Antjie Krog at the McGregor Poetry Festival 2015

Antjie Krog het met die 2015 Gedigtefees ‘n gehoor van 300 kinders in die palm van haar hand gehad met die energieke aanbieding van haar program Feetjies en Monsters.

At the 2015 Poetry Festival, Antjie had an audience of over 300 children in the palm of her hand with her energetic presentation of her programme “Fairies and Monsters”

Friends-old and new

Over the three years of the festival it has been a treat to meet a special group of people. Once again it was a joy to catch up with poets who have been with us on this special journey from the start. Ian McCallum was a revelation in his first festival, and he continues to astound, inspire and entertain us with his work. Bob Commin is a delight. Blessed with a rich, mature and inspiring voice and filled with an infectious love of life, Bob once again entertained us- this time with his Cowboy Poetry ! Liesl Jobson once again brought her bassoon and poetry to entertain us. Helen Moffett was once again larger than life and full of fun. Kerry Hammerton was there again- inspiring budding poets and gently helping them to achieve that long desired success. Warm and wonderful, Marguerite Van Der Merwe once again led groups through the stunning gardens of Temenos.

Gentle and caring, Patricia Schonstein ,the maestro behind the Anthology. She lovingly brings together the whole project, and we are deeply indebted to her for her enthusiastic commitment to a very special project. And we get a bonus with Patch- her wonderful husband, Don, and delightful family are always there in support.  

Thank you for your special support for our festival. We love you. Floris Brown from Worcester once again joined us. He brought with him blind children from the Pionier School in Worcester. It was an honour to hear these special children reciting their poetry. Thank you Floris for your support. Over at De Akker we welcomed old friends Graham Dukas and Wendy Woodard. Thank you for your continued support of the festival. So wonderful to see old friend, Dorian Haarhoff, again. Dorian is a special, loving man, and we so enjoy having him with us.

All in all it was once again a joy to catch up with old friends, and we hope the future continues to bless us with your presence at this special festival.

David Magner

Potjie on the Stoep

In what we hope is becoming a festival tradition, Festival Co-ordinator and all round Superwoman Jennifer Johnson and husband Martyn open their beautiful home, La Bonheur, to all to end the festival with a Potjie Dinner and Poetry. 

As usual the food was superb, and the entertainment was provided by Lara Kirsten on piano, and locals Dave and Neil. They shared a tribute to Irish Poetry, in their own inimitable way. 

The evening was thoroughly enjoyable and carried on till late in the night with a tired but happy group of organisers finally letting their hair down!

David Magner

All event pictures at the following link: 
http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/09/event-no-65-poetry-and-potjie-on-stoep.html

Open Heart surgery - without an anesthetic

Antjie Krog had entertained the youngsters with aplomb on Friday and I was so looking forward to hearing her adult poetry on Saturday. The venue was again the NG Kerk, but this time the audience was a bit older than the throng who had rocked the Kerk the day before. 

Because I had never really read her poetry, I did not quite know what to expect. What a woman. Her poetry is raw, honest and stunning. She leaves no emotional stone unturned in her quest for an open, honest examination of the human state. It was in turns brutal and lyrical. I left feeling like my chest had been ripped apart and my soul exposed to the world. It was just brilliant!

David Magner


All event pictures at the following link:

http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/08/event-no-31-mede-wetesynapse-with.html

 

I could have Danced all night

What a treat it was to see Mary Corpe’s dancers in action over the festival. Mary has singlehandedly trained a Dance Group, The Next Step Dance Company, and also a ballet group, The First Step Company. 

The children are all locals, and Mary has done a stunning job with them. This was very evident when they performed on the Saturday of the festival. They delighted the audience as they performed outside the Church Hall, and visitors to McGregor were amazed to see the quality of Dance on offer. 

Both groups then delighted the large crowd attending the Poetry Competition Prizegiving, with their own versions of I am an African Child.

Thank you Mary- you are a very special lady!

David Magner

All event pictures at the following link:

http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-mcgregor-poetry-festival-weekend.html

Lara Kirsten

Her fragile stature belies her inner strength! Lara Kirsten may appear elfin like, but her spirit is that of a lion. Back for her second visit to the Festival- this time accompanied by her partner, the delightful Kim Goodwin- she once again entertained a full house of festival lovers with her wit, passion and energy! 

