Description
Poli Poli: A Memoir by Barbara Masekela is a deeply personal autobiographical work that intertwines the author’s life story with a broader social history of South Africa. Masekela, a poet, educator and activist, uses her memoir to reflect on the lived experiences of Black South Africans across different historical periods and geographic settings.
The narrative traces her upbringing, family history and education, beginning with her grandmother’s life in the aftermath of the South African War and moving through her parents’ professional and political experiences during apartheid-era restrictions. It continues through her own formative years in places such as Kwa-Guqa, Alexandra Township, Inanda Seminary School, university life in Lesotho, and her eventual exile in Ghana. Through these experiences, the memoir explores themes of identity, belonging, gender, resistance and cultural memory.
Written with lyrical detail and historical awareness, Poli Poli is both a personal reflection and a wider social document, offering insight into generations of South African life under colonialism and apartheid.
