But aside from the trauma, pain and rage that it caused her, this feisty writer and political analyst used hers to throw a light, not just on her own life, but on understanding the procedure that so many women suffer in silence. Listen here as she tells the story behind her book - and listen further to her own podcast of the same name filled with information and advice.
There is so much to be learned from this book. Not just how Louisa Zondo, lawyer and political actvist, coped with the suicide of her second born son, MaRiky, but what it means to reflect back on your life, your loves, your family, work, pain, parenting and healing. It begins with the expedition Louisa undertook to Mount Everest Base Camp soon after Riky died - it ends in hope, and her resolve to continue his legacy.
The Forgiveness Project was founded in 2004 by journalist Marina Cantacuzino. Nearly twenty years later she has synthesized many of the stories she has heard, and learnings that have come with them, into a book called simply Forgiveness - An Exploration (Simon and Shuster, distributed in South Africa by Jonathan Ball). On a visit to The Women's Library she shared the background.
She was described as 'a woman who couldn't be conventional if she tried', and Noni Jabavu (1919-2008) writer was certainly original. Born in SA and educated in the UK from the age of 13 she was also 'a woman of two worlds'. Amongst other things she wrote two books of memoir, but in 1977, she penned a series of columns for the Daily Dispatch. These have been co-ordinated and compiled into a book called A Stranger at Home (Tafelberg) by Makhosazana Xaba and Athambile Masola. Cape Town based Athambile shares the story.
The Cape Cultural Collective cover a number of performing arts, but poetry holds a special place. Three of the fifteen poets whose work is included in their second anthology, Beyond Truth's Edge, joined us at the Women's Library to share their words and their stories of becoming poets. They were Zenariah Barends, Afeea Omar and Diana Ferrus and you can listen to what they had to say right here...
As a proudly Xhosa woman herself, in helping to put together The Rainbow Nation Cookery Guide, TV celebrity cook Pumla Brook Thomae stretched her own knowledge range of other cultures kitchens enormously. The book was an initiative of The Rotary e-club of Greater Cape Town, but here project manager Pumla gives us the inside story.
Following the release of her book My Musical Odyssey, Aviva Pelham sat down with Woman Zone's Beryl Eichenberger to talk about her journey to becoming an extraordinarily versatile and internationally acclaimed singer. Whilst opera is her first love, she has also 'found herself' as an actress performing in musicals, as a director working with others, and as a passionate motivator and lecturer inspiring any number of aspirant and talented young singers.
Playwright Mike van Graan wrote a hard-hitting series of one-woman performance sketches as a way of addressing the ongoing scourge of Gender Based Violence in South Africa. But the opportunity for it to make a real impact on the lives of the future generation, is to get it to school audiences. Listen here to the thought process, the conversation and highlights from the production itself. And for info on how to get it to your school, contact Mike on art27m@iafrica.com
The Cape Cultural Collective cover a number of performing arts, but poetry has a special place. Three of the fifteen poets whose work is included in their second anthology, Beyond Truth's Edge, joined us at our Women's Library at Artscape to share their words and stories about becoming poets. They were Zenariah Barends, Afeea Omar and Diana Ferrus - and you can listen to what they had to say, right here...
Although not technically a Woman Zone Book Club Guest Author of the Month, it was irresistible to put ANNE SCHLEBUSCH, author of Bloomer (Modjaji books) up on this site. At 70 (and a recent cancer survivor) her debut novel is fresh, fun and a bit mad. It features the lovable Maggie and her friends at the Hazyview Mansions Retirement Home, who collectively call themselves Invictus. We spoke to Anne at a Rosebank Writers event at Bertha House in Mowbray, Cape Town, and recorded it her so you can listen, and chuckle.
Two writer-poet-performers, living worlds apart in Scotland and South Africa respectively, have much in common - not least The Glasgow Women's Library! Meet Nadine Aisha Jassat and Blaq Pearl aka Janine van Rooy Overmeyer as they discuss their connections and their histories, at The Women's Library in Cape Town.
What began as an ’accidental’ group therapy session with a bunch of male students nearly 25 years ago turned, first into intense study of the mental health of men and boys, and finally into the book: Masculinity meets Humanity: An Adapted Model of Masculinised Psychotherapy (UNISA). Author and compassionate clinical psychologist, Shahieda Jansen shares the journey and just some of what she has learned along the way.
