Nokugcina Elsie Mhlophe (born 24 October 1958), also known as Gcina Mhlophe,[1] is a South African anti-apartheid activist, actress, storyteller, poet, playwright, director and author.
Gcina Mhlophe
Gcina Mhlophe at the Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín in 2016
Storytelling is a deeply traditional activity in South Africa, and Mhlophe is one of the few woman storytellers in a country dominated by males. She does her work through charismatic performances, working to preserve storytelling as a means of keeping history alive and encouraging South African children to read. She tells her stories in four of South Africa's languages: English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa.
Gcina Mhlope was born in 1958 in KwaZulu-Natal to a Xhosa mother and a Zulu father. She started her working life as a domestic worker, later working as a newsreader at the Press Trust and BBC Radio, then as a writer for Learn and Teach, a magazine for newly-literate people.
She began to get a sense of the demand for stories while in Chicago in 1988. She performed at a library in a mostly-black neighbourhood, where an ever-growing audience kept inviting her back. Still, Mhlophe only began to think of storytelling as a career after meeting an Imbongi, one of the legendary poets of African folklore, and after encouragement by Mannie Manim, the then-director of the Market Theatre, Johannesburg.
Since then Mhlophe has appeared in theatres from Soweto to London and much of her work has been translated into German, French, Italian, Swahili and Japanese. Mhlophe has travelled extensively in Africa and other parts of the world giving storytelling workshops.
Mhlophe's stories meld folklore, information, current affairs, song and idiom. The realisation of her dreams is a visceral motivator for her and she is passing on her infectious enthusiasm by developing young talent to carry forward the work of storytelling through the Zanendaba (Bring me a story) Initiative. This initiative, established in 2002, is a collaboration with the Market Theatre and READ, a national literacy organization.
Mhlophe currently serves as the patron of the ASSITEJ South Africa, the International Association for Theatre for Children and Young People.
Mhlophe currently serves as the patron of ASSITEJ South Africa, the International Association for Theatre for Children and Young People.
Selected works
1983, took the lead in Umongikazi: The Nurse, by Maishe Maponya
Mhlophe, Gcina. Molo Zoleka New Africa Education, 1994. (Children's book)
MaZanendaba (Children's book)
Mhlophe, Gcina. The Snake with Seven Heads. Johannesburg, Skotaville Publishers, 1989. (Children's book, translated into five African languages, the English edition is required in all South African school libraries)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Have you seen Zandile?. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1990. (Play, based on her childhood, required in South African university libraries)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Queen of the Tortoises. Johannesburg: Skotaville, 1990. (Children's book)
Mhlophe, Gcina. The Singing Dog. Illustrated by Erica Maritz and Andries Maritz. Johannesburg: Skotaville, 1992. (Children's book)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Nalohima, the Deaf Tortoise. Gamsbek, 1999.
Mhlophe, Gcina. Fudukazi's Magic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. (CD – lyrics and music, performance)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Fudukazi's Magic. Cambridge University Press, 2000 (CD – lyrics and music, performance, for German audiences)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Nozincwadi, Mother of Books. Maskew Miller Longman, 2001. (CD and book, South African roadshow to rural schools)
Mhlophe, Gcina. African Mother of Christmas. Maskew Miller Longman, 2002. (CD and book)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Love Child. Durban: University of Natal Press, 2002. (Memoir, collection of stories)
Margaret Daymond et al. (eds). Women Writing Africa: the southern region. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 2002.
Mhlophe, Gcina. Stories of Africa. University of Natal Press, 2003. (Children's book)
Mhlophe, Gcina. Queen of Imbira. Maskew Miller Longman. (Children's book)
Mhlophe, Gcina Songs & stories of Africa – South African Music Awards Winner 2010 for Best English Kids Album – African Cream Music
^"BBC 100 Women 2016: Who is on the list?", BBC News, 21 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gcina Mhlope.
Dick Gordon of WBUR Boston interviews Mhlophe extensively.
