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“The rage shifts from the oppressors in our presidential palaces to the oppressors on our streets and in our homes —unless we topple the Mubaraks in our mind, in our bedrooms, and on our street corners — our revolution has not yet begun.”This quote ends the first chapter of Mona Eltahawy’s Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution. Mona Eltahawy is an award-winning Egyptian American feminist. She has written for establishments like The New York Times and the Washington Post. She spends her time between Cairo and New York. Mona is a strong proponent of “FUCK THE PATRIARCHY”.In this episode, Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane sat down with Mona to discuss her much acclaimed book. Mona shares stories about how the book came about. It initially started as an essay titled “Why They Hate Us”, then the essay blossomed into a necessary book. The book tells the story of Muslim womxn and how they are subjugated under the gaze of faith and culture. Mona describes the thesis of the book as the trifecta of misogyny, which is the State, Street and home together oppressing girls and womxn. The conversation also touches on our how institutions like religion are used as conduits of patriarchy. Letlhogonolo and Mona spoke on a range of interesting topics, such as identity, (Black) feminism, consent, queerness and some of her favorite writers. At the time of recording Black Panther was a huge point of discussion, so they spoke about North Africa and the anti-blackness that exists in that part of the region. Mona believes in the autonomy of womxn and upholds the proclamation: “I own my body”. This conversation is both illuminating as it is incendiary. At the end of the podcast, she also reveals that she is working on a new book.

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Dr Danai Mupotsa is a lecturer in the field of African Literature. As a scholar and a writer she is committed to feminist, queer and anti-racist praxis. At the time of the recording of the podcast, the final touches were being put to Danai’s first collection of poetry titled ‘feeling and ugly.’ Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele sat down with the quietly brilliant Dr Danai Mupotsa to discuss the practical application of her politics in both academic and lived practices as both a writer and academic. The conversation touched on motherhood and the interesting ways it has changed her feminism in both lighthearted andpoignant ways that may resonate with many of our listeners.Of course, the interview would be incomplete if the literary influences of this scholar of African literature were not explored. There are entire reading lists for young Black readers contained in this podcast.At the time of release, Dr Danai Mupotsa’s collection of poetry had just launched to great acclaim. This podcast in many ways serves as a great prologue to her work, a recommendation of the highest order. “We are the ones we have been waiting for” - June Jordan The works of Danai Mupotsa are proof of just that.

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Lidudumalingani first caught our attention with his 2016 Caine Prize winning short story, “Memories we lost”, which discusses mental illness and issues of access in an often forgotten rural context, it was poignantand powerful giving a voice to a population often ignored. Lidudumalingani is a master of many trades as a writer, photographer and filmmaker. After the success of winning the Caine Prize, Lidudumalingani went on to win the Marshall Scholarship for his manuscript of his eagerly anticipated debut. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele sat down with the prodigious Lidudumalingani to discuss photography, mental health and Black literature. In under hour, The Cheeky Natives held an eye opening and heart warming conversation on the state of literature in South Africa, decolonisation and his hopes for writing.'We seek a world in which there is room for many worlds’- Sunil Yapa in her beautiful novel "Your heart is a muscle the size of your fist”. An apt quote for the conversation in today’s episode.

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“You learnt it was human not womanly to cry.” ― Tapiwa MugabeTapiwa Mugabe is the author of a poetry collection called Zimbabwe. This book tackles topics around masculinity, immigration, love and family relations. In this episode, Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane conversed with Tapiwa about when he started writing, books, life in the UK and his future projects. Tapiwa also speaks about his friendship with poets such as Nayyirah Waheed and Yrsa Daley-Ward. The conversation is a heartfelt conversation between African men about love, masculinity and books.Follow @cheekynatives for more updates and as well as follow @tapiwamugabe1 to get more of his work.

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Migritude is a term coined by the ineffable Shailja Patel which denotes the migrant attitude. In her book, Migritude, Shailja tells the story of migrant attitude through prose, poetry and short stories. Shailja is an internationally acclaimed Kenyan poet, playwright, theatre artist, and political activist. In this episode of the podcast, Patel sat and spoke to Dr Alma-Nalisha about her book, migration, politics, Kenya and identity. This is a conversation filled with musings about migration, womanhood and identity.

