Afrikaans Shakespeares: A Legacy project
[Lees hierdie aankondiging in Afrikaans.]
The Tsikinya-Chaka Centre is proud to announce a five-year partnership with leading insurance solutions provider, Legacy Underwriting Managers (LUM).
Legacy is widely admired for its investment in South African artists, and has a strong record as both an arts benefactor and as a sponsor of innovative projects. Now Legacy’s generous support of the TCC will allow director Chris Thurman to focus full-time on developing the work of the Centre, while also creating an opportunity for a new member of staff in the School of Literature, Language and Media at Wits University.
In particular, the partnership between Legacy and the TCC will enable the implementation and expansion of numerous projects relating to the translation and performance of Shakespeare in Afrikaans.
As LUM founder and Executive Chair Cobus du Plessis affirms, “Ensuring a sustainable future starts with nurturing one’s mother tongue.” CEO Christo Crafford adds: "We are excited about Legacy's involvement with and support of The Tsikinya-Chaka Centre, but especially about contributing to - and enhancing - the body of Shakespearean work in Afrikaans. Whilst this will build resources for theater makers, educators and students, we also look forward to how we can share it with our broker partners and their clients ... the beauty and distraction of something both ‘out of the ordinary’ and extraordinary: everyone deserves a reprieve from the mundane and, currently, even more so than usual!”
“Om ‘n volhoubare toekoms te verseker, begin met die koestering van jou Moedertaal.”
There is a rich and complex history of “Afrikaans Shakespeares”, both on the page and on the stage. The Tsikinya-Chaka Centre has previously collaborated with Shakespeare ZA to digitise and make publically accessible a small selection of translations of Shakespeare’s plays into South African languages; this will be expanded into one of the TCC’s flagship projects, the Sol Plaatje Archive of Shakespeare in African Languages. Afrikaans material is a cornerstone of both the Shakespeare ZA exhibition and the planned Sol Plaatje Archive, affirming the place of Afrikaans among other African languages.
Contestation over the “identity” of Afrikaans – and of those who speak the language – has manifested in the practice of translating Shakespeare. Figures like Andre P. Brink, Uys Krige and Breyten Breytenbach loom large here, and theatre historians have shown how performances of these translations further complicated the political dimensions of Shakespeare in Afrikaans.
Both building on and critiquing this tradition, the TCC and its network of theatre makers, scholars, educators, language practitioners and activists will be engaging with what it means to study and perform Shakespeare in Afrikaans today. With Legacy’s support, and under the imprint of TCC Press, we will be publishing new Afrikaans versions of many of Shakespeare’s plays by prolific translator Deryck Uys.
The TCC will also be promoting the work of practitioners translating and performing Shakespeare in Kaaps, and contributing to research into (and advocacy for) Kaaps not just as a “dialect” of Afrikaans but as a formalised language of cultural production.
Watch this space for news about workshops and other opportunities for theatre makers, translators, school teachers and learners!
22 September 2021
Die Tsikinya-Chaka Centre kondig met trots 'n nuwe vennootskap aan - met versekeringsbedryfleier, Legacy Underwriting Managers (LUM).
Legacy word alom erken as ‘n waardevolle belegger in Suid-Afrikaanse kuns en kunstenaars, en as ‘n borg van innoverende projekte. Met Legacy se ondersteuning is TCC regisseur, Chris Thurman, in staat gestel om voltyds op die ontwikkeling van die sentrum te fokus (en dit skep ook 'n geleentheid vir 'n nuwe personeellid aan die Skool vir Letterkunde, Taal en Media by die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand).
Die vennootskap tussen Legacy en die TCC sal veral die implementering en uitbreiding van verskeie Shakespeariaanse vertalingsprojekte moontlik maak.
Soos LUM se stigter en Uitvoerende Voorsitter, Cobus du Plessis, bevestig: “Om ‘n volhoubare toekoms te verseker, begin met die koestering van jou Moedertaal.” UH Christo Crafford sê verder: "Ons is opgewonde oor Legacy se ondersteuning van die Tsikinya-Chaka Centre, en veral oor die groeiende erkenning van Shakespeare in Afrikaans. Hierdie projekte gaan hulpbronne en geleenthede vir teatermakers, opvoeders en studente skep, maar ons sien ook uit daarna om die skoonheid en opwinding van iets 'buitengewoons' met ons makelaarsvennote en hul kliënte te deel. Almal verdien 'n wegbreek van die alledaagse - en tans selfs meer as ooit!”
“Om ‘n volhoubare toekoms te verseker, begin met die koestering van jou Moedertaal.”
Die Tsikinya-Chaka Centre het voorheen met Shakespeare ZA saamgewerk om verskeie vertalings van Shakespeare se toneelstukke in Suid-Afrikaanse tale te digitaliseer en openbaar bekend te stel. Afrikaanse materiaal is 'n hoeksteen van hierdie loodprojek en gaan ‘n belangrike komponent wees van die beplande Sol Plaatje-Argief vir Shakespeare in Afrikatale.
Meningsverskille oor die “identiteit” van Afrikaans - en van Afrikaanssprekende mense - is ook in die vertaling van Shakespeare te vinde. Skrywers soos Andre P. Brink, Uys Krige en Breyten Breytenbach het veral die komplekse politieke dimensies van Shakespeare in Afrikaans verken.
Die TCC se netwerk van akteurs, opvoeders en taalpraktisyns is voorbereid om verder ondersoek in te stel na wat “Afrikaanse Shakespeare” vandag beteken. Met die ondersteuning van Legacy gaan die sentrum nuwe Afrikaanse weergawes van Shakespeare se toneelstukke (vertaal deur Deryck Uys) publiseer.
Ons sal ook vertalings in Kaaps bevorder, and tot navorsing oor - en voorspraak vir - Kaaps bydra.
Hou hierdie webwerf dop vir nuus oor werkswinkels en ander geleenthede vir teatermakers, vertalers, opvoeders en leerders!