Thank you being with us again and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

David Magner

All event pictures at the following link:

http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/08/event-no-33-that-primal-pulse-with-lara.html

Op en Wakker by die Dam

I was so looking forward to seeing local poets Hester Van Der Walt and Suenel Bruwer- Holloway perform at the newly opened Damfitheatre, at Hester and Lies’ house . 

Unfortunately the miserable weather forced us inside, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of all present. Poena,their beautiful home, was packed tight to enjoy once again the work of these talented neighbours. 

As usual the work was a mix of raw honesty, humour and pathos. A delightful time was had by all, even if we had to vacate the Dam! Thanks to you both for a wonderful afternoon.

David Magner

All event pictures at the following link: 
http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/08/event-no-7-whencewaar-vandaan-with.html

A morning of Monsters en Faeries with Antjie Krog

Following from the tremendous success of the Thursday Youth Programme with the outstanding In Zynch Sessions, we looked to Friday with some anticipation. Here we had one of South Africa’s greatest poets, arriving in McGregor this morning, and presenting a programme for young children. 

And boy, did the children arrive! We had to move the event to the NG Kerk, as over 450 excited children arrived. Some were bused in- special thanks to Sally Anne Murray and Stellenbosch University for a generous donation towards these costs – from neighbouring farm schools, and what a treat it was to host these children. 

Antjie Krog was a revelation. She knew exactly how to relate to the children and the packed church was enraptured by her tales of spooks, monsters and fairies. 

She had them stomping the wooden floorboards so hard I thought the church would come down! It was a triumph! Her address was followed by local children coming to the front of the church to recite their own songs and rhymes. The children were a treat, and entertained the happy audience for another thirty minutes.

We left the church knowing that the day had seen something very special- I am sure it was one the children will never forget. Thank you, Antjie Krog! You are a very special, super talented lady!

David Magner

All event pictures at the following link:

http://danisphotosmc.blogspot.com/2015/08/event-no-3-monsters-en-fairies-with.html

Poetry Competition Prize Giving

The Prize Giving Ceremony for our inaugural Poetry Competition was held on Saturday morning in our Fringe Venue, De Akker. A packed audience was squeezed into the venue to hear the good news. We were delighted that a number of finalists were able to make the journey to McGregor to be with us for this wonderful event.

Two sections were available in the competition. The first was aimed at High School pupils, and the second at adults. Hundreds of entries were received, and the judges’ decision was not an easy one. We are delighted to announce the winners in each section. In the schools’ section we decide to make a runners’ up award as well as a winner, and this went to Onele Rolobile, who won a Gift Voucher for R2000 from Exclusive Books for her poem I’m at War. The winner in this section was a local girl from Bonnievale, Mia Beukes, for her delightful piece entitled Namiblied. Mia won herself an I Pad for her efforts.

In the adult section the winner was Louise Westerhout for her wonderfully descriptive poem entitled, I Simply Left.

Special thanks to Leila Witkin for her generous sponsorship of the prizes, and to the Worcester Standard and the Breede River Gazette, for their support in the competition. This has been a wonderfully stimulating exercise and was richly satisfying for us all. Thanks to everyone for their support!

Sunday 30 August events

48  Bob Commin: Poetry Eucharist

9.00am / The Little Way / 90 min / Offering for charity

49  Friends of Vrolijkheid: Poetry in Motion/Poetry in Stillness

9.00am / Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve / 75 min / R50.00 (includes entry to the Reserve) / Direct bookings: Rose Kent rosehkent@gmail.com / 072 721 7377


50  Open Mic Session 2 hosted by Hugh Hodge

9.30am / Caritas / 50 min / Free event

51  Harry Owen: For Rhino in a Shrinking World

9.30am / Edna Fourie Gallery / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

52  NG Kerk: Feesdiens

9.30vm / NG Kerk McGregor

53  Antjie Krog: Mede-wete/Synapse

9.30vm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

54  Petra Müller: Verbeeldings

11.00vm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

55  Patricia Schonstein: Poetry as Portrait & Still Life

11.00am / Edna Fourie Gallery / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