To share your culture through your own life story is powerful. To share it using embroidery puts it on another level, of creativity. Dr Elbe Coetsee, founder of the Mogalakwena Craft Art Development Foundation tells the story of the women embroiderers in Limpopo.
In culinary circles Prue Leith - caterer, restaurateur, food guru and visionary - needs no introduction, but her memoir reveals her to be so much more. On a recent visit to South Africa to coincide with the relaunch of the memoir, I'll Try Anything Once, as well as the launch of Bliss on Toast, her latest cook book, she spoke to Nancy Richards for the Woman Zone Finding Herself series.
We all have worries, but the SOUPER TROOPERS of Cape Town have found a way to help you shed them - using their tiny African Worry Dolls. But what's the story - who and what are these little dolly artworks...and who are the Souper Troopers? Just before the Christmas break of 2022 when the production lines were buzzing, Nancy Richards went along to meet the team at their Humanity Hub in Woodstock...
Said to be one of the busiest women in Cape Town, Janet Pillai, founder & CEO of MLT Car Hire & Tours, amongst other things, has more recently gone 'jetsetting' - listen here as she describes her journey, and herself.
To close the WZ Book Club year of 2022, we went down to the sea, to Beach Blanc Cafe next to the lighthouse on Woodbridge Island to hear the story of The Skipper's Daughter by Woman Zone founder Nancy Richards and published by Karavan Press. Nancy was in conversation with artist Kim Gurney author herself of a book called Panya Routes. Listen here for some salty tales!
Due for release any day now, The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw (Sourcebooks) is a real must for anyone who loves animals and the stories of unsung women from the past - because Aleen Isabel Cust on whom this book is based was the woman who defied her family and society to become Britain and Ireland's first woman veterinary surgeon. Amazing. Hear how Penny came across this extraordinarily determined woman - and her take on living the dream.
It's not often we welcome a poet to be WZ Book Club guest author of the month, but 26 year old Nondwe Mpuma was a real piece of treasure. She was heard reading at the Poetry in McGregor Festival by writer-publisher Karina Szczurek of Karavan Press who speaks to her about her debut anthology Peach Country published by uHlanga Press
'Strong female characters' was the topic up for discussion at the 2nd Cape Flats Book Festival held recently in Mitchell's Plain, with strong female writers, Qarnita Loxton, author of the series: Being Kari, Being Lily, Being Shelley and Being Dianne and Resoketswe Manenzhe whose debut novel is called Scatterlings. Nancy Richards spoke to them and you can listen in on the conversation here - but be sure to attend the Festival in person next year to hear a whole lot more.
A joint project between Ilitha Labantu, CPUT (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), AWIF (African Women Independent Forum) and UN Women, Isisele Senyathi, translated as Reservoir of Knowledge has been conceived as a hub for African women's history and stories. A three-day conference was held at CPUT's Bellville Campus, where Woman Zone went along to listen in on the thinking, the stories - and the powerful singing.
Her strong, assertive radio voice with it's undertone of humour, belies the tough passage Sara-Jayne Makwala King has had in life. Like her first book, Killing Karoline, her second book Mad Bad Love (mf books), pulls no punches on the trauma she's had to work through. In this case, discovering that the things we love can nearly kill us. She speaks here to journalist Theresa Smith
Tragedy struck when Noel English, 45yr old father of two from Mitchell's Plain, died of COVID 19 in January 2021. A phoenix from the ashes however, was the book I Miss Daddy written by his son Matthew and wife Alicia. Despite her crushing grief, it also prompted Alicia to launch an initiative called The Olive Exchange - listen here to find out more...
It's been a while coming, but Margie Orford's new book The Eye of the Beholder (Jonathan Ball) is strong stuff. In his cover shout, bestseller crime writer Ian Rankin calls it 'As powerful as it is elegant - grips like a vice.' He's not wrong. But Margie has many tales to tell about her journey with this title, and as a writer in general.
London based writer Louisa Treger was in South Africa recently to launch her latest book, Madwoman (Bloomsbury). Ittells the extraordinary, and shocking, story of American journalist, Nelly Bly who back in the late 1880's had herself admitted to a New York asylum for 'mad women' - so she could both write about it and expose the appalling conditions. At our Women's Library, Louisa was in conversation with writer- publisher Karina Szczurek.
