Mongane Wally Serote

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Mongane Wally Serote (1944-). Highly regarded poet and novelist.

Biography

Serote was born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 May 1944, and went to school in Alexandra, Lesotho, and Soweto. He was held in detention in 1969, left the country in 1979 to live in Botswana. On his return he became head of the ANC Cultural Desk.

His published poems include Yakhal ‘inkomo (1972), Tsetlo (1974), No Baby Must Weep (1975) Behold: Mama, Flowers (1978) Selected Poems (1981), Come and Hope with Me (1994) and the novel To Every Birth its Blood (1981).

His poetry has often been used in performances. Notably also at MDALI’s Black Arts Festival in Soweto in 1973.

He contributed to the creation of the musical play Phiri.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jo’Burg City Theatres.

Awards, etc.

ACT Award 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award – Literature.

Sources

SA History Online [1].

Wikipedia [2].

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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