Litnet

The Karoo Writers' Festival will take place in Cradock from 9 to 11 August 2013. Lisa Ker-Antrobus, organiser of the festival, tells Naomi Meyer what visitors to the festival can look forward to.

Lisa, please tell our readers about yourself and about your role at the Karoo Writer’s Festival this year.

My family owns Die Tuishuise and Victoria Manor in Cradock (www.tuishuise.co.za) and I do the marketing. We’re always looking at ways to bring people to Cradock, and the festival is a great means for doing that. I am one of the organisers of the event.

Why is Cradock the perfect place to host the Schreiner Karoo Writers’ Festival?

• It is itself a place of literary legends, including Olive Schreiner, Guy Butler, Iris Vaughan, Etienne van Heerden, Toast Coetzer, EKM Dido, George Weideman, Karel Schoeman, Clinton V du Plessis, Neville Alexander and MMM Duka.
• It is the home of the Schreiner House Museum, a satellite of the National English Literary Museum (NELM).
• It is a known Schreiner town and is a good platform to promote a route of Schreiner towns, eg Hanover, Kimberley, De Aar, Barkly East, Matjiesfontein.
• It has many venues that are perfectly suited for inspiration: the Cradock Four Garden of Remembrance, Die Tuishuise, the Holy Rosary Convent, the town itself, the mountains, and the outlying farms that inspired the writers.
• It is geographically well suited and easy to reach.
• It has suitable and sufficient accommodation to host the festival-goers.
• It is a beautiful river town that has many tourist locations that attract people throughout the year.
• It has existing expertise to host the festival.
• Cradock needs festivals and other events for the upliftment of the community.
• Cradock has its own Writers Forum, organised by MMM Duka.

 Why name the festival after Olive Schreiner?

Olive Schreiner

She has a marked history in Cradock: she lived here for three years, she was a liberalist and a free thinker and, importantly she is South Africa’s first published female author, with her book The Story of an African Farm.

Which items on the programme cannot be missed?

Easy answer: don’t miss anything! The programme has been put together very carefully to offer something for everyone.

Margie Orford, internationally known for her crime fiction, launches her fifth Claire Hart novel at your festival – Water music. What is her connection with the Karoo, if any?

Margie is a great friend and colleague of Rachel Holmes’s. Rachel was also due to come to the festival, but unfortunately, due to a death in the family, she had to withdraw. The Karoo connection? Claire Hart likes to travel ... and we’re bringing her to the Karoo this year!

At your festival Etienne van Heerden will discuss the English translation of his Afrikaans novel In stede van die liefde (translated by Leon de Kock and titled In love’s place) with Tim Huisamen. Why invite Van Heerden to the Karoo?

Etienne van Heerden

Etienne grew up on a farm just outside Cradock. He is a great friend of ours and the Karoo. He is one of the Karoo’s most famous and marketable (and agreeable) souls. It’s a no-brainer – he loves the Karoo, is passionate about the festival (he has not missed a festival yet), and he keeps producing wonderful new material, so he makes it easy for us to bring him back year after year.

Which items or authors are of special interest to you personally?

I’m very excited about meeting Margie Orford, Alfred Schaeffer and Robert Pearce – they are the only three authors/poets I haven’t yet met. I am lucky that I already know the other speakers.

Food also plays a major role on the programme. Do you want to elaborate on this? 

The Karoo is known for its food. We love cooking and we love eating. There are many amazing Karoo cookbooks and we wanted to showcase at least one of them. We also wanted to have a link between this festival and our Food Festival, which took place 21-23 March 2013.

What else can one do in Cradock, apart from attending the festival?

Here is a summary of what one can do in Cradock: Tourist attractions in and around Cradock. Also see the press release for a day out at the Festival.

Where can one stay and where can one eat in town?

Stay
Die Tuishuise, www.tuishuise.co.za
Albert House, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Albert-House-Cradock-Eastern-Cape-South-Africa/217027459186
White Rose, http://www.thewhiteroseguesthouse.com
Nietgenaamd, 0822579249
Lowlands Estate, http://www.lowlandscountryhouse.co.za.

Eat

Albert Restaurant
Victoria Manor Hotel
048 881 1650

Mountain Zebra Park
048 881 2427

Mila's
048 881 0036
Pasta, pizza, steaks etc etc

Karoo Kraal
072 227 6730 / 072 623 2070
Open-air farm restaurant

Schreiner Tearoom
0843221388
Open 9–5

True Living
048 8813288
Coffee shop

Buffalo Dan's
048 8814321

Café Estee
048 8813950

U & Me @ Country Living
048 8813355

Karoo Pantry
Nicky Dreyer
0796156006