The Trouble With Black Folks

Poetics:”short lifetimes demand action”

good things come to the waiting list the last guest at the wedding this snake-tied / balding head cat with the crumpled suit alligator shoes, silver calf-links and whisky breath sophisticated reptilian looking like someone long hooked on crystal meth … eyes deep in debt seen it all life’s shortened long breadth earth turning about a

beginning at the end …

In the picture at national festival LWAZI Xaba, also known as King Zorro, comes across as one who won’t let means, or lack thereof, determine his success as an artist. A native of Estcourt in rural KwaZulu-Natal and Umlazi in Durban, Xaba’s grown up hard and learnt the art of using your passion and opportunity

The Kings Music

  “One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain, so hot me with music …” – Bob Marley and The Wailers We live in a time when there is so much conflict in the universe. It is as if the whole of humanity is plagued with the scourge of corruption, distortion,

Knowledge Of Self Sessions: Why Ethiopia

Ethiopia and the Origin of Civilization A Critical Review of the Evidence of Archaeology, Anthropology, History and Comparative Religion: According to the Most Reliable Sources and Authorities By John G. Jackson (1939) “It is pretty well settled that the city is the Negro’s great contribution to civilization, for it was in Africa where the first

Poetics: an odd old poem by Menzi Maseko

Love lore and ritual A song for the tea farmers, drinkers and the earth that provides it His breath was lavender After a heavy nights rain Voice like the fresh breathing of earth after the thunder A sweet here- after A moment when the now is known The past remembered and the future ingrown There

Poetics: In honor of Keorapetse ‘Willie’ Kgositsile

In his own words: ‘You cannot teach someone how to be a poet. Until you have acquired the skills to write you do not know what kind of a writer you will be…I think we [South Africans] have a big problem when it comes to reading. There are a lot of people who think they

Poetics: Homage to Mazisi Kunene

What better honor can we give to a great writer than to keep his work alive for the instruction of the coming generations? The impact of Mazisi Kunene in the world of literature in Indigenous languages and to Southern Afrika in particular is immensely valuable. Despite the fact that Kunene served as a Professor at

black progress

Black Consciousness Then, Now and In The Near Future: The main reason for this paper is to offer some much needed clarity concerning the development and usefulness of the Idea of Black Consciousness, a way of thinking and being that can be called a philosophy yet is clearly much more than that. I have chosen

When Black Stars Fade

Something About Bra Don Mkhwanazi NB. This unfinished essay was written around the year 2013 as just a personal reflection on the efficacy of African business leaders and African intellectuals. How have South Africa’s most famous business leaders helped to transform the lives of their communities was just one of the questions I had in mind.