THE ENIGMATIC EGYPTIAN/SOUTH AFRIKAN POET TATAMKHULU AFRIKA!

Mr Tatamkhulu Afrika

This man is so interesting!!

He was born to Egytian parents w/whom he moved to Southern Africa at the age of 2.Unfortunately they passed away shorthly after ,and he was then raised by a white South African family. He only discovered around the age of 17 that he was adopted by this Christian family.

When World War II took place, he was drafted and unfortunately made prisoner of war in Europe.

During those years he wrote his first book who never was published because it got destroyed by the guards. Of course you can imagine that he was devasted, i'ts 1 thing to be in prison and another to put all your energy in writting and having that taken away from you...

Years after he returned to South Africa and worked as a bartender, a miner, a drummer...he formed friendships w/black people 1 black man in particular who ended up committing suicide...

This was also at the time when apartheid, racism was at his peak,
Tatamkhulu was a fierce pro-black political figure who decided to move in the black and minorites neighberhood "District Six" precisly....

you have 2 remenber that because of his blue eyes his fair skin and his white upbringing he could have a much easier life had he decided to to stick w/white..

He became a Muslim, and part of the ANC...of course he was an enemy of the gov' at the time and spent more time in jail etc...etc...

He's remenbered as a great poet , his writtings speak volumes to people who suffered from apartheid, injustice, racisme and who also to us who never fortunatelyhad to experience it..but who need to acknowledge and understand..

He's a bit controversial because of his "homosexual references" in his writtings, he never denied that he was gay but was against categorizing people...mmm

He died at the age of 82 , shortly before his last novel came out , for those interested his autobiogaphy is called "Mr Chameleon" I will eventually try to read it..

.mmm waouh interesting man!!

I would love to see a movie about his life...

Djaa we need to know more about the Fathers of African Litterature:)

Eyee Wayee:)