Biblionef South Africa Official site of Biblionef South Africa, a children's book donation organisation which has previously collaborated with Mhlophe.
Profile and podcast
February 17, 2023
gcina, mhlophe, nokugcina, elsie, mhlophe, born, october, 1958, also, known, south, african, anti, apartheid, activist, actress, storyteller, poet, playwright, director, author, festival, internacional, poesía, medellín, 2016bornnokugcina, elsie, mhlophe, 1958. Nokugcina Elsie Mhlophe born 24 October 1958 also known as Gcina Mhlophe 1 is a South African anti apartheid activist actress storyteller poet playwright director and author Gcina MhlopheGcina Mhlophe at the Festival Internacional de Poesia de Medellin in 2016BornNokugcina Elsie Mhlophe 1958 10 24 24 October 1958 age 64 KwaZulu Natal South AfricaNationalitySouth AfricanOccupationsanti apartheid activistactressstorytellerpoetplaywrightdirectorauthorYears active1988 presentNotable workBlack Dog Inj emnyamaStorytelling is a deeply traditional activity in South Africa and Mhlophe is one of the few woman storytellers in a country dominated by males She does her work through charismatic performances working to preserve storytelling as a means of keeping history alive and encouraging South African children to read She tells her stories in four of South Africa s languages English Afrikaans Zulu and Xhosa Contents 1 Life and career 2 Selected works 3 Recognition 4 Collaborations 5 Documentary appearances 6 Awards 7 Bibliography 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksLife and career EditGcina Mhlope was born in 1958 in KwaZulu Natal to a Xhosa mother and a Zulu father She started her working life as a domestic worker later working as a newsreader at the Press Trust and BBC Radio then as a writer for Learn and Teach a magazine for newly literate people She began to get a sense of the demand for stories while in Chicago in 1988 She performed at a library in a mostly black neighbourhood where an ever growing audience kept inviting her back Still Mhlophe only began to think of storytelling as a career after meeting an Imbongi one of the legendary poets of African folklore and after encouragement by Mannie Manim the then director of the Market Theatre Johannesburg Since then Mhlophe has appeared in theatres from Soweto to London and much of her work has been translated into German French Italian Swahili and Japanese Mhlophe has travelled extensively in Africa and other parts of the world giving storytelling workshops Mhlophe s stories meld folklore information current affairs song and idiom The realisation of her dreams is a visceral motivator for her and she is passing on her infectious enthusiasm by developing young talent to carry forward the work of storytelling through the Zanendaba Bring me a story Initiative This initiative established in 2002 is a collaboration with the Market Theatre and READ a national literacy organization Mhlophe currently serves as the patron of the ASSITEJ South Africa the International Association for Theatre for Children and Young People Mhlophe currently serves as the patron of ASSITEJ South Africa the International Association for Theatre for Children and Young People Selected works Edit1983 took the lead in Umongikazi The Nurse by Maishe Maponya 1984 in Black Dog Inj emnyama 1986 Place of Weeping film 1986 Have You Seen Zandile autobiographical play at the Market Theatre Johannesburg Mhlophe as Zandile 1987 Born in the RSA New York 1989 storytelling festival at the Market Theatre 1989 performed a poem in honour of Albert Luthuli 1960 Nobel Peace Prize winner 1990 performed Have You Seen Zandile at the Edinburgh Festival tour through Europe and the USA 1989 1990 resident director at the Market Theatre co ordinator at READ a national literacy organization 1991 Ashoka Fellowship social entrepreneurship innovator 1993 Music for Little People CD 1993 reader voice Not so fast Songololo videorecording Weston Woods Weston CT Scholastic 1994 The Gift of the Tortoise contributed to the Ladysmith Black Mambazo album 1997 Poetry Africa presenting poet 1999 guest speaker at the Perth Writers Festival London Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Albert Hall London Cologne Philharmonie Africa at the Opera 2000 performed in Peter und der Wolf at the Komische Oper Berlin