Mongane Wally Serote facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mongane Wally Serote
Born	(1944-05-08) 8 May 1944 (age 81) Sophiatown, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality	South African, Motswana, British
Education	Morris Isaacson High School, Sacred Heart Commercial High School
Alma mater	Columbia University University of the Witwatersrand
Occupation	Poet and cultural activist
Known for	National Poet Laureate, 2018
Political party	African National Congress
Awards	Order of Ikhamanga in Silver Ingrid Jonker Poetry Prize

Mongane Wally Serote (born 8 May 1944) is a famous South African poet and writer. He became involved in fighting against the unfair apartheid government. Apartheid was a system of laws that treated people differently based on their race.

In 1969, he was arrested and held by the government for several months without a trial. After this, he lived outside South Africa for many years. He worked for the African National Congress (ANC) in Botswana and later in London, England. The ANC was a political group that fought against apartheid. Mongane Wally Serote finally returned to South Africa in 1990. In 2018, he was named South Africa's National Poet Laureate. This means he is the country's official poet.

Growing Up in South Africa

Mongane Wally Serote was born in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, in 1944. This was just four years before the National Party (South Africa) came to power and started the apartheid system. He went to school in Alexandra, a poor township, and later at Morris Isaacson High School in Soweto.

While finishing high school, he joined the Black Consciousness Movement. This group encouraged black people to be proud of their identity and stand up for their rights. His poems often talked about fighting for change, developing black identity, and resisting unfair rules. Because of his activism, he was arrested by the apartheid government in 1969. He spent nine months alone in prison but was later released without any charges.

Life Away from Home

After his release, Serote went to study in New York City, United States. He earned a degree in Fine Arts from Columbia University.

In 1972, he published his first collection of poems called Yakhal'Inkomo. This book won the Ingrid Jonker Poetry Prize in 1973. This award is given to the best first poetry book in English.

He could not return to South Africa after his studies. So, he chose to live in exile, meaning he lived outside his home country. In 1977, he moved to Botswana. There, he rejoined the ANC's secret activities and its armed group, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He lived in Gaborone and was part of the Medu Art Ensemble, an art group that used creativity to fight apartheid. In 1986, he moved to London, England, where he worked for the ANC's Department of Arts and Culture.

Coming Back Home

Mongane Wally Serote returned to South Africa in 1990. This was after the ANC was made legal again, and the unfair laws against it were removed. In 1993, he won the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa. In 2004, he received the Pablo Neruda award from the government of Chile.

He held many important roles in the ANC. When he returned to South Africa, he became the head of the ANC's Arts and Culture Department in Johannesburg. He also worked in Parliament, helping to create laws about arts, culture, language, science, and technology. He has received special honorary doctorates from universities like KwaZulu-Natal and Transkei.

He also served as the CEO of Freedom Park. This is a special national heritage site in Pretoria that opened in 2007. It helps people remember South Africa's history and those who fought for freedom. He has also started several non-profit organizations (NGOs) and advises on arts, culture, and African knowledge.

In 2018, Mongane Wally Serote was announced as the National Poet Laureate of South Africa. He took over this important role after the death of another famous poet, Keorapetse Kgositsile.

Awards and Honours

• 1973 - Ingrid Jonker Poetry Prize for his first poetry book in English
• 1993 - Third World Express won the Noma Award for publishing in Africa
• 2003 - The English Academy of Southern Africa Medal for his contribution to the English language
• 2004 - Pablo Neruda Medal for Writing
• 2007 - The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver. This award was given for his "Excellent contribution to literature, especially poetry, and for using his artistic talents to help democracy in South Africa."
• 2008 - His book Third World Express was chosen as one of Africa Book Centre's 100 Best Books of the Twentieth Century
• 2012 - Struga Night Awards: Poet Laureate Of Macedonia

His Writings

See also

• Alexandra
• List of African writers
• List of South African poets