56  Marguerite van der Merwe: Poetry Walks The Garden Of The Beloved

11.00am / Caritas Garden / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

57  Bob Commin: Four Quartets.

11.00am / The Little Way / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

58  Colleen Higgs: Publishing poetry

11.00am / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

59  Liesl Jobson and Tim Hyslop: Noble Bassoon, Night Singer

11.00am / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

60  Ian McCallum and Wendy Woodward: Poetry-a voice for the voiceless

12.30pm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

61  Christine Coates: Homegrown – Poetry as Memoir.

12.30pm / Edna Fourie Gallery / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

62  Khadija Tracey Heeger: Blood Narrative

12.30pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

63  Gert Vlok Nel: Die lewe se laaste lieflike refrein.

12.30pm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

64  Film: Othello

3.00pm / Wahnfried / 176 min / Donation at the door

65  Festival wrap-up: Poetry and Potjie on the stoep

6.30pm / Le Bonheur / R100.00pp (bring your own wine). Direct bookings: 023 625 1908

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Fringe events at DE AKKER Sunday 30th August

9.00am McGregor Revival Gospel Group (donation)

10.30am Sisca Julius, Sisca Se Stories

11.30am Regine Josephy Steltzmann, Words of Note

12.30pm Dave and Neil, Favourite Irish Poems

Saturday 29 August events

15  Briar Grimley (On behalf of the Breede Centre): In the Beginning….

9.30am / Breede Centre / 50 min / Donation at the door

16  Koos vd Merwe: Daar Waar Rympies Vandaan Kom

9.30vm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

17  Colleen Higgs: Too much information

9.30am / D’Amphitheater / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

18  Marguerite van der Merwe: Poetry Walks The Garden Of The Beloved

9.30am / Caritas Garden / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

19  Growing Poems: Book a small-group session with Douglas Reid Skinner

9.30am / The Little Way / 50 min / R50.00 / Direct booking: 023 625 1871

20  Growing Poems: Book a 15 minute individual mentor session with Kerry Hammerton

9.30am / The Poetry Library in Temenos / 15 min / R50.00 / Direct booking: 023 625 1871

21  Diana Ferrus: Vir 'n soldaat van die Cape Corps - 70 jaar na die Tweede Wêreldoorlog / For a soldier from the Cape Corps - 70 years after World War II.

9.30am / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


22  John Maytham: Serious, sublime and silly

9.30am / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

23  Louise Viljoen: Name in Breyten Breytenbach se poësie.

11.00vm / NG Kerk / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

24  Launch: Stanzas! A new publication for matters poetic

12.30pm / Bemind Winery / 50 min / Donation at the door

25  Briar Grimley (On behalf of the Breede Centre): In the Beginning….

12.30pm / Breede Centre / 50 min / Donation at the door

26  Philip de Vos: Versies vir die dag en vir die nag.

12.30nm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

27  Norman Morrissey and Silke Heiss: Birds, Beasts, Flowers and More. A Selection of Nature Poems

12.30pm / D’Amphitheater / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

28  Ian McCallum with Annie Middleton: Poetry Strikes a Chord

12.30pm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

29  Douglas Reid Skinner: The launch of and reading from The Secret Ambition, a book of poems by the Italian poet Valerio Magrelli translated into English by Douglas Reid Skinner & Marco Fazzini.

2.00pm / Bemind Winery / 50 min / Donation at the door

30  Open Mic Session 1 hosted by Hugh Hodge

2.00pm / Caritas / 50 min / Free event


31  Antjie Krog: Mede-wete/Synapse

2.00nm / NG Kerk / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


32  The InZynch Poetry Session: Praat poësie en rymelary/Spoken Poetry, Rhyming

Adrian Different, Pieter Odendaal en Denver Rimestein

2.00nm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


33  Lara Kirsten: That primal pulse

3.30pm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

34  CANCELLED Genna Gardini: A Reading of Poems by Genna Gardini

3.30pm / Edna Fourie Gallery / 50 min / R50.00 


35  Growing Poems: Book a 15 minute individual mentor session with Kerry Hammerton

3.30pm / The Poetry Library in Temenos / 15 min / R50.00 / Direct booking: 023 625 1871


36  Harry Owen: Searching with Dogs!

3.30pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


37 CANCELLED Prof Adam Small: Klawerjas en daarna 

3.30nm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 
Another Open Mic session with Hugh Hodge has been added to this time slot. 

