Dark Continent My Black Arse author inspires

KNYSNA NEWS - "Your dreams are valid," was the gist of the message author Sihle Khumalo relayed to Percy Mdala High School learners during the Knysna Literary Festival last week during a talk with Grade 12 learners at the school.

He challenged them to follow their dreams, because "You owe it to yourself".

Talking about his own dreams, Khumalo – who has written four books and contributed to two, and who comes from humble rural beginnings in Nqutu, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) –said being an author was not his main dream and that his journey started in 2005 when he turned 30 and wanted to do something bigger and better, which then led to his three-month journey from Cape to Cairo using public transport.

"Subsequent to that I wrote a book titled Dark Continent My Black Arse, meaning notwithstanding challenges facing the continent it is not a dark continent. I explored Africa. One day I urge you to try and find out what the continent is about."

Author Sihle Khumalo at Percy Mdala High School last week. Photo: Nwabisa Pondoyi

Opening up worlds
Khumalo said when one thing opens up it opens you up to a new world you never knew existed. In support of this statement, he shared the following about his first book: "I realised this was something I always wanted to do and that nothing is as fulfilling as walking into a bookshop and finding among the thousands of books that are there, Sihle Khumalo's books – no amount of money can buy that feeling."

He reiterated that whatever the dream is, if learners put their minds to it, it is possible. "I come from deep rural KZN and never thought I'd be here or invited to a number of literary festivals. Chasing your dreams is not going to be easy – there will be challenges, but you owe it to yourself to see it through."

He told the learners to divorce themselves from the mentality to impress other people or seek approval, because people will never be satisfied.

"We want young people who want to do bigger things than what we're doing," he said, adding that the bigger picture should always be about leaving a mark, a legacy.

Khumalo asked the learners, "Have you ever read a book and felt, but no, that is not how the storyline should go?" which was met by the learners nodding in agreement. The author then said, "We need people to tell our stories; maybe you are what is missing, you are what is needed to close the gap and tell our stories and do them justice."

Author Sihle Khumalo with Percy Mdala Grade 12 learners during the Knysna Literary Festival last week.