Medical Dr Anne Biccard works in a very busy hospital in Johannesburg, But busy as she is, she also finds time to write. In her second book Holding My Breath: Further exploits of an ER doctor (Jacana)– she captures the challenges and the humour faced by her profession – specifically in the COVID years. Intro music Beautiful Woman is by Tina Schouw
In her book Prison Notebook V2957/88, Human Rights activist and former Commissioner on Gender Equality, Gertrude Fester describes a life of struggle as well as the horrors of being a political detainee and spending 104 days in solitary confinement. Her book is published by Military Veterans. Song Beautiful Woman is by Tina Schouw
Whilst the stories of the ten women Home Food Gardeners are written and printed in Women of Soil - changing lives, at the launch of the book, which took place as part of Artscape's Women's Humanity Arts Festival, the women were invited to briefly tell us how being trained by Soil for Life had impacted their lives. It made for moving listening. (Both the launch and this podcast open with the voice of singer, storyteller Philippa Kabali-Kagwa)
Woman Zone's annual Women's Day show, broadcast this year on August 8th on FMR, radio station based at Artscape, features Dr Marlene le Roux, CEO of Artscape; details of the performance Broken Crayons with disability and social justice activist Nothukela Makohliso; Cindy Buske, CEO of Soil for Life; Nina Geraghty of the Life Righting Collectiveand finally Beryl Botman, author of With (-out) You. If you weren't able to tune in on the day, here's a chance to catch it again. Presented by Theresa Smith and produced by Beryl Eichenberger.
Grief is an inevitability of life, and each of us handles it differently. It took Beryl Botman some years before she was able to process hers following the death of her husband Prof Russel Botman in 2014. In her book With (-Out) You, sheshares in first hand detail how she felt, coped, struggled and ultimately survived. She spoke at her launch at the opening of Artscape's Women's Humanity Festival. (intro song: Beautiful Woman by Tina Schouw)
Twenty-one years ago, Karen Lazar, academic and language lecturer suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed down one side and disabled. It doesn't define her, but has impacted her life dramatically. A champion of gender and disability, in her books Hemisphere - Inside a stroke and Echoes an anthology she describes how. (Intro song, Beautiful Woman is by Tina Schouw)
We start this special series of Woman Zone podcasts for the Women's Humanity Arts Festival 2022 with Artscape CEO, Dr Marlene le Roux who shares her personal messages of care, concern and Covid.
First time novelist, but well practiced feminist researcher, Joy Watson's The Other Me (Karavan Press) is an eye-opening book with a damaged but fascinating central character. Writer, editor, publisher Karina Szczurek digs deeper to get the back story...
Natasha is one of ten women home food gardeners whose stories feature in a book celebrating 10 years of Woman Zone and 20 of Soil for Life. Beginner gardener turned passionate trainer, Natasha shares how learning and working with Soil for Life has changed her whole outlook.
Writing her latest novel, The Man Who Loved Crocodile Tamers (Kwela), brought author and poet Finuala Dowling to tears on occasion. It's the story of her father, Paddy Dowling, but laced with fiction, creative licence and a lot of love and experience, it makes for a memorable read, that may well bring a reader to tears too.
A featured chef at the Plant Powered Show in Cape Town, life-long foodie and author of Veggielicious Mokgadi Itsweng shared her journey as committed plant-based food evangelist.
In her debut novel, Lightness of Air (Newly Media) Angela Miller-Rothbart weaves the real life reminiscences of a holocaust survivor into a piece of art.
Kenyan born Rose Ssali tells the remarkable tale of how she traded her attorneys gown for the writers pen and publishers passion - across the world.
Co-authors of the Imbokodo trilogy of books Athambile and Xolisa have showcased 10 Inspiring Singers, Writers & Artists; 10 Extraordinary Leaders, Activists & Pioneers and 10 Curious Inventors, Healers & Educators (Jacana). In Woman Zone's 10th year, we where thrilled to host them at our first Book Club meeting of the year back at Artscape.
Adolphine Misekabu's flight from then Zaire (DRC) to South Africa back in 1996 was long, horrendous and terrifying. Like that of so many refugees. Many years later she shared the journey with writer Estelle Neethling, the result is a book called Escape from Lumbumbashi (Unisa Press). It was an emotional experience, for both of them, as Estelle explains.
Thrown Among the Bones: My Life in Fiction is an extraordinary work by writer, poet, publisher Patricia Schonstein. It's the story of her own life and how people and events within it have impacted and appeared in her novels and poems. Textured doesn't describe! Published by African Sun Press.
