Pitika Ntuli
Encyclopedia
Pitika Ntuli is a South Africa
n sculptor, poet, writer, and academic who spent 32 years of his life in exile in Swaziland
and the UK. He holds an MFA from the Pratt Institute
in New York
and an MA in Comparative Industrial Relations and Industrial Sociology. While in exile in the UK he taught at Camberwell College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
, the London College of Printing, Middlesex University
and the University of East London
. Since returning to South Africa he has taught at Wits
and UKZN, and is currently Professor Extraordinaire at Tshwane University of Technology
.
Pitika Ntuli has exhibited in several individual and group exhibitions in many countries in Europe and in the USA, and has organised numerous international art and cultural events in Britain. His sculptures are in several collections and some of his public sculptures can be found in the Swaziland National Bank, Matsapa International Airport and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lobamba
. However until 2010 he had never exhibited in his own country, South Africa. He has exhibitions planned in Durban
and Pretoria
for 2011.
Pitika Ntuli is an expert in African indigenous knowledge systems. He is a regular political and cultural commentator on SABC 2
every Saturday morning and his column is acknowledged as having increased the audience ratings of Weekend Live. He is a well-known poet and speaker who has been a keynote speaker at numerous high profile events and has read his poetry in many forums in the country and the Region.
He was the main organiser of the KwaZulu-Natal Millennium Parade and a key figure in the African Renaissance Annual Festivals in Durban. He is a frequent guest on TV and Radio and especially on many of the SABC African Language Radio stations, and has also participated in several national and provincial task teams and ministerial advisory committees. He was a judge for the Sunday Times Literary Awards (2009). He recently chaired the 2010 Task Team that advised the Minister of Arts and Culture with regard to cultural programmes associated with the World Cup, including the opening and closing ceremonies.
Pitika is married to Antoinette Ntuli and they have four sons, two daughters and four grandchildren.
Pitika Ntuli on Himself
I kissed the fragrance of dawn
In a night of electric storms uprooting trees eMalahleni
I inhaled coal smoke and flames
Today I breathe fires of poetry
In my land!
I was caressed and blown by winds of exile
There I learnt to crawl on my stomach like a viper
I hallucinate sculptures
Dream paintings and shed ideas as trees
Shed dead leaves in throbbing tropical lands!
A bureaucrat, a teacher, I live within the ambit of:
Time of the Writer, Poetry Africa
I traverse the world wielding tapestries of words
In seminars, poetry conventricles
And festivals of word and rhythms
On HIV and AIDS
The bones beneath the shrivelled
Skin protrude in
Tired gestures of appeal to
Silences at the tip of our tongues
And embarrassed eyes that
Drink visions of unconcern
I carve each bone to
Reveal family secrets
Of coffins of Ubuntu hidden in
Rondavel corners
I carve the bone to
Reveal the secret of human folly
I saw bones beneath the
Shrivelling skin of my beloved son
Reach out for my aching bones
I touched his forehead
My fingers tender with love
Promised to carve every bone in the universe
To speak to the world of silent wars
Waged in the privacy of young bodies
Whilst indifferent eyes dance
On floors of muted palaces
Elephant bones protrude with
Gusts of energy
Attempting to flee culling gurus
I see each bone clearly beneath
Thick hide appealing to me to be saved
On Welded, “carved” and twisted
To spell out each nerve end, each ache
On the workers back,
Echoes of betrayed dreams!
On Stone
Granite, dolomite, sandstone, serpentine, verdite
A roll-call of tongues, imprinted conversations
As our country twists and turns
To decide who must have a turn to be corrupted
Faces confront each other
Race sometimes with manes of the four
Horses of the apocalypse
I carve images of those who snore through the revolution
Soulless ambitious ones
Mothers squatting on hand grenades about to explode
I reveal grains of thought and deep concern
Granules of ideas
That speak to touch, to visions, to memory
We are children of the soil, the land, broken boulders
I reveal beneath, from within the stones
Vibrant dreams of new beginnings
Tender hopes and frustrations
Jostling with those who wish
For control of the lucrative seat of power
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n sculptor, poet, writer, and academic who spent 32 years of his life in exile in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
and the UK. He holds an MFA from the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and an MA in Comparative Industrial Relations and Industrial Sociology. While in exile in the UK he taught at Camberwell College of Art, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
, the London College of Printing, Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
and the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
. Since returning to South Africa he has taught at Wits
Wits
Wits, WITS may mean:* Web Intelligence Training System* a popular nickname of University of the Witwatersrand* Wellsite Information Transfer Standard, superseded by WITSMLHuman names:* Hermann Witsius...
and UKZN, and is currently Professor Extraordinaire at Tshwane University of Technology
Tshwane University of Technology
Tshwane University of Technology is a higher education institution in South Africa that came into being through a merger of three technikons — Technikon Northern Gauteng, Technikon North-West and Technikon Pretoria....