Wrote music for her SABC TV series Gcina amp Friends 2002 Fudukazi s Magic screened in Durban at the African Union Film Festival 2002 The Bones of Memory performance history telling from the old and new South Africa 2003 lectured on storytelling at the Eye of the Beholder seminar 2003 Mata Mata performance family musical 2006 FIFA World Cup South African handover ceremony GermanyRecognition Edit1999 Honorary doctorate from the Open University UK 1999 Honorary doctorate from the University of Natal 2014 Honorary doctorate from Rhodes UniversityCollaborations EditPops Mohamed musician and tribal music preservationist Ladysmith Black Mambazo choir group The Gift of the Tortoise CD 1994 and Music for Little People in America CD 1993 Bheki Khoza guitarist Animated Tales of the World TV series for Right Angle in the UK and for the SABC Anant Singh video producer Fudukazi s Magic CD and video for German audiences Biblionef South Africa a children s book donation agency supplies book packages for Mhlophe s workshops 2003Documentary appearances EditActed and narrated in Travelling Songs 1990 performed poetry in Songololo Voices of Change how aspects of culture in South Africa have become part of the anti apartheid struggle 2 1993 The Travelling Song the contemporary process of story gathering Appeared in Literacy Alive Appeared in Art WorksAwards EditNominee for the Noma Award for Queen of the Tortoises 1991 Book Chat Award for Molo Zoleka OBIE Theatrical Award New York for Born in the RSA 3 Fringe First Award Edinburgh for Have you seen Zandile Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress Chicago for Have you seen Zandile Sony Award for Radio Drama from BBC Radio Africa for Have you seen Zandile In 2016 she was chosen as one of BBC s 100 Women 4 Bibliography EditMhlophe Gcina The Toilet 1987 Short Story Mhlophe Gcina Molo Zoleka New Africa Education 1994 Children s book MaZanendaba Children s book Mhlophe Gcina The Snake with Seven Heads Johannesburg Skotaville Publishers 1989 Children s book translated into five African languages the English edition is required in all South African school libraries Mhlophe Gcina Have you seen Zandile Portsmouth NH Heinemann 1990 Play based on her childhood required in South African university libraries Mhlophe Gcina Queen of the Tortoises Johannesburg Skotaville 1990 Children s book Mhlophe Gcina The Singing Dog Illustrated by Erica Maritz and Andries Maritz Johannesburg Skotaville 1992 Children s book Mhlophe Gcina Nalohima the Deaf Tortoise Gamsbek 1999 Mhlophe Gcina Fudukazi s Magic Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1999 CD lyrics and music performance Mhlophe Gcina Fudukazi s Magic Cambridge University Press 2000 CD lyrics and music performance for German audiences Mhlophe Gcina Nozincwadi Mother of Books Maskew Miller Longman 2001 CD and book South African roadshow to rural schools Mhlophe Gcina African Mother of Christmas Maskew Miller Longman 2002 CD and book Mhlophe Gcina Love Child Durban University of Natal Press 2002 Memoir collection of stories Margaret Daymond et al eds Women Writing Africa the southern region Johannesburg Witwatersrand University Press 2002 Mhlophe Gcina Stories of Africa University of Natal Press 2003 Children s book Mhlophe Gcina Queen of Imbira Maskew Miller Longman Children s book Mhlophe Gcina Songs amp stories of Africa South African Music Awards Winner 2010 for Best English Kids Album African Cream MusicSee also EditList of African writers Famous South African people Poetry AfricaReferences Edit This Day in History South African History Online Phil Johnson Songololo the sound of freedom The Globe and Mail November 3 1990 The New York Obies Awards Archived from the original on 25 March 2015 BBC 100 Women 2016 Who is on the list BBC News 21 November 2016 Retrieved 24 November 2016 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gcina Mhlope The Connection org Dick Gordon of WBUR Boston interviews Mhlophe extensively Biblionef South Africa Official site of Biblionef South Africa a children s book donation organisation which has previously collaborated with Mhlophe Badilisha Poetry Exchange Profile and podcast Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gcina Mhlophe amp oldid 1131987935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