This Might Sting a Bit is an eye-opening but seriously entertaining story of one woman's addiction and her dysfunctional family set in crisis-ridden Zimbabwe in the early 2000's. We spoke to Claire Adlam at the first ever mobile WZ Book Club at the Beach Blanc open air cafe in Milnerton.
In her heartbreakingly moving book Waterboy, award-winning journalist Glynis Horning tries to make sense of her son's suicide.
Co-founders of The Mothertongue Project, arts-activists Sara Matchett and Rehane Abrahams talk about the origins of the project as well as Collaborative Conversations, the book they put together to celebrate their twenty-first anniversary.
Singer, songwriter, composer Nicky Schrire shares the story behind her spell-binding musical fusion of strings with the poetry of Ingrid Jonker. Scheduled for performance at The String Quarter Biennale in Amsterdam February 2022.
The Woman Zone Book Club guest author this month is FUTHI NTSHINGILA, writer, researcher, journalist. Here she talks about her third book, written during lockdown, called They Got To You Too (Pan Macmillan).
The Peace Garden in Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats is a symbol of what can be done – by one woman, by a group of women, by a community. But whilst it symbolizes peace and the fight against violence in general, gender based-violence in particular, it also inspires environmental awareness and a togetherness, a unity, which in these conflicted, confusing times, is exactly what we need. On the garden's 2nd birthday, we went to visit...
This month's Woman Zone Book Club author is one-of-a-kind Lynn Joffe whose book The Gospel According to Wanda B Lazarus (Modjaji) is a roller-coaster of note. Listen as she explains the genesis to Dominique Malherbe.
CHRISTINE WEIR is a multi-layered singer-songwriter with a colourful background and a phenomenal range. Despite the recent setbacks life has dealt her, she remains upbeat on a crystal clear and inspirational note.
The authors of this month's Woman Zone Book Club book have produced a title that's a must for everyone's shelf. FLOW - The Book about Menstruation (Kwela) one way or another affects every person on this planet - for some its a 'curse' for others it's lifegiving. Listen here as Candice and Karen explain their motivation and the message.
The Woman Zone Book Club is pleased to bring you a chat with communications guru LEAH SEFOR. With a background in the self-help biz since childhood, a quick mind and attentive counsellors ear, she was well placed to write That's Not What I Meant: The smart savvy guide to real communication (Tafelberg). Enjoy and learn!
The 5th and final episode in this special series honouring Artscape's 50th anniversary, Woman Zone speaks to NADINE MCKENZIE, co-founder of the Unmute Dance Company. The intro song, 'Beautiful Woman', is written and performed by Tina Schouw
WZBC Introduces you to award-winning journalist, writer and publisher ZUBEIDA JAFFER on her book Beauty of the Heart – the life and time of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke (No 10 Publishers). Charlotte is the icon, activist, academic, educationalist and inspiration behind Artscape’s Women’s Humanity Art Festival 2021
Number 4 in this special series honouring Artscape's 50th anniversary, Woman Zone speaks to AVERIL BARRY-HUGHES, Managing Director of Jazzart Dance Theatre. The intro song, 'Beautiful Woman', is written and performed by Tina Schouw
In number 3 of this special series honouring Artscape's 50th anniversary, Woman Zone speaks to DEBBIE TURNER, CEO of Cape Town City Ballet. The intro song, 'Beautiful Woman', is written and performed by Tina Schouw
The WZ Book Club invites you to meet: activist, academic, feminist poet BERNEDETTE MUTHIEN. Her book Rethinking Africa: Indigenous Women Re-Interpret Sothern Africa's Pasts (Fanele) co-edited with June Bam takes a deep look at 'herstories' though a creative, woman-focused lens.
In this special series honouring Artscape's 50th anniversary, Woman Zone speaks to LAURENCE ESTEVE co-founder and CEO of the Zip Zap Circus The intro song, 'Beautiful Woman', is written and performed by Tina Schouw
In this special series honouring Artscape's 50th anniversary, Woman Zone speaks to LIZE THOMAS acting artistic director of Cape Town Opera. The intro song, 'Beautiful Woman', is written and performed by Tina Schouw.
In case you missed our special Women's Day radio show, broadcast on FMR yesterday, presented by Theresa Smith and produced by Beryl Eichenberger - here's your chance to catch our celebration as part of Artscape's Women's Humanity Arts Festival 2021 in Cape Town's much loved theatre centre's 50th golden year.
