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 is known for his powerful words and his fight against apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair laws that separated people by race in South Africa.

Mongane Wally Serote joined the African National Congress (ANC), a group that worked to end apartheid. Because of his activism, he was arrested in 1969 and held for many months without a trial. After this, he lived outside South Africa for many years. He worked for the ANC in Botswana and later in London, England. He finally came back 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 unfair apartheid laws began in South Africa. He went to school in Alexandra, a township that faced many challenges. He also studied at Morris Isaacson High School in Soweto and Sacred Heart Commercial High School in Lesotho.

Joining the Fight for Freedom

While finishing high school in Soweto, he became involved in the Black Consciousness Movement. This movement encouraged black people to be proud of their identity and stand up for their rights. Mongane Wally Serote was part of a group called the "township poets" or "Soweto poets." His poems often spoke about political activism and the struggle for black identity. In June 1969, the apartheid government arrested him. He was held alone for nine months 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.

Publishing His First Poems

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 finished his degree in 1979. Because he could not return to South Africa, he lived in exile. In 1977, he moved to Botswana. There, he rejoined the ANC's secret operations and its military group, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He lived in Gaborone and was part of the Medu Art Ensemble, a group that used art to fight apartheid. Later, in 1986, he moved to London, England. He worked for the ANC's Department of Arts and Culture there.

Coming Back Home

Mongane Wally Serote returned to South Africa in 1990. This was after the ANC was made legal again. In 1993, he won the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa. This award celebrates excellent books published in Africa. In 2004, he received the Pablo Neruda award from the government of Chile.

His Role in the New South Africa

When he returned, Serote took on many important roles in the ANC. He became the Head of the Department of Arts and Culture for the ANC in Johannesburg. He also led the parliamentary committee for arts and culture. He received special honorary doctorates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Transkei. For some time, he was a Member of Parliament. He also chaired the committee for Arts, Culture, Language, Science, and Technology.

He was also the CEO of Freedom Park in Pretoria. This is a national heritage site that opened in 2007. It honors those who fought for freedom in South Africa. He also started some non-profit organizations (NGOs). These include iIKSSA Trust, where he is the Chairperson, and IARI, where he is the CEO. He also advises many groups on arts, culture, and African knowledge.

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

Awards and Recognition

Mongane Wally Serote has received many awards for his writing and his work for democracy:

• 1973 - Ingrid Jonker Poetry Prize for his first poetry collection in English.
• 1993 - The 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 for his "Excellent contribution to literature, with emphasis on poetry and for putting his artistic talents at the service of democracy in South Africa."
• 2008 - 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

Mongane Wally Serote has written many poems and novels. His works often reflect his experiences and the history of South Africa.

See Also

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