South African literary podcast “Cheeky Natives” turned two this May.

South African literary podcast “Cheeky Natives,” run by Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane, turned two this May.

The Cheeky Natives is a literary podcast focused on the review, curatorship and archiving of black literature run by Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane. Dr Cele is a doctor in public practice while Mokgoroane is a lawyer. The pod which was set up in 2017 has blazed a trail as they focused on writing by mainly black Africans from their Johannesburg, South Africa base.

Since they began they have interviewed some of our favourite writers and introduced us to many new names that we wouldn’t have heard off without their interventions. From the Podcast, we have heard the voices of Nthikeng Mohlele, Rosie Motene, Nozizwe Jele, Sue Nyathi, Panashe Chigumadzi, Mona Eltahawy, Zukiswa Wanner, Chwayita Ngamlana, Sisonke Msimang, Thando Mgqolozana, Koleka Putuma, Lebo Mashile, Siya Khumalo, and many others. You can access their podcasts from the last two years on the following page.  Alternatively, you can find them on SoundCloud.

We are such huge fans of their podcast that we declared them best podcast in African literature in my much coveted 2018 end year honours.

The podcast celebrated their second year in May and the authors who they have spent time shining a light on gave the love back with congratulatory messages. Here a few the duo shared on their Instagram page from Sisonke Msimang, Rosie Motene, Zukiswa Wanner, Sue Nyathi, Siya Khumalo, Panashe Chigumadzi, Sihle Bolani, Thabiso Bonita, and many others.

From us here at JamesMurua.com we wish the Cheeky Natives a happy second year. May you continue to enlighten and delight us for many years to come.

 

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@SueNyathi couldn’t join us when we celebrated #CheekyNativesTurns2 and she sang to us and sent this wonderful message. Thank you, Sue.

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 30, 2019 at 5:44am PDT

 

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@rosiemotene sending us warm wishes and love as we celebrate #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 28, 2019 at 12:15am PDT

 

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@booksandrhymes celebrates us by letting us know that she enjoys the conversations that we create. She says we make feel connected as someone in the diaspora. #cheekynativesturns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 27, 2019 at 3:11am PDT

 

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@_BlackBirdBooks founder @thabisobonita says that she is happy new participants are entering the literary space and that she hopes that the work of The Cheeky Natives will encourage other people to contribute to the literary space in meaningful ways. #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 26, 2019 at 2:39am PDT

 

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@sihlebolani describes our impact on her as a reader and a writer. #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 24, 2019 at 11:19am PDT

 

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Zukiswa Wanner says our generosity of spirit is worthy of being emulated. #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 23, 2019 at 11:07pm PDT

 

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@OmphileRaleie founder of @Bookamoso says when she met us 2 years ago, she saw the passionate we had for African Literature #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 23, 2019 at 6:20am PDT

 

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Award-winning author @panashechigumadzi expressed her excitement for the future. She ends her well wishes by singing Happy Birthday in Sepedi. #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 22, 2019 at 2:22am PDT

 

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‘Thank you for the contribution you are making to South African literary. The new South Africa was suppose to be a country of great joy and imagination, a place where ideas matter, and the work of the Cheeky Natives is really to help us keep sight of what that dream was’ — @sisonke_msimang #CheekyNativesTurns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 23, 2019 at 12:49am PDT

 

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@skhumalo1987 on #cheekynativesturns2

A post shared by The Cheeky Natives (@cheekynatives) on Apr 14, 2019 at 1:09pm PDT