Mongane Wally Serote

thumb|Mongane Wally Serote Mongane Wally Serote (born 8 May 1944) is a South African poet and writer. He became involved in political resistance to the apartheid government by joining the African National Congress (ANC) and in 1969 was arrested and detained for several months without trial. He subsequently spent years in exile, working in Botswana, and later London, England, for the ANC in their Arts and Culture Department, before eventually returning to South Africa in 1990. He was inaugurated as South Africa's National Poet Laureate in 2018. Quotes Third World Express (1992) It is that wind it is that voice buzzing it is whispering and whistling in the wires miles upon miles upon miles on the wires in the wind in the subway track in the rolling road in the not silent bush it is the voice of the noise here it comes the Third World Express they must say, here we go again. Serote, 1992:35. O, go away, you steely monster! Why must you arrive so soon When I, at the moment, am lost in thought And wish that I could hide myself At home among the mielie-stalks, Covered with cobs, surrounded by pumpkins; For there I should never be disturbed By bustling crowds of chattering people Passing noisily on their way: I see them at dawn, I see them at dusk – At sunrise and sunset they pass me by. Vilakazi, 2008:7-9. Qoutes You can't be an observer just because you are a poet. You must also contribute to the fighting. Serote explained that writers have a responsibility not only to document injustice but also to participate actively in the struggle against oppression. Writing, which is a segment of culture which is life itself, cannot be divorced from economics or politics. Serote argued that literature and culture are inseparable from the political and economic realities in which people live. The first commitment of any writer is to politics; the second, which makes the writer, is in writing. Serote explained that, in apartheid South Africa, writers could not separate artistic practice from political commitment, while emphasizing that literary quality remained essential. It becomes the role of the writer to look at the under-developed sections of our movement and deal with them truthfully. And look at the highly developed elements of our movement and also deal with them truthfully. Serote discussed the responsibility of writers to examine liberation movements honestly, recognizing both achievements and shortcomings. It becomes necessary as a writer to examine this, and be able to look at our movement and say: are we learning from the experiences of others? Serote urged liberation movements to learn from the successes and failures of other African countries after independence. I was inspired by English poetry, but then I discovered that I could write about our own situation and that's what I set out to do: to write about South Africa and to write about the life that we live. Serote reflected on how his early literary influences eventually gave way to a commitment to writing about South African realities. At primary school, I had very good teachers that had us tell stories. Serote recalled his childhood education and credited his early teachers with encouraging storytelling, which laid the foundation for his writing career. What's in this black shit expresses that deep feeling of wanting to fight and trying to articulate what one does when one fights. Serote explained the origin of his famous poem "What's in This Black 'Shit'" during a 1989 interview. He said the poem grew out of witnessing the daily humiliations of apartheid, including pass laws and the treatment of Black South Africans. One had this very strong feeling that one had to fight this one way or another. In discussing his early poetry, Serote described how everyday experiences under apartheid convinced him that resistance was unavoidable. The quality of life of the people—the way people lived—affected me. Serote explained that seeing poverty, pass-law enforcement, and the daily realities of apartheid shaped both his political consciousness and his writing. Writing is a segment of culture which is life itself. Serote argued that literature is inseparable from the lived experiences of society and therefore cannot be isolated from political and social realities. It is how societies are organized that says how they will eradicate ignorance. Serote discussed the relationship between education, politics, and culture, arguing that social organization determines whether ignorance can be overcome. I am primarily known as a poet. I have, though, written short stories, a novel, and plays and am preparing a manuscript of essays on culture. Serote described the breadth of his literary work while reflecting on his career beyond poetry. External links Category:Poets from South Africa Category:Novelists from South Africa Category:Anti-apartheid activists Category:Prisoners Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Columbia University alumni Category:People from Johannesburg Category:African National Congress politicians