KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Literary Festival organised a creative writing workshop for learners to ink their stories and let their imaginations take flight. This culminated in an award ceremony on March 16 where some of the most outstanding young writers were acknowledged, in the company of Knysna mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies as well as festival founder Ling Dobson.
The workshop was conducted by FunDza’s Sonja Kruse at Knysna Primary School, with more than 10 schools participating.
“This is our second year and third set of workshops with the Knysna Literary Festival," said Kruse. "It is easy to say 'yes' when we keep seeing the festival grow and improve each year. The schools are also incredibly keen to offer their learners additional resources and their buy-in makes it worthwhile. Every time we come we are also privileged to watch young writers reach within themselves and find their inner storyteller.”
She said she once heard that there are as many reasons for writing as there are writers, adding, “In the workshops this week this was very clear.”
Some of the brave learners shared some of their stories after each activity, one such being about a polar bear and a snow wolf that had to escape greedy hunters who are after their fur.
Another story told how a teacher who used to be a double agent ended up going over to the dark side and kidnapping her learners. Some learners pictured themselves in their stories, telling it from a first-person narrative.
Kruse, who described writing as therapy to her, said if there was anything she would like the learners to take from the workshop, it would be, “To open their minds and their hearts when they write. To throw the rule books out. To believe in their own creativity. To shut out their inner critic. And to read more, because reading develops them as writers.”
Below are some of this year’s winners:
9-12: Bruno Frans, Knysna Primary
13-15: Carla Collins, Montessori High
16-19: Chant Messina, Montessori High
9-12: Annique Hendricks, Knysna Primary
13-15: Michaela Lourens, Knysna Primary
16-19: Andrea Geswindt, Concordia High
9-12: Yonela Tsosa, Thembelitsha Primary
13-15: Asalizwa Thinga, Chris Nissen Primary
16-19: Asive Dyantyi, Percy Mdala High
Woorde (by Andrea Geswindt)
Sy’s diep weggesteek in ‘n skatkis
Terwyl ek opsoek is na wie ek rerig is
Ek prober als terugsteel
Maar sy keer my en als word net te veel
In die klas is ek maar altyd die stil kind
Dis al “way” om vrede in my hart te laat plaasvind
Antwoorde wou ek hê…
Maar diep binne het sy die woord “VREDE” gesê
Sy stoot alle vreugde van my hart af weg
Al wat ek kan doen is net om harder te veg
Ek draai al voor deure van kerke
Ek is ongelukkig, my hart is vol merke
Ek soek iemand om mee te praat net om haar weg te hou
Maar sy keer my en verwys na ‘n galgtou
Diep in die nagte begin ek huil
Gekrap aan my venster van ‘n swart uil
Ek wil net alleen wees
Sy stry teen dit, want sy weet net hoe om my gedagtes te lees
Ek probeer die Onse Vader-gebed onthou
Uiteindelik het die woorde van die gebed haar stilgehou
Words (by Chant Messina)
Living deprived of sun, and forever stifled by night
The librarian roamed an ancient cellar
Lone years he squandered in shadow, had only two moths to care for his plights
With skin pale as paper, and sallow knuckles holding aloft a lantern,
He sifted amid the shelves: his flames waver
Made mottled spines seem like faces
Books glowered down, cursing from cloaks of dust, stowed, and deserted
They had not mouths, instead, disembodied voices
Although the bookracks stood upon precise lines, they looked crooked
Some tomes were heavier and solemn, others erratic
Damp crawled along wizened spines, and bled between pages
The librarian mused: Which of those knowing words would fall prey to moth, mildew and worm?
Stagnant insights of forgotten men – consumed by mushrooms
While memory mouldered, it forsook him in endless gloom
Amagama (by Asive Dyantyi)
Ulikhwazile elithi “Ndivumele ndithethe”
Kwaye kwavakala
Ulikhwazile elithi “hlala phantsi uzole”
Kwaye kwavakala
Ishukumile eyakhe imilebe
Wazivula ezakhe iindlebe
Okuthethiweyo akuthathanga mizuzu kuvakale
Naye akwenzileyo akuthathanga xesha kubonakale
Amazwi ache ebengu nkente-nkente
Kwezo ndlebeAmazwi ache ebengu “ndimamele”
Kuloo ngqondwana bingathi ngamera kuloo ntliziywana
Ibingenguye na lo bembulala?
Ibingenguye na lo bemobhula?
Mhlawumbi ngalo mazwi awathethileyo
Mhlawumbi ngamagama awakhethileyo
Mhlawumbi ngamagama enene
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