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Newsletter 1980, March, Vol. 2, No. 1

Newsletter was issued in 1980 during the first quarter in March. Poetry section of this issue includes Tribute to Martyrs by James Matthews, Alex death blues by Dumisani Dhlamini, untitled poetry by Chippa wa Moagi. A short story by Mongane Serote titled the mosquito. An interview of Thamsanqa Mnyele interviewed by Tim Williams. Thami talks about his journey as a South African painter and designer. Thami Mnyele was a member of Medu. Lastly, the cover design of this newsletter was designed by F. Mbali and illustration by Thami Mnyele.

Medu Art Ensemble

Newsletter 1981, Vol. 3, No. 1

The central thrust behind this newsletter by the Medu Art Ensemble is the need to do art collectively and with a consciousness about community. The poetry section includes "Out of the faceless ghettos" by Bachana Mokwena. In this poem, his constant refrain to "Momma" reflects on the personal and structural pain of Apartheid through alternating between the words "momma", "mother" and "motherland". Here he laments the long history of racial oppression, the scars on Momma's back and the near-freedom which he grasps. A short story by Tebogo Mosabako entitled "Moshupa Story" relays a story of a young man in Moshupa Botswana, who through an act of goodwill receives care and reciprocity. In the section "Art Review", Dimakatso Dimakatso reviews Penny Miller's "Myths and Legends of Southern Africa", which, it is argued, reinforces the racist myths and legends of southern Africa. Es'kia Mpahlele's "Chirundu", a novel about the "entire process of life" in an (un-named) newly independent African state, is reviewed by Njabulo Ndebele. Each of these artforms presented in this edition speak to community, change, resistance and creativity.

Medu Art Ensemble

Newsletter 1981, Vol. 3, No. 2, Writing on the Wall

Men, women, the youth and children from all sections of the South African society, from all colours, through various activities, this year, stated clearly their rejection of the racist republic. This edition of Medu adds artistic expression to the struggle against Apartheid through the poetry of Mongane Serote and James Pitse. Pitse's poem entitled "Writing on the Wall" speaks about an event in 1981 when a white women shot and killed a black worker. The poem's constant refrain "writing is on the wall" speaks to the absolute fury that people have towards Apartheid and the collective clarity that it should be destroyed. This edition also reflects on the role of culture in the struggle through articles by Judy Seidman and Robert Moloi as well as through book reviews by John Donne and Mongane Serote. Front page graphic by Gordon Metz on lithograph.

Medu Art Ensemble

Special Edition 1981, No to the White Republic, Yes to the People's Republic, Part A

The title of this Medu special edition is "No to the White Republic, Yes to the People's Republic". While PW Botha held celebrations for the anniversary of the Apartheid republic, Medu used this edition to say "Stop the Republic Day Festival". Bachana Mokwena's article on the 20th anniversary of the "bloodthirsty republic" gives a strong historical background to the processes of the republics formation, and the united opposition against it. Further, John Donne writes about Grigori Oganov's insight into the relationship between culture and resistance and between art, artists and their communities. Artworks by Thami Mnyele are included throughout the publication. Front page graphic by Judy Seidman and the Medu Art Collective.

Medu Art Ensemble

Newsletter 1983, Vol. 5, No. 1

This is the first issue of 1983. This edition, the first since the Culture and Resistance Conference, aims to prioritise the work of local artists. The edition consists of Medu Art Ensemble interviewing John Selolwane, a guitarist for the band Kgalagadi in Botswana, who has a wide experience of playing music in various parts of Africa. John Donne's poem, "After Maseru", follows the Maseru Raid on 9 December 1982 where 42 people suspected of being activists and members of the ANC were killed. Donne gives a sense of the ignorance and apathy of many South Africans to this gruesome massacre by the Apartheid government. There is also a review of the photographic exhibition "Art Towards Social Development" by Tim Williams. He showceses photographs that capture the "cultural reality of Apartheid" and "the vulerability of South African fascism". A second photographic exhibition "Portrait of people", a graphic record of the South African liberation struggle, is reviewed in this issue. It is explained that history of the people is incomplete without pictorial records of the people who made that history. Another interesting piece is an article about culture and resistance in South Africa by Keorapetse Kgositsile. The author explains that the determination and commitment to life which is reflected in arts and cultural resistance is not as new a development in South Africa as some people might think. Front page graphic by Mike Kahn on silkscreen print.

Medu Art Ensemble

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