Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Travelling while black: Seven travelogues you should read

03/02/2023

Travelling while black: Seven travelogues you should readThe travelling while black movement foregrounds racial danger and discrimination around travel, while illuminating distinctive experiences.

by The Conversation

03-02-2023 12:46

in Books

Travelling while black: 7 South African travelogues you should read

Image by pexels

Travel writing in Africa is often associated with colonial ventures of the past or white adventure pursuits of today. But Africans themselves have long produced captivating travel texts in oral and written forms. We need to look beyond narrowly western or white accounts as travel writing is produced across the world by an extensive range of writers. Literary ezines (electronic magazines on the internet) dedicated to diverse travel writing are thriving.

--

That said, the cultures and literatures of travel from Africa have long been under-recognised by mobility studies. Exposing structures and norms that privilege white travel, as well as centering the voices of those on the move who haven't traditionally been counted as travellers, are important aspects of decolonising travel .

ALSO READ: Sho Madjozi released her debut children's book

The travelling while black movement foregrounds racial danger and discrimination around travel, while illuminating distinctive experiences that black travel brings. With this telling phrase as its title, Kenyan writer and analyst Nanjala Nyabola's ground-shifting book explores multiple dimensions of being a mobile African woman.

--

As a literary scholar of these books, I've recently published a research paper that explores how a range of contemporary popular travelogues by black South Africans offer fresh, often provocative, perspectives. The travelogues, mostly focusing on exploring Africa (including South Africa itself), bring to life the places visited and celebrate the acts of travel - while also reflecting deeply on what the travel means.

Travel in South Africa is no straightforward subject. It takes on heightened significance in the light of the country's history of colonialism and apartheid. Apartheid, South Africa's institutionalised system of segregation, attempted to limit or force black mobility and to regulate black travel in intensive ways.

In post-apartheid South Africa, much has been in flux. While race-based mobility laws are no longer in place, questions of black movement, border crossings and belonging are peaking. In many of the travelogues in my research, the writers reflect on how history, race, nationality, gender and other factors affect travel.

--

1. Vagabond by Lerato Mogoatlhe Journalist Lerato Mogoatlhe, loved on social media as Madam Afrika, shares her action-packed experiences of travelling to 21 African countries over five years in her debut book Vagabond: Wandering Through Africa on Faith (2019).

Blackbird Books She dedicates her adventures to those who had gone before , including her grandparents who could only travel in their dreams . What motivates her is the freedom to wander from place to place and the possibility of knowing the world beyond what's around my corner .

She sees travel on the continent as giving her the opportunity to experience being black and African without disguising or denying myself to fit in .

2. Niq Mhlongo's blog Along with tales of book hustles, visa hassles, local brews and astounding sights, novelist Niq Mhlongo reflects on how the past and present connect through journeying in his energetic travel blog.

On his 4,459km trip through Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, he emphasises that African travel enables the retracing of the history of our people that has not been properly documented or told .

3. Hardly Working by Zukiswa Wanner A multi-country African journey with the thrills and spills of public transport is the story of novelist Zukiswa Wanner's Hardly Working: A Travel Memoir of Sorts (2018) - on one level. She is also on the road to teach her son about the continent beyond the realms of a textbook .

Black Letter Media As a child of exiled South African and Zimbabwean parents, she has been transnationally mobile since childhood, but imbues this trip with special importance. It marks her 40th birthday and four decades since the 1976 Soweto uprising.

Through her journeying, she powerfully links up personal and historic milestones to reflect on her own life and a nation that hasn't lived up to its post-apartheid promises.

4. Reclaiming Home by Lesego Malepe Reclaiming Home: Diary of a Journey through Post-Apartheid South Africa (2018) is by author and scholar Lesego Malepe.

She Writes Press She returns from decades in the US to criss-cross the country of her birth over 11 months.

During apartheid the many discriminatory laws made travel for a black person very difficult , so she explores every corner of South Africa for herself and in memory of her brother.