The WZ Book Club invites you to meet: A'EYSHA KASSIEM. Her book Suitcase of Memory looks at how cultural identity is shaped and influenced by memory.
In this brand new series, the WZ Book Club invites you to meet: BRIDGET MCNULTY whose self-published The Grief Handbook started as a result of personal experience.
Woman Zone Book Club guest author this month is the prolific and award-winning writer FIONA SNYCKERS. She’s writes short stories, series, novels – as well as for mobile phones, and her recent acclaimed novel Lacuna was an impassioned response to Nobel laureate JM Coetzee’s Disgrace. But Fiona's latest, 8th novel The School Gates, is based on more first-hand experience.
The WOMAN ZONE BOOK CLUB review page is a great place to find new reads – but its also a great place to have your opinion heard if you’ve come across a really good title. But we are especially thrilled to welcome a new reviewer into our ranks – she’s HAZEL MAKUZENI and you can read her first contribution on our website under Book Reviews. But who is Hazel? Find out more about her here…
Fans of award-winning author Marita van der Vyver now based in France, will love her latest book. In A Long Letter to my Daughter (Tafelberg) she shares, with 21 year old French-speaking Mia, stories and secrets from her childhood and youth in South Africa - as well as books and quotes that shaped her world and writing. It’s an Exclusive Books Homebru choice for all of July and Marita is one of two WZ Book Club guest authors for June.
Who was this woman Sarah Goldblatt to whom literary icon CJ Langenhoven bequeathed his literary legacy? Why was she so important in his life? Author, lawyer and great niece to Sarah, Dominique Malherbe, set out to uncover the story that had been the subject of family gossip and much speculation over many decades. Searching for Sarah (NB Publishers) is a poignant reminder of identity, commitment, dedication and love. Dominique is one of two WZ Book Club guest authors for June.
Finding freedom in books in a different way,Christy Weyer gave up an academic career to follow her dream, and start a book shop. Liberty Books. You can find it at Peregrine Farm Stall – but listen here for the whole story.
Writer, storyteller Dr Sindiwe Magona has been declared a South African Living Legend. She’s received an Ikamanga award for her literary and humanitarian work, amongst many other awards and honorary doctorates too numerous to mention. As a founding friend of Woman Zone she has honoured us often with her words and her presence. This time we honour her - her life of writing and her new book, When the Village Sleeps (Picador).
Her prolific Instagram account refers to #subversive stitching – but artist WILLEMIEN DE VILLERS work, combining beauty with brutality, speaks volumes about so much more than vintage cloth and thread.
For writer, author, poet, doctor and teacher Dawn Garisch, writing is life. Listen as she explains how it’s helped her navigate her own journey – and also how it’s worked for so many others who have found themselves through her Life Righting Collective. Dawn is both our Finding Herself candidate and WZ Book Club Guest Author for April. Her latest books, Breaking Milk and Disturbance, an anthology are published by Karavan Press.
Literacy Director at the Otto Foundation Trust, an IBBY SA judge and on the board of Nal’ibali, NONIIKIWE MASHOLOGU has been celebrated as one of 12 women in South Africa working hard to drive early literacy change. Listen as she shares her journey from daughter of activist, academic parents exiled in in Lesotho, to where she is now…
Saving A Stranger’s Life: The Diary of an Emergency Room Doctor is an eye-opening peep into one woman’s highly-stressed working environment clouded by the deadly shadow of COVID 19. Written between March and Sept 2020, it’s a tale told with honesty, humour and non-holds-barred insight.
Scatterlings is Resoketswe Manenzhe first, and award-winning, novel. Legendary, historical, thoughtful. Woman Zone Book Club's February guest author, Shoki herself is also an engineering student at UCT. Enjoy the story of all her stories right here.
The EVERYWOMAN Project is an ambitious initiative linking three Cape Town organisations: WOMAN ZONE, ARTSCAPE and the ZEITZ MOCAA. The end result is destined to be one giant textile art installation – still to find a name – that will ultimately be presented to the Artscape Theatre Centre on the occasion of its 50th anniversary on May 19th 2021. Many hundreds of women have helped, and are helping, to create it. The Education Department of Education at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Africa Art has supplied limitless enthusiasm as well as the venue for the construction workshops. Da Gama Textiles in East London supplied the iconic shweshwe fabric and Artscape has supplied support all along the way and will be the artworks final showcase. As we reach the halfway mark of its completion – listen here to how it’s been going….