38  John Maytham: Serious, sublime and silly

5.00pm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


39  Hester van der Walt en Suenel Bruwer-Holloway:

"Whence/Waar vandaan"

5.00pm / D’Amphitheater / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


40  Ansa Smit: Unspoken: Singing soul-tongue aloud.

5.00pm / Edna Fourie Gallery / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


41  Patricia Schonstein: Life as Poetic Pilgrimage

5.00pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


42  Mavis Vermaak: Some Poetry/Some Poems

5.00pm / The Well / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


43  Gert Vlok Nel: Die lewe se laaste lieflike refrein.(sang en poems)

5.00nm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


44  Launch of the McGregor Poetry Festival 2014 Anthology

6.30pm / Caritas / 50 min / free event


45  Forest: Koos Du Plessis “Herinneringe van Gister”

Prys sluit in Sop, Sjerrie en tuisgebakte brood

6.30nm vir 7.00nm / NG Kerksaal / R120.00 Besprekings Direk: 023 625 1685 (9-12vm weeksdae)

Epos ngkmcgregor@telkomsa.net
46  Helen Moffett: Poetry stand-up and fall about

8.00pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here


47  Film: Bob Dylan Dont Look Back

8.00pm / Wahnfried / 96 min / Donation at the door

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Fringe events at DE AKKER Saturday 29th August

8.00am McGregor’s Unistars Band (tbc)  McGregor Violini Group (tbc)

9.00am  The First Step Ballet McGregor and The Next Step Dance Company

9.30am Announcement of Poetry Competition winners (free event)

10.00am Mothertongue Langeberg Youth Arts Project, In Ander Woorde (donation)

12.00pm Langeberg Steelband (donation)

1.00pm Richard Whittaker,A Southern African Iliad and Odyssey

2.00pm Wendy Woodward, Moments of the heart

3.00pm Graham Dukas, Stephanie Saunders and Pam Newham, Poetry, but lighter

4.00pm Wilhelm Snyman, An Introduction to Dante, on the 750th Anniversary of His Birth

5.00pm Kyle Allen / Swellendam Poets

6.00pm Khadija Tracey Heeger, Blood Narrative

7.00pm Open Mic Host: Harry Owen (free event)

8.00pm Norman Morrissey and Silke Heiss, Tryst to The Far Horizon 

              A Selection from four years’ worth of Love Poems 

8.00pm to late Late night poetry (free event) in Carol’s Overdraught Pub

9.00pm Mari Mocke "Soaked in the seeds of life" "Geweek in die saad van die lewe"

Friday 28 August events

3  Antjie Krog: Monsters en Fairies

11.00vm / NG Kerksaal / free event

4  Jo and Mike: Around the Kitchen Table: Stories of Old McGregor

2.00pm / The Lion House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

5  Floris Brown: Ster wat Skyn

2.00nm / Wahnfried / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

6  The InZynch Poetry Session: Praat poësie en rymelary/Spoken Poetry, Rhyming

Adrian Different, Pieter Odendaal en Denver Rimestein

3.00nm / NG Kerksaal / 60 min / Free event

7  Hester van der Walt en Suenel Bruwer-Holloway:

"Whence/Waar vandaan"

3.30pm / D’Amphitheater / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

8  Growing Poems: Book a small-group session with Douglas Reid Skinner

3.30pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 / Direct booking: 023 625 1871

9  Film: Poetry Korean with English subtitles

3.30pm / Wahnfried / 139 min / Donation at door

10  Kerry Hammerton: continuum

5.00pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

11  Ansa Smit: Unspoken: Singing soul-tongue aloud.

5.00pm / The Well / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

12  Koos van der Merwe: Leonard Cohen in Afrikaans

8.00nm / NG Kerk / Konsert 80 min / R120.00 book your ticket here

13  Helen Moffett: Telling truth slant: poetry as creative non-fiction

8.00pm / The Tree House / 50 min / R50.00 book your ticket here

14  Bob Commin: The exploration of Cowboy poetry.

9.00pm / Carol’s Pub / Donation in Charity Box

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Fringe events at DE AKKER  Friday 28th August

9.30am CANCELED McGregor Waldorf School, Pinky Ponky Poetry (venue tbc) 

2.00pm Dorian Haarhoff, The warmth of the Heart keeps the Body from Rusting:
             Words from the sages who engage beyond the cage of age.