As a political prisoner on Robben Island off Table Bay, Cape Town, for 22 years, her brother was taunted by the view of Table Mountain and all that lay out of reach.

5. Rainbow Nation, My Zulu Arse by Sihle Khumalo Travel writer Sihle Khumalo takes to the road to write his first book about his native South Africa in Rainbow Nation, My Zulu Arse (2019). While he is known for his upbeat approach (his brawny debut was Dark Continent, My Black Arse in 2016), he starts this journey at apartheid's Sharpeville massacre site in contemplative mode.

Umuzi He strikes a note of looking back as part of moving forward and connects his travel to historical sites, among others, to try and grasp where the country's headed.

Khumalo's book is far from solemn though. It rants and raves across the spectacular terrain of nine provinces, bringing to life dusty towns, forgotten communities, bright lights and open horizons.

He accentuates that t
LINK: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/books/travelling-while-black-s...
See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

29/05/2026

Roku Unveils Redesigned TV Home Screen

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Sinclair and AMP Sports to Launch Style of Play' Podcast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

TV Pharma Ads Are Getting Longer, VAB Says

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality

Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality Kate Luvis May 29, 2026 0 Comments Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...

29/05/2026

Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio

Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 29, 2026 0 Comments Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...

29/05/2026

FCC Reminds Broadcasters of Their Public Interest Obligations

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Roku Unveils New TV Home Screen

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Sinclair and AMP Sports Announce New 'Style of Play' Podcast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

Study: YouTube Leads Global Streaming Ad Growth

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

TV Pharma Ads Are Getting Longer, According to VAB

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

29/05/2026

At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration

At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...

29/05/2026

Super Garden 2026 winner revealed

At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...

29/05/2026

May 28, 2026

Experimental HIV vaccine achieves a long-sought goal In a first for the field, all non-human primates given a new series of vaccines generated antibodies capabl...

28/05/2026

How Thomson's Climate Crisis Toolkit is helping journalists tell the climate story

Thomsons Climate Crisis Toolkit is already being put to work, helping journalist...

28/05/2026

Matt Gangl and Pete Macheska on FOX MLB's Huge Night and Unforgettable Postseason Run

FOX Sports' MLB coverage dominated the night at the 47th Annual Sports Emmy ...

28/05/2026

FOX's Mike Davies and Team on Win as Outstanding Technical Team for 2025 World Series

One of the most memorable postseasons in baseball history would have had no memo...

28/05/2026

NBC Sports' Rob Hyland Reflects on an Unforgettable Sunday Night Football Season

NBC's Sunday Night Football is among the most-decorated and most-watched pro...

28/05/2026

Prime Video's John Ward and Mike Francis on Groundbreaking NBA on Prime Video Studio

The 2026 Sports Emmys marked a watershed moment for Prime Video Sports. After bu...

28/05/2026

18th-Annual SVG College Sports Media Awards Crown Years Best Work in Atlanta

Hosted by ESPN Senior Writer Ryan McGee, the ceremony honored winners from athletic departments, conference offices, professional networks, production companies...

28/05/2026

Networks Unveil 2026 College Football Broadcast Schedules

Major rights-holders rolled out their 2026 college football slates today, offering a first look at marquee windows, kickoff partners, and conference distributio...

28/05/2026

NHL's Steve Mayer on the Behind-the-Scenes Access of 4 Nations Face-Off: Unveiled

The 4 Nations Face-Off, an international competition that launched in February 2...

28/05/2026

ESPN's Manny de la Fe on the Gratifying Conclusion to Inaugural Season in Spanish

Soccer is a truly global sport, and, to match the U.S. viewing audience's in...

28/05/2026

CBS Sports' Graphics Team on the Vision of The NFL Today's Virtual Time Machine

The NFL Today, CBS Sports' top-of-the-line NFL studio show, has a storied hi...

