|
 Marí Peté (1964 - ) grew up in Witbank, Mpumalanga and has lived in Durban since 1987. She shares her life with her husband and daughter and their extended family. She works at the Department of Educational Technology of the Durban Institute of Technology.
Marí’s bilingual poetry collection Begin was published by umSinsi Press in 2002. Since 1983 her poems have been published in literary journals such as Fidelities, Botsotso, LitNet and Tydskrif vir Letterkunde. Peté's poem “voorstedelike oggendritueel” (suburban morning ritual) was awarded first prize in the 2004 Woordgilde poetry competition. The poem is dedicated to working mothers.
In 2007, her second collection of poems, Amytis, was launched at the London Book Fair, while the anthology was first released at the Cape Town Book Fair in June of the same year. In this collection of poetry Peté explores dreamscapes, everyday experiences and the thin membrane between these two states of being. In many of her poems she weaves connections between the realms of Nature and Spirit. In contrasting mood, writing in Iscamtho or Tsotsitaal {an urban South African street dialect}, Peté takes the reader on alternative guided tours of her home city Durban, with poems such as "Umgeni Road", "Durban Taxi", "Local is Lekker".
Marí initially qualified as a school teacher and did an Honours degree in Afrikaans and Dutch literature at UKZN. Years on she read for a Master’s degree in educational technology at the University of Pretoria. She has done research, development and support work in the field of e-learning at the Durban Institute of Technology for many moons. She originally married her interests in literature, teaching and technology while working in the faculty office of Modern and Medieval Languages in Cambridge, England.
Mari’s most important priorities in life are family, motherhood, spirituality and maintaining a connection with nature. With her daughter she dabbles in poi dancing, rollerblading, ice skating and body surfing. And then there is good chocolate…
Selected Workjust another day in paradise Wesstraat ruik na stamp en stoot,
klam lug hot dogs walms wierook,
skares lywe vol krismis geprop.
Edgars en Game blaker dit uit:
Kom herwaarts, Getroues,
jingle jul wallets, te hél…
Oor sleepvoet-vakansiegangers,
handelaars, skemerkids en bedelaars
drup die lamppale
streamers sneeumanne en slees
en saans om ag sê die nuus:
Ry veilig in jul minibusse en BMW’s,
die petrolprys daal (dankie Saddam),
drie gister in Peacevale doodgekap,
en terloops, geseënde Kersfees. 1987
Umgeni Road piesang transport
pakistani take away strictly halaal
surgery jj moodley dokotela
gearbox & diff exchange
mazinov house
space television
joosab’s supermarket
chacha’s pawn shop
nabibya’s fast food
suspension&alignment
jockey the next best thing 2B naked
it’s time to ruffle your feathers
we deliver
royal vulcanizing
minty’s mad tyres and mags
krash panel beaters
fatima’s famous foods
zak’s surprise butchery
bath&vanity surrounds
replacement body parts
fashion station
rust proofing
hansas body craft
port natal paint
bang bang payphones
azb halaal bunnies
mutton veg hot pies
living waters mission
swiss stone masons
sipsy’s hardware
d maharaj dental surgeon
free customer parking
local services only
phoenix motorglass
bamatshe amathuna
rega religious-cultural society
buy-a- brick: ticket R2
win-a-TV
in aid of funds to build a hall
dear customer we apologise for any
inconvenience caused during
road construction, business as usual
crankshaft grinding block reboring
head overhauls canrod resizing
skim while you wait
gearboxes and difs
hot meals served
karam’s food we are moving
bhoola optician
mo’s centre
benji dog chunks taste and freshness
guaranteed factory prices
auto smash workshop
crazy special meaty bones
biltong hot chicken chaka laka
braai wors R2.99
prime cut meats special offer
boats rubber ducks jetskis & accessories
if not supply store
chappies take away
indawo ka dokotela
silveray tea room
fuck all you
brittania spares 4 africa
safety footwear gumboots & rainwear
daily soap
carlton strong… & gentle
For Allan Horwitz & Ike Muila, for introducing me to Isicamtho (tsotsitaal) poetry
10 June 2004 Bibliography2002. Begin. Durban: umSinsi Press. 2007. Amytis. Durban: umSinsi Press.
|
