mazisi Kunene

An Early Music Revival: African Intellectuals as Composers

As early as the 19th century, Africa already had intellectuals who also excelled as composers of music. They took what was a western education and music training and made something of their own. The Early African Intellectuals as Composers of Music project puts a spotlight on this cultural renaissance. Tiyo Soga, who was the first …

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Creating Our Own Myths: A Public Conversation

“When the colonised intellectual writing for his people uses history, he must do so with the intention of opening up the future.” Dr Thokozani Mhlambi opened the conversation by quoting these immortal words by Frantz Fanon. This was at a gathering of cultural innovators that was held at the KZNSA Gallery in Durban, South Africa …

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The Intellectual Practice of Mazisi Kunene & African Languages in the Future

Few today can imagine that when Shakespeare was writing in English during his time, it was not fashionable to do so. During the 1500s educated English people wrote and read Latin. French was used for legal matters, while Latin was used to write science, philosophy and theology. That is what they learnt. They did not …

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