.
Pitika Ntuli has exhibited in several individual and group exhibitions in many countries in Europe and in the USA, and has organised numerous international art and cultural events in Britain. His sculptures are in several collections and some of his public sculptures can be found in the Swaziland National Bank, Matsapa International Airport and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Lobamba
Lobamba
Lobamba is the traditional and legislative capital of Swaziland, seat of the Parliament and residence of the Queen Mother. It is located in the west of the country, in the Ezulwini valley, 16 km from Mbabane, in the district of Hhohho...
. However until 2010 he had never exhibited in his own country, South Africa. He has exhibitions planned in Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
and Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
for 2011.
Pitika Ntuli is an expert in African indigenous knowledge systems. He is a regular political and cultural commentator on SABC 2
SABC 2
SABC 2 is a South African television channel owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation . SABC 2 broadcasts programming in English, Afrikaans, Venda, and Tsonga.It was created in 1996, after the SABC restructured its television channels...
every Saturday morning and his column is acknowledged as having increased the audience ratings of Weekend Live. He is a well-known poet and speaker who has been a keynote speaker at numerous high profile events and has read his poetry in many forums in the country and the Region.
He was the main organiser of the KwaZulu-Natal Millennium Parade and a key figure in the African Renaissance Annual Festivals in Durban. He is a frequent guest on TV and Radio and especially on many of the SABC African Language Radio stations, and has also participated in several national and provincial task teams and ministerial advisory committees. He was a judge for the Sunday Times Literary Awards (2009). He recently chaired the 2010 Task Team that advised the Minister of Arts and Culture with regard to cultural programmes associated with the World Cup, including the opening and closing ceremonies.
Pitika is married to Antoinette Ntuli and they have four sons, two daughters and four grandchildren.
Pitika Ntuli on Himself
I kissed the fragrance of dawn
In a night of electric storms uprooting trees eMalahleni
I inhaled coal smoke and flames
Today I breathe fires of poetry
In my land!
I was caressed and blown by winds of exile
There I learnt to crawl on my stomach like a viper
I hallucinate sculptures
Dream paintings and shed ideas as trees
Shed dead leaves in throbbing tropical lands!
A bureaucrat, a teacher, I live within the ambit of:
Time of the Writer, Poetry Africa
I traverse the world wielding tapestries of words
In seminars, poetry conventricles
And festivals of word and rhythms
On HIV and AIDS
The bones beneath the shrivelled
Skin protrude in
Tired gestures of appeal to
Silences at the tip of our tongues
And embarrassed eyes that
Drink visions of unconcern
I carve each bone to
Reveal family secrets
Of coffins of Ubuntu hidden in
Rondavel corners
I carve the bone to
Reveal the secret of human folly
I saw bones beneath the
Shrivelling skin of my beloved son
Reach out for my aching bones
I touched his forehead
My fingers tender with love
Promised to carve every bone in the universe
To speak to the world of silent wars
Waged in the privacy of young bodies
Whilst indifferent eyes dance
On floors of muted palaces
Elephant bones protrude with
Gusts of energy
Attempting to flee culling gurus
I see each bone clearly beneath
Thick hide appealing to me to be saved
On Welded, “carved” and twisted
To spell out each nerve end, each ache
On the workers back,
Echoes of betrayed dreams!
On Stone
Granite, dolomite, sandstone, serpentine, verdite
A roll-call of tongues, imprinted conversations
As our country twists and turns
To decide who must have a turn to be corrupted
Faces confront each other
Race sometimes with manes of the four
Horses of the apocalypse
I carve images of those who snore through the revolution
Soulless ambitious ones
Mothers squatting on hand grenades about to explode
I reveal grains of thought and deep concern
Granules of ideas
That speak to touch, to visions, to memory
We are children of the soil, the land, broken boulders
I reveal beneath, from within the stones
Vibrant dreams of new beginnings
Tender hopes and frustrations
Jostling with those who wish
For control of the lucrative seat of power