Book Launch: Shedding – Africa S. Dlamini || Pre-Book Launch: The Frightened – Lethokuhle Msimang

Shedding – Africa S. Dlamini

Facilitator: Ongezwa Mbele

As nature dictates, all there is that exists under the mercy of time, from crawling and slithering creatures, to every stone used by a mason to build, to trees submitting to changing of seasons, so do humans, must shed. Shedding is a journey of a man paved with a sombre tone and carries a melancholic mood throughout while exploring concepts of “heal the boy child, heal the man”. It is an excavation of childhood memories and associated traumas, sentiments on the concepts of parenthood and family ties (or lack thereof), and diving into what great deal men fear to dive into; his emotions. The purpose of shedding is to realise oneself anew; by that virtue, this is a body of work that seeks closure and healing as its ultimate purpose.

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Pre-Book Launch: The Frightened – Lethokuhle Msimang

Facilitator: Stacy Hardy

Lethokuhle Msimang reads from her upcoming novella, The Frightened (impepho press 2021) and chats with editor, Stacy Hardy on how this story came about.

In this lyrical, fragmented novella, Lethokuhle Msimang uses autobiographical and poetic interventions to lead the reader through landscapes of loss and longing, travelling between France, China and South Africa, to explore the troubled terrain of leaving and finding home. At once exhilarating, heart-breaking and haunting, The Frightened speaks to the complexity of relationships, the pain of love, the effects of trauma, the necessity and constant work of healing, and the unfulfillable wish to feel a true sense of belonging. It is the story of finding one’s voice amidst inherited violence, and the importance of art and creativity in that process.