kagablog

On the weekend of 15 to 17 May, Franschhoek experienced two notable events: the first winter storms of 2009 and the third annual Franschhoek Literary Festival. Both are worth talking about and perhaps for the same reasons. They were both important events and they were both received with mixed feelings.

Many positive reports about the Literary Festival have done the rounds and the organising committee deserve words of praise for their efforts. There were a number of highly acclaimed authors and publishers in the village, many of whom were happy to engage with their audiences and speak openly and honestly about their work, their views and their souls. I felt that the intimacy of the Festival was heightened by the foreboding weather as we metaphorically ‘huddled together’ and got on with the business of the festival; which in the words of Christopher Hope, the Festival Director, was “to share [our] passions and prejudices.” Local chefs Reuben and Neil Jewell; favourite Max du Preez; entertaining Tom Eaton; lovely Pippa Green; the knowledgeable Tim Noakes; humble Vikas Swarup. My list is longer and I intend no disservice to those I have not mentioned here. I have no doubt that every panellist hosted by the FLF Committee did their bit to make for an entertaining and worthwhile event. The facilities were put to the test, with large numbers seeking entry to the events and shelter from the rain. A visit to Drakenstein Correctional Services, the off the wall poetry (soon to be a regular in Franschhoek); Maid in Franschhoek and the Spelling Bee all added to the rich tapestry that was about more than writers writing or readers reading. This was a festival about communion. Intimate sharing.

But author, Aryan Kaganof, appears to have a different take on events and it seems that storm clouds may be brewing in the aftermath of the festival. Kaganof appeared as a panellist in “Re-writing the Writer’s Mind” at the Hospice Hall (event 17, Saturday 16th May). He says “The last time I saw so many so-called [white] faces staring back at me in a hall was in 1980, just before I matriculated. But granted, that was the high period of apartheid and the so-called blacks weren’t allowed in then. So what is going wrong with the Franschhoek Literary Festival?” He does add a counter by asking: “Could one read this startling demographic as a sign that the so-called blacks aren’t interested in literature? Or perhaps that they aren’t interested in paying to see writers talk about literature? Or that so-called black audiences are only interested in attending panels where there are so-called blacks to look at … I don’t know the answer to these questions.”

Mark Solms of the Delta Trust, the headline sponsor of the festival, stated that the festival is set to become even bigger and better. I have no doubt that this is true and can’t wait to see what develops in the years to come. But the words of Pippa Green at this year’s festival, quoted on the FLF blog are worth noting: “When someone else writes about your life, there will always be parts of the portrayal that you do not like.”

What she didn’t discuss was the accuracy of the portrayal. Franschhoek is undeniably one of the finest tourist attractions in South Africa. We have it all: the food; the wine; the setting; the environment and each other. Any yet at least one person failed to see the most important of these in his visit to the village. No doubt a couple of sunny days and a clear evening would have afforded him the opportunity to sit at a side-walk café and watch the locals mingle – black and white, English and Afrikaans and all colours and voices that span those apparent divides.

Will the 2010 festival bring a threatening storm or welcome relief? Perhaps the hosts of the Festival, who are the people of Franschhoek, need to write the next chapter of the story.

this article was first published in the franschhoek month