Women’s Month is an opportune time to celebrate the voices that have enriched Cape Town’s literary legacy. Within the city, many literary gems are authored by talented women who have not only contributed to the world of literature but have also woven their narratives into the diverse tapestry of Cape Town’s identity.
Immersing ourselves in the words of these remarkable writers and their stories can be deeply enriching, yet it’s not just about the act of reading itself. It’s about the journey into different perspectives, the understanding of diverse realities, and the power of recognising the identities of those who have crafted these narratives.
The remarkable women writers from Cape Town each offer a distinct lens through which to view the world, reminding us to broaden our literary horizons and embrace the variety of storytelling.
Here are five of those writers:
1. Mia Arderne
Mia Arderne seamlessly weaves the intricacies of gender, race, identity, sexuality and mental health into her insightful narratives. Her work has been published in renowned platforms, including New Frame, Mail & Guardian, The Vrye Weekblad, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, VISI, GQ and City Press.
In 2020, Mia’s literary prowess took centre stage with her debut novel, Mermaid Fillet. Notably, this remarkable work garnered long-list recognition at the prestigious Sunday Times-CNA Literary Awards and even earned a place on the University of Cape Town’s study list, underscoring its profound impact on contemporary discourse.
Mia Arderne is not only a writer; she artfully uses her words to shed light on the complexities of identity and finding one’s place in the world.
This uncle was bald with intent. He was a man who got out of his Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in boxer shorts and slides to put petrol in his car. Kids playing foursquare in the street looked at him and marvelled. ’Cause how many coloured multi-millionaires do you know? The man would rip the thick gold chain off his neck and fling it into a man’s ribs to get what he wanted. He would park in front of Spar and leave all his stuff in the car, unlocked. No one touched it, whether he was in Belhar extension or Camps Bay, because people knew. A man of gallantry, despite his savage reputation; the last of the old school. A husband to a talented and exquisite woman. A woman who could have been a prima ballerina, if she hadn’t been disallowed from all major stages for being coloured. Theirs was an old school chise. She would eat the three corners of the samoosa and he would have the middle. A tradition they continued even after they’d amassed unimaginable wealth.
– Mermaid Fillet
2. C.A. Davids
A prominent figure in South African literature, C.A. Davids has left an indelible mark as both a writer and editor. Her debut novel, The Blacks of Cape Town, published in 2013, captivated readers with its narrative depth. And beyond her acclaimed novel, Davids has proven her versatility through a collection of wonderful short stories.
Born in Cape Town in 1971, Davids has carved a diverse career path with a professional journey spanning various continents. Her latest novel, How to Be a Revolutionary, explores the landscapes of contemporary Shanghai, late apartheid-era South Africa and pivotal moments in Chinese history.
How to Be a Revolutionary navigates the complexities of allegiance to one’s country, the weight of conscience and the journey to self-discovery.
The repetitive beat of typewriter keys always amplified at around one a.m., because this was the time when life on the street below stilled. Shanghai never became truly quiet. Only in the slip of time between midnight and four a.m. did the traffic recede and the noise temporarily wane. All day long the din of construction filled the air as cranes and gantries, as common to the sky as birds and planes to other cities, crisscrossed the grey. Bamboo scaffolding woven intricately as fine cotton gave shape to the vertical city, while beneath, shift workers arrived all day long, the hum and thrust of metal always in the distance.
In those months when I was new to the city and its unfathomable sounds, I knew this was the time, if any, that I would hear him typing.
– How to Be a Revolutionary
Also read: Newly shelved novels by local authors at The Book Lounge
3. Karin Schimke
Karin Schimke, a versatile literary figure, traces her roots back to Pretoria, where her multicultural heritage shaped her unique perspective. After studying languages and delving into journalism, Schimke took a job as a bilingual news reporter in 1991.
This marked the inception of a vibrant career that saw her contributing to influential publications like The Argus, The Star and The Cape Times. Embracing freelance work from 2000 onward, Schimke’s words have graced the pages of Mail & Guardian, Daily Maverick, Marie Claire, VISI and more.
Her literary dexterity extends to poetry, with her debut collection, Bare & Breaking, clinching the Ingrid Jonker Prize in 2014. Beyond her written works, Schimke’s role as a writing coach, developmental editor and mentor underscores her commitment to nurturing emerging voices in the literary realm.
Through her Substack platform, she continues to connect with her audience, sharing her passion and love for the written word.
What was I walking after or into in those neons, down the corridors, around the rooms of those mountains, among the sheep, in the whipping breeze of late spring, all green green green like pain you press on for pleasure?
Bushes tufted with woolly sheddings and the edges of winds hooked in from across borders imagined by long ago. Meadows where we had to hop between the splashy pats of a thousand long-faced ruminants. Streams and gulleys and ruins and moss and lichen and hedges. Slopes of coppery heather and angles of hill and cloud. Valleys divided by hedge into a shimmering quilt.
Nothing was I walking after or into except my own feet finding their form on paths where I was glad to be a visitor in my own one short life.
4. Jolyn Phillips
Hailing from Gansbaai, Jolyn Phillips stands as a literary force to be reckoned with. Her 2016 publication, Tjieng Tjang Tjerries and Other Stories, a captivating collection of short stories, swiftly garnered attention, earning a spot as a finalist for the University of Johannesburg’s Debut Prize for South African Literature.
The accolades continued to flow with the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences Prize for Best Fiction, while the University of Rhodes embraced her work as prescribed coursework. Phillips ventured into poetry with the release of Radbraak in 2017, a volume that resonated deeply and earned accolades, including the UJ Prize for Best Debut.
Her artistry extends beyond the written word, with a fusion of poetry and music that adds a unique dimension to her creative expression. Phillips’ impact reached the stage as well, where her role in the poetry play, Woorde op Akoorde, earned her a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees Festival.
I liked An Molla’s house. It was always full of laughter and they liked singing for Jesus and on Fridays, I would go to youth practice, and wear skirts and doekies that you tie like a bolla behind your head. Best of all is, they always had milk and Coke in the fridge, not like in our house where we drank powder milk in our cereal because Ma said milk was for madams and queens and we weren’t either. Sometimes An Molla even asked me to comb her hair when she came from work at the fish factory. I combed it carefully and handled it like something precious. Her hair always smelt like Colgate Apple shampoo. Afterwards, when I got home in the evening, I untangled my hair and combed it out and imagined I had hair like hers, but mine was brittle and kroes and had never grown past my ears.
– Tjieng Tjang Tjerries & other stories
5. Bronwyn Davids
Bronwyn Davids is a compelling literary voice, known for her poignant narrative non-fiction work, Lansdowne Dearest. This evocative book encapsulates her personal journey and her community’s ordeal during forced removals from the 1960s to 1981 in Lansdowne.
Her narrative deftly unfolds through the lens of her childhood and teenage perspective, offering a heartfelt portrayal of her family and the wider community. Davids’ journalistic roots were nurtured at The Argus and The Cape Times from 1988 to 1992, before her global exploration spanning 20 countries across six continents.
After years devoted to art and studies, she rekindled her passion for words, embarking on a multifaceted journey, from news reporting and academic translating to content writing and now as a skilled publicist.
They may have been the owners of their land, but my family was not rich in money. What it was rich in was magic, from the quaintness of the house’s layout to the sprawling garden with all its interesting nooks and crannies.
– Lansdowne Dearest
Also read:
Picture: Gülfer ERGİN / Unsplash