3.00pm Elaine Edwards,Ways to Write a Poem


4.00pm Open Mic, (free event) Host: Hugh Hodge

5.00pm Richard Whittaker, A Southern African Iliad and Odyssey

6.00pm Laverne Schwimmbacher, Poetic Pathways of Healing and Inspiration

7.00pm Bernard Levinson, Sexual Secrets

8.00pm Mavis Vermaak, Some Poetry/Some Poems

9.00pm to late Bob Commin in Carol’s Pub, The exploration of Cowboy poetry.

Programme update

It is with regret that we have to announce that the following events have been cancelled due to ill health: 

Genna Gardini Saturday 29th August 3.30pm at Edna Fourie Gallery 

Adam Small Saturday 29th August 3.30pm at Wahnfried. Another Open Mic session with Hugh Hodge has been added to this time slot.

Thursday 27 August events

1  The InZynch Poetry Session: Praat poësie en rymelary/Spoken Poetry, Rhyming

Adrian Different, Pieter Odendaal en Denver Rimestein

9.30vm / NG Kerksaal / 60 min / Free event

2  At table with C Louis Leipoldt

7.00pm / Tebaldi’s / R210.00pp (includes a glass of complimentary Muscadel) / Direct bookings: 023 625 1871 (40 pax)

Festival visual artist Niël Jonker

Since my first visit to McGregor more than a decade ago I have been blessed with many surprising and rich experiences on subsequent visits. 

So it was when taking a break during a week-long painting trip this past autumn. I met a new resident Daniele in the home of my close friends Hester van dr Walt and Lies Hoogendoorn. Daniele was enquiring about the process of making sculpture and I realized the reason for having packed a box of modeling wax at the last moment when preparing for this trip. After plundering my friends' garden shed and finding some bit of wood to act as a base and some wire to act as an armature, I proceeded to apply the wax to form a standing human figure of about thirty centimeters high. At this stage I was still wondering what to render when the model spontaneously appeared in the form of Lies. Another weekend trip a fortnight later to making finishing touches resulted in the start of yet another sculpture, this time of Hester in her favourite chair. Since another famous McGregor character, the family dog Pixel had snuck into the sculpture of Lies, I decided to add Karel Kat to the Hester figure, rubbing up beside the armchair.

Back home I proceeded to make silicone rubber moulds of the sculptures and send the wax copies off to the foundry to be cast in bronze. These small sculptures led to further gestural portraits of artist friends and serve as the fulcrum of my exhibition at this year's McGregor Poetry Festival. I am looking forward to the opening on Friday night at The Lion House as I am also anticipating many pleasurable conversations during the mornings when I will be in attendance at the exhibition. But most of all I am excited to be attending Lies' eightieth birthday celebrations the weekend before where a much more thorough tributes will be offered to this exceptional woman.

An exhibition of sculptural portraits in bronze and mixed media, alongside a selection of retrospective figurative work. Open for active studio participation with the artist every day.

Opening: Friday 28 August 5 to 6pm

Artist walkabout: Daily 9 to 9:30am

Open: Fri/ Sat. 9am to 4pm, Sun 9am to 1pm

Viewing by appointment: 0826517414

Venue:

LION HOUSE, McGregor

number (10) on the Poetry Festival Map

www.nieljonker.co.za

#38 coming event at Caritas

 

John Maytham

Serious, sublime and silly

John Maytham reads a selection of favourite poems on themes as diverse as war and cauliflowers, solitude and wheelbarrows. Poets include Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Keats, Dickinson, Parker, Owen, Sassoon, Belloc and Baudelaire.

Saturday 29 August / 5.00pm / Caritas / 50 min / R50.00

book your ticket here

Venue: Caritas at Temenos

number (1) on the Poetry Festival Map