With a lot expected from her when she was a learner, educator Gugu Radebe, expects, or hopes for, a lot from other young women. Listen to her journey and the philosophy behind the organization she founded called GALE, Girls Advocacy Leadership and Education based in Langa.
Zimbabwean born writer-filmmaker Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu weaves magic in her books. The latest is The History of Man, the first was the award-winning The Theory of Flight. Nancy Richards spoke to her about them both.
twyg is an online platform designed to inspire and support a modern, eco-conscious and forward-thinking lifestyle – focusing on fashion, food and places that don’t harm the planet. Founder Jackie May talks about its origins, its ethos and its awards.
Trudy Rushin’s is the beautiful voice and gently haunting song that opens every episode of this FINDING HERSELF series. Find out here how despite a number of challenges, she came to be doing what she loves best, singing.
In her book Death and the After Parties - a memoir (Karavan Press) JOANNE HICHENS shares the full range of emotions she felt following first the death of her mother, then in quick succession her husband, her father and her mother-in-law. Recovery after the death of loved ones is a life-long affair – but what she deals with here is coping with the raw early stages and the agonising aftermath. It is a book to which every one can relate, on many different levels.
Our December online Woman Zone Book Club marked this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. Our speakers, NECHAMA BRODIE author of Femicide in South Africa (Kwela) and TRACY GOING author of Brutal Legacy - a memoir (MFBooks) shared some invaluable insight and information on the scourge of violence that affects so any women in our country.
At roughly half way through her life – Jessica Hewson is, broadly speaking, a journalist. But media in all its in many forms, past and present is her passion. Despite a disability she has taken her future very much into her own hands on a journey that has been sometimes seriously bumpy, but never dull.
Each year the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence renews the fight against this national scourge. But GBV is not new. XOLISWA NDUNENI-NGEMA’s shocking history of mental and physical abuse goes back 30 years to the days of Sarafina! the musical. In Heart of a Strong Woman she shares her own side of this high-profile story. NB: Our apologies for the poor quality of the sound in this episode.
Just turned fifteen, Lea Lukoji has her whole life ahead of her - with so much more to discover about the world, and to find out about herself. But she’s a thoughtful young woman – with her very own brand of wisdom, and care. This episode has been kindly sponsored by Emma Numanoglu, childbirth educator, midwife and lactation specialist at breastfeedingmatters.co.za
Kagiso Msimango is the sort of woman many of us would just love to be. She’s bright, beautiful, funny with a multi-layered media career, a caring partner and two lovely daughters. But her third book 'Unfck Yourself Unfck the World' describes how it all very nearly came crashing down around her. She doesn’t profess to have all the answers, but in it she shares much hard-earned wisdom.
Following an impressive career in Human Resources, Professor SHIRLEY ZINN now has her own Consultancy specialising in HR, Transformation, Leadership and Education. But getting there is a longer story as she explains in a memoir called Swimming Upstream. Beryl Eichenberger of Woman asked her first, what she orginally hoped to be.
This episode was kindly sponsored by Charlene Yared West, Doula Hypnotherapist and Hypnobirthing practitioner at RelaxIntoBirth.com
Multi-disciplinary arts coordinator, curator, writer, FAYE KABALI-KAGWA talks about #DearUs Matric 2020 – her WhatsApp exhibition featuring six learners. It is in included in the Fak’ugesi African Digital Creativity Festival.
Jo’burg based Financial Planner KIM POTGIETER talks about her new free e-book called 30 MONEY MISTAKES WOMEN MAKE & WAYS TO GET BACK ON TRACK. She also shares her own money journey.
‘The Karen Book of Rules’ takes a good hard look at what it means to be ‘a karen’ – the rather unflattering, relatively new name, or meme, associated with women of a certain type and attitude. Sub-titled ‘Harness your INNER KAREN and use your power for good’, it’s been put together, ever so slightly, but only just, tongue-in-cheek, by writers Karin Schimke and Karen Jeynes – both of whose name certainly qualifies them to comment.
JEN THORPE is a feminist. She describes it as a being and a doing word. But for her its also a thinking word – and to help share the concept she has focused on capturing it as a written word. Most recently this has been through the two anthologies she has edited called Feminism Is and Living Whilst Feminist, Our Bodies Our Truths. I’m NR and I asked Jen when she first came across the word…..