28/05/2026

Prime Video's Mike Muriano on the Immediate Success of Fan Optionality Feature

Prime Video is no stranger to innovation, and, within the realm of live streamin...

28/05/2026

FOX Sports' Jamie McCombs on Showcasing MLB Atmosphere With Immersive Audio

The crack of the bat, the pop of the glove, and the cheer of the crowd: those are three prime examples of the glorious sounds fans hear on televised baseball ga...

28/05/2026

CBS Sports' Harold Bryant on Capturing the Essence of March Madness in the Studio

Every year, March Madness captivates the entire sports world. Nonstop action, un...

28/05/2026

NBC Sports' Chad Hudson on Developing Graphics for the Return of NBA on NBC

NBA on NBC was an integral part to live sports production in the 1990s, and, when the league made these media rights available, NBC Sports saw an opportunity to...

28/05/2026

MLB's Ryan Zander on the Tech Innovation Behind the League's UmpCam AR System

UmpCam is a technological wrinkle that has given fans unprecedented views of wha...

28/05/2026

T-Mobile Brings America's Best Network to the USGA

T-Mobile and the United States Golf Association (USGA) announced a multi-year partnership, making T-Mobile the Official 5G Network Partner of the U.S. Women'...

28/05/2026

Time and Water Is a Moving Portrait of Family History and a Warming Iceland

By Gina McIntyre (L-R) Sara Dosa and Andri Sn r Magnason attend the Time and Water premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Library Center Theatre ...

28/05/2026

More Control, Faster Playlist Editing, and Other Updates for Everyday Listening on Spotify

A little refresh can go a long way. We've been making behind-the-scenes upda...

28/05/2026

Introducing the Newest Winners of Spotify's Creator Milestone Awards

Since early last year, our quarterly Creator Milestone Awards have celebrated podcasts from around the world that hit major streaming milestones on Spotify. Tod...

28/05/2026

Rapid Flow launch Omniclock

New software-based MIDI multi-clock announced Rapid Flow have just announced the launch of a new MIDI utility plug-in that aims to solve one of the most per...

28/05/2026

SSL announce the SSL 1

Company introduce most affordable interface yet SSL's range of audio interfaces has just gained its latest, and smallest member, the SSL 1. Designed to ...

28/05/2026

Deconstruct Minimal from Sonicware

New compact drum machine & sampler announced The latest instrument from Sonicware sees the company kick off an all-new Deconstruct series with a compact dru...

28/05/2026

Get fit for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with new SBS On Demand features for the ultimate viewing experience

Get fit for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with new SBS On Demand features for the ult...

28/05/2026

Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority modernizes nationwide ATC voice communications with Rohde & Schwarz CERTIUM Radios

Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority modernizes nationwide ATC voice communications...

28/05/2026

Amazon MGM Studios, AWS Launch GenAI Creators' Fund

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/05/2026

AudioShake Launches Copyright Compliance System

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/05/2026

Big Blue Marble Advances 5G Broadcast

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/05/2026

Will Must-Carry Make It to NextGen TV?

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/05/2026

Swiss Broadcaster Canal Alpha Streamlines Playout to Deli...

Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonics award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to ...

28/05/2026

Calrec Scales ImPulseV to Expand Choice in Virtualized Audio Workflows

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/05/2026

Berliner Ensemble Upgrades Backstage Infrastructure With...

Riedel Communications today announced that Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expanded its backstage communications and te...

28/05/2026

Digital Alert Systems Ed Czarnecki to Speak on Advanced E...

Company's VP Government and International to Address How Broadcasters Can Operationalize Advanced Emergency Information for NextGen TV Digital Alert Syst...

28/05/2026

Radio BGM Upgrades and Futureproofs with DHD SX2 Audio Mi...

Radio BGM (https://radiobgm.org.uk/), Llanellis multiple-award-winning community and hospital radio station, has invested in a DHD SX2 audio mixing console and ...