Durban, 4-9 October 2010
Durban University of Technology (DUT) Educational technologist performs at 2010 International Poetry Africa Festival
Marí Peté, DUT Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CELT) educational technologist will perform at the 14th International Poetry Africa Festival from 4-9 October 2010, at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre and Bat Centre. Her 20 minute solo performance will be held at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on Tuesday, 5 October at 19h30.
Tickets are available from Computicket, and at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at R25 an hour before performances, pensioners and students tickets will be available at R15. Bat Centre tickets can be purchased at the door at R50.
Biography of Marí Peté
In her poetry Peté explores dreamscapes, everyday experiences, and the thin membrane between these states of being. In some poems she connects the realms of Nature and Spirit (“Emoyeni”, “Stream”). Writing in Iscamtho or Tsotsitaal, the poet tours the streets of her home city Durban (“Umgeni Road”, “Durban Taxi”, “Warwick Avenue”). Another theme in her work is voices of women – fictional and real, ancient and contemporary (“Isis Says”, “June Moon”). Other poems are inspired by zuihitsus – personal essays in medieval Japanese literature (“Scribed”).
Since 1985 Peté’s poems have been published in various journals, including New Contrast, Carapace, Botsotso, Fidelities and Tydskrif vir Letterkunde. Her bilingual collections Amytis and begin were published by Umsinsi Press in 2007 and 2002 respectively. In 2005 she won the Woordgilde poetry competition with “voorstedelike oggendritueel” (suburban morning ritual, a poem dedicated to working mothers). In 2010 the National Speech and Drama Association accepted the poem “Turning Six” for the Grade 7 syllabus.
The poet grew up on the Eastern Highveld of South Africa. She studied Afrikaans and Dutch literature and later, Computer-Assisted Education. Peté has worked in e-Learning at the Durban University of Technology since 1994. She originally combined interests in literature, teaching and technology while working in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages in Cambridge, England. With the publication of Amytis in 2007, Peté performed at the London Book Fair, Cape Town Book Fair and at the Kirkcudbright Arts Festival in Scotland. While serving as a board member of Art for Humanity, she edited the book Look at me. Women Artists and Poets advocate Children’s Rights. She has been a judge in the Douglas Livingstone poetry competition for high schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
For more information, kindly contact:
Marí Peté
Educational Technologist
Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT)
Durban University of Technology
Office: 031 373 5259
E-mail: mpete@dut.ac.za
For information visit:
http://maripete.co.za
http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za/PoetryAfrica2010.htm
