Poetry Africa is an international poetry festival first hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa in 1996.
The Centre for Creative Arts other famous events are Time of the Writer and the Durban International Film Festival.
The 2022 edition of Poetry Africa will start on Thursday, October 6 with a variety of activities including panels, poetry slams, and loads more.
Some of the scheduled speakers are Belita Andre, Lebo Mashile, Mana Bugallo, Modise Segkothe, Nomashenge, Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, Roché Kester, Sabelo Soko, Siphokazi Jonas, Thando Fuze, vangile gantsho, and Xabiso Villi.
The keynote speaker for the festival is Diana Ferrus. Ferrus is a writer, poet, performance poet and storyteller. Her work has been published in various collections and some serve as prescribed texts for high school learners.
In 2012 Diana received the inaugural Mbokodo Award for poetry. She has published three books, Ons Komvandaan, I’ve come to take you home (2010), Die vrede kom later (2019). I’ve Come To Take You Home was dedicated to the indigenous South African woman Sarah Baartman who was taken away from her country under false pretences and paraded as a sexual freak in Europe.
This poem touched the heart of the French Senate and upon hearing it they voted unanimously that her remains should come home.
Diana’s work has had and still has a bearing and influence on matters of race, sex and reconciliation.
