Celebrating local voices: Poets (from left) Padmani Dorasamy, Tamia Moonsamy, Keshnie July, Svara Naidoo, Thiveshni Lutchmiah, Rebecca Perumal, Gaishrie Sharon Singh and Paper Trail Literary Press founder Ekta Somera pose with copies of We Are Because We Are at the anthology's launch in Bluff. The collection brings together the work of 15 South African poets, including contributors from Chatsworth, Musgrave and Phoenix.
Fifteen poets from across South Africa have come together to celebrate identity, community, and the spirit of ubuntu in a new anthology, with four contributors from Chatsworth, Musgrave, and Phoenix bringing a distinctly local voice to the collection.
Launched recently at Noah's on the Bluff, the debut publication from Paper Trail Literary Press is inspired by the philosophy of "I am because we are". The anthology explores identity, belonging, memory, and everyday life while showcasing the power of storytelling to connect people across different communities.
Among the regional contributors are Chatsworth poet Thiveshni Lutchmiah, Musgrave's Letishaa Moodley, and Phoenix writers Padmani Dorasamy and Tamia Moonsamy. Alongside the four local wordsmiths are national writers Zain Omarjee, Svara Naidoo, Gaishrie Sharon Singh, Padmini Govender, Keshnie July, Rebecca Perumal, Brett Fish Anderson, Tamara Gengan, Sthuthukile Biyela, and TH Smart, whose collective voices reflect the diversity of contemporary South Africa.