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‘If we aren’t intersectional, some of us, the most vulnerable, are going to fall through the cracks.’ - Kimberlé Crenshaw Intersectionality has been a buzzword for some time now. The term was coined by Kimberle Crenshaw in 1989. In this episode, Letlhogonolo sat down with Profesor Kimberlé Crenshaw to speak about intersectionality, Critical Race Theory, race relations in South Africa and the #SAYHERNAME movement. This episode is filled with insights about the womxn behind the scholarship.

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In the latest episode of the Cheeky Natives, Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele sat with the incomparable Zukiswa Wanner to discuss books, life and almost everything in between. Over the course of an afternoon, there was a wealth of mics dropped and wisdom shared. In this hilarious and heartwarming episode with Zukiswa Wanner who is a daughter of the soil in the most true sense of the word. Zambian born to South African and Zimbabwean parents and now living in Kenya where she is a writer and full time slayer. At the time of the podcast, Zukiswa was celebrating a 12 years since the publishing of her highly acclaimed first novel, ‘The Madams’ which was a game changer at the time. With the release of her latest work ‘Hardly Working’, a travel memoir of sorts, she continues to redefine the boundaries. A visionary, ahead of the time. It was an absolute delight to host the ineffable Zukiswa Wanner on the latest episode of the Cheeky Natives.

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'But look how she dances when she thinks no one is watching. Look at the balm oozing from her bones she is my pomegranate promise in this land of the living' -Ashlee Haze Ashlee Haze is a poet and spoken word artist who has performed at the Apollo Theater. Her collection of poetry 'Land of the living' is a must have. In many ways, the book is an ode to Black womxn. A song to Black Lives, it lifts the voices of our mothers. In this episode of the podcast, Letlhogonolo is in communion with Ashlee discussing topics around grief, the predicament of Black mother and womanhood to the power of representation, feminism, Beyoncé and Missy Elliot. This episode is filled with authenticity and vulnerability complemented by readings from Land of the Living.Follow her on social media Facebook: Ashlee Haze Instagram and Twitter: @ashleehazeYou can buy her book her: http://www.ashleehaze.com/product/land-of-the-living/ or https://www.amazon.com/Land-Living-Ashlee-Haze/dp/0997316802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523205307&sr=81&keywords=ashlee+hazeFollow us on social media:Facebook: The Cheeky Natives Instagram and Twitter: @cheekynatives Itunes: The Cheeky Natives Podcast

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‘This poem is about joy. how long it stayedhow we remember itin usalways’ - Ebony StewartThese words are the last lines from a poem titled ‘This poem is a joy’ by the prodigious Ebony Stewart. Ebony was named Champion of the Women of the World Poetry Slam 2017 for her exceptionally crafted poem ‘Common Fatigue’. She has recently published her first book titled ‘Home. Girl. Hood’ - which is a book that includes poems like ‘This poem is about Joy’, ‘Happy Father’s Day’, ‘Compassionate Fatigue’ and many others. In this episode of the podcast, Letlhogonolo sat down and spoke to Ebony about her breathtakingly amazing work,absent fathers, trauma, relationships with mothers and feminism. It is a conversation filled with authenticity about the complexity of human interaction complemented by poetry performed by Ebony.

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“because writing is soft and a hard place, all at once.” – Yrsa Daley-Ward Instagram poetry seems to dominate the modern way of consuming poetry and also in many ways a way to introduce people to amazing poets such as Nayyirah Waheed, Warsan Shire, Upile Chisala and Yrsa-Daley Ward. This episode features the ever-brilliant, multi-talented, gorgeous model and Insta famous poet, Yrsa- Daley Ward. Yrsa-Daley Ward self-published her prolific book bone, which has since being republished with a few new poems by Penguin Books. Yrsa Daley-Ward’s bone is described a symphony of breaking and mending. In this episode, Letlhogonolo speaks to Yrsa Daley-Ward about her book bone, mothers, black womxn, her favourite books and what it means to be a black womxn in the world. In this heartfelt conversation, Yrsa speaks about her time in South Africa, Blackness, queerness and love. She also reveals a little about her upcoming memoir, The Terrible, to be released later this year.

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