Written By Mawethu Nkosana
When Fanon said “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it(1961)”, he was suggesting that each generation due to its differences from pre-existing generations is presented with a different mission. The mission is to discover its purpose and depending on how strongly it feels about it, either to demolish it completely or fulfil it. An analysis of the quote is the first crucial step in attempting to engage with this literature (Poetry Potion 2013.02) as its genesis is rooted in the same perspective and thus the title “Every Generation”
From its book cover the whistles of social consciousness blow as strong as thunder. Like most renegades, it is staunch in what it aims to communicate and just through skimming on the art illustration, already a number of dialogues were taking to the race course in my mind .The book somehow radiated an existence felt even before opened and it’s this intrigue really that geared me towards the editorial, which on its own could have survived as a separate essay due to the intensity of the content and style its written in.
Duduzile Mabaso who edits the book presents her mind in the best way she knows how to, quite firm in stating her views on generational gap and towards the older generation views of the youth such as the Lost generation heuristic, which is often attached to current youths throughout history as a derogatory phrase that aims to express the dismay of the old towards a rebellious, immoral, apolitical, non-caring, ignorant youth. Duduzile counter argues that the youth knows its mission and presents this book as testament to their abilities.
In the same lenses, the book profiles some of the greatest South African minds and artists, notable and most beneficial to me was the interview with Mputlane wa Bofelo, an artist extraordinaire who started writing during the apartheid days. The interview besides just being about Bofelo, also offers crucial advice to new artists. Bofelo touches on a lot of issues most young artists struggle with such as the creation of saleable art, importance of history and culture in art and the benefits of collaborating as artists amongst other things.
Through brief profiles the book pays tribute to two great late South African writers of the 19th and 20th century respectively, Nontsizi Mqhweto, and Herbert Dhlomo both dynamic but whose works never got the popularity it deserved.
The poems featured in the publication are from various contributors hailing from different school of thoughts and life, one of the poems being Carla Chait’s “Elegy for a legacy”, a poem full of interestingly presented memoir of images written in an amazing fashion demanding of attention. BeLumko’s “We are them” is also an amazing featured poem so is the piece by Sithembile Matyobeni. The calibre of writing in all the poems featured in this series gives hope to a dying language.
One of my favourite sections has to be the “Poetry seen”, which reviewed an event that recently happened at the African Freedom Station presenting The Great ‘Bavino’ Ntate Lesego Rampolokeng. The article coupled with interview unmasks the man behind the name. You get to really see why Ntate Rampolokeng is a true martyr of words and history will never get bored of writing about him.
Other features to look for is an interview with Ntsika Tyatya, a new emerging poetry phenomenon on PRAAT Poetry Festival and lastly a section called Writers Block which imparts writing knowledge to aspiring writers with a particular focus on Imagery with in this issue.
Poetry Portion 2013.02 Every Generation is an absolute must have. Its vibrancy and artistic pages make it appealing to individuals of any age group that have a sheer passion for art. It’s a quarterly publication, with each themed under an Afrocentric value, quote, or influence.
You can never call yourself an African intellectual if you are feeding on Eurocentric publications. Lets support South African and African literature and let the imports be second best. It’s only through an engineering of an education system fully entrenching African values and principles will the African subject be fully liberated.
Book Title: Poetry Portion 2013.03 Every Generation
Editor : Duduzile Zamantungwa Mabaso
Publisher : Black Letter Media (Pty) Ltd
Book Description : The second print quarterly of Poetry Potion is themed: Every Generation. Inspired by Fanon’s, “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover, fulfil or betray is mission”; this edition explored whether or not our young poets have discovered their mission.
Genre : Poetry
ISBN # : (ISSN) 2304-8107
No. of pages : 58 (Including editorial ,profiles and credits)
Poetry Potion 2013.02 Every Generation is available at http//bookloversmarket.net
