KZN Literary Tourism issues a challenge to mainstream
publishing houses and their writers.
KZN Literary Tourism is a research project that has built an
online archive of KZN writers, created literary trails and promoted local
literary events. The project defines a “KZN writer or author” as one who was
born in the province, or lived in the province, or who has featured the
province extensively in their work/s.
Since 2002 the KZN Literary Tourism project has been quietly
archiving writers linked to the KwaZulu-Natal province – both past and present.
Students, researchers and academics from different walks of life have contributed
to the project over the years.
“However, our archive remains skewed towards writers that
are male, white and older,” says Lindy Stiebel, project head of KZN Literary
Tourism. “Furthermore, the majority of the written works reflected in our archive
are English. While KZN Literary Tourism is proud of the writers we have
archived thus far, we realise that this is not a complete representation of the
diverse literary talent linked to our province.”
Time of the Writer 2016 has opened up a dialogue on
decolonising literature and including marginalised voices. In the spirit of the
festival, the project calls on mainstream publishing houses and their fiction
writers (who are the linked to the province) to come forward.
KZN Literary Tourism is looking to include profiles on
KZN-linked writers that are black, Indian or coloured. Or are female. Or have
produced works of fiction in other languages besides English. Or are contemporary
authors.
“Our archive provides an invaluable resource to researchers,
writers and lovers of KZN literature,” Stiebel continues. “We hope that our
challenge will be taken up with enthusiasm by all who wish to celebrate our
province’s rich and diverse literary history”.
Material or suggestions related to author profiles can be directed
to Lindy Stiebel at lindybl@iafrica.com
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