DESIREE-ANNE MARTINS book We Don’t Talk About It. Ever talks so honestly and openly about her utterly dysfunctional life of addiction, abuse and agony as a child and young woman, that you just want to hug her – then give her a medal for surviving it. She has come out the other side, 16 years clean, a counsellor and award winning writer. Her life, her story is complex, compelling – and for many will be so very, very familiar.
The forced removals of the apartheid era in Cape Town saw communities ripped apart, families damaged and the hearts of many individuals irreparably broken. Decades later, as a journalist BRONWYN DAVIDS covered many forced removal stories but was always reluctant to tell her own. Until one day the floodgate opened. Writing first on facebook, then on a retreat, with the input of a number of people and several drafts later, she finally put together Lansdowne Dearest: My family’s story of forced removals a book that’s filled with rich memory and colourful narrative. It begins in 1920 with the house that great-grandpa Joe McBain built and tracks the family members that follow with passion, honesty and humour. Bronwyn has written for the community and for her family’s legacy – but more than anything, to free herself.
HEDI LAMPERT'S novel The Trouble with My Aunt – deals primarily with the issue of Fragile X Syndrome. A condition as common as Down’s Syndrome, but less well-known, and often linked to autism. In real life it affected her own Aunt, Aunty Vi – as well as her whole family one way or another. Hedi’s novel, while based on the experiences of her own family, offers both an entertaining love story, uncovering long held family secrets as well as a well-researched and informed approach to the condition itself. She's in conversation here with Beryl Eichenberger, Woman Zone’s chief librarian at The Women’s Library at Artscape.
On Women's Day, August 9 2020, as happene every year as part of Artscape Theatre Centre #WomensFest2020, Theresa Smith hosted our Women's Day Radio Show on Fine Music Radio Inc. She interviewed some of the artists involved in this years virtual Festival including: Siphokazi Jonas poet, Nadine McKenzie of Unmute Dance Company, Vuvu Nompetshini of Jazzart, Bianca Flanders actress and songwriter and of course Artscape's very own CEO Marlene le Roux. Good news, you can listen to it right here, right now. Enjoy......
If you’ve been listening to earlier episodes in this WZ podcast series, you may have wondered about the siren call at the beginning and at the end. Well that lovely voice belongs to PHILIPPA KABALI-KAGWA – singer, storyteller – facilitator and long-term member of Woman Zone who has shared many a story with us at the Women’s Library at Artscape. I’m NR and when I asked Philippa for a title for this her very own episode, she suggested ‘What Story Gives Me’…. So I suggested, she tell us a story….which she does, but first she gives us the story behind the story….
Kelly-Eve Koopman is a multidisciplinary artist – and author of Because I couldn’t Kill you described as a memoir on her Feminist Struggle, Missing Father and Myths of Memory and published by Melinda Ferguson. Kelly-Eve herself also describes it as a ‘queer manifesto.’ Here in conversation with Desiree-Anne Martin, she explains more of its origins and process. These two have much to share because Desiree-Anne Martin is also an author - a poet, a counsellor and integral member of the Woman Zone Book Club which meets once a month at The Women’s Library at Artscape inviting a guest author to come and share her story. Desiree also recently won the Arts24/Kwela Corona fiction award for her story Delirium. But here, she asked Kelly-Eve first, to describe herself…
Welcome to WOMAN ZONE – connecting women through their stories
At Woman Zone, an organisation designed to bring together women of different backgrounds, we find that one woman’s story often resonates way beyond her, her community, town or country. Through these podcasts we hope to spread such stories wider.
In this episode we talk to COLLEEN HIGGS, founder of Modjaji women’s publishers and author of MY MOTHER, MY MADNESS in which she reveals the very personal story of her complex mother, and mother complex.
Maybe you have a story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it. Find us on www.womanzonect.com or facebook Woman Zone CT.
Welcome to WOMAN ZONE – connecting women through their stories.
Woman Zone is an organisation designed to bring together women of different backgrounds – to get to know and understand one another through their stories. Based in Cape Town we meet sometimes in our Women’s Library, sometimes in one another’s homes or communities. But women’s stories often resonate beyond one woman, one town or community and in this podcast we’re taking the opportunity to spread them wider.
In this episode we talk to mother and daughter team, PORTIA MBAU and LUMAI MIRA DE SMIDT who put together THE AFRICA COOKBOOK, a delicious collection of Portia recipes from Cape Town's famous Africa Cafe. They talk us through the journey of this visual feast.
Maybe you have a story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear it. Find us on www.womanzonect.com or facebook Woman Zone CT.