Gcina Mhlophe
Gcina Mhlophe
About Gcina Mhlophe:
Gcina Mhlophe has been writing and performing on stage and screen for the past 24 years. She has written many children's books as well as adult audience poetry and short stories and plays. Her writings are published all over the world and translated into German, French, Italian, Swahili and Japanese. Her work is used extensively in many schools and universities.
Gcina produced and performed in the collaboration CD for children with Ladysmith Black Mambazo - released by Music for Little People (USA), 1993. She wrote music for the SABCTV series Gcina & Friends where she performed her own stories for television audiences. In 2000 she released an award-winning storytelling CD “Fudukazi's Magic” for German audiences. Gcina wrote both the story and music for Fudukazi's Magic - produced for video in collaboration with Anant Singh of VideoVision.
She wrote both story and music in collaboration with guitarist, Bheki Khoza, for the Animated Tales of the World Series, for RIGHT ANGLE TV in the UK as well as the SABC.
In 2001 her CD and book of Nozincwadi Mother of Books was produced as part of her nationwide reading road show to South African rural schools.
Her work has received awards from BBC Africa Service for Radio Drama, The Fringe First Award in the Edinburgh Festival, the Josef Jefferson Award in Chicago, and OBBIE in New York. Gcina Mhlophe has received Honorary Doctorates from the London Open University as well as the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The same year saw the publication of her book , African Mother Christmas by Maskew Miller Longman, as well as the republication of Love Child (now in English), and Have You Seen Zandile by University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.
Video of “ FUDUKAZI’s MAGIC” was screened in Durban as part of the African Union Film Festival, July 2002.
2003 saw the publication of her much acclaimed STORIES OF AFRICA , by UKZN Press, the book was chosen for Publishers Choice for two years running. Maskew Miller Longman published one of her most loved stories “Queen Of Imbira”
Also in 2003 she wrote for Center For The Book’s FIRST WORDS IN PRINT series with books like, “Love In Your Language”, and “Horns Only”. Aug & September 2003 Gcina was invited to the prestigious Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, USA as Writer In Residence where she commenced the work on her debut novel…(still to be completed!)
January 2006 released her CD - “SONGS AND STORIES OF AFRICA”, co-produced with Bheki Khoza , five stories and seven songs recorded with a full band and children’s choir.
July 2006 – Gcina represented her country at the Soccer World Cup in Germany, the Highlight of her performances being the Official Reveal of the 2010 World Cup Emblem for South Africa. The performance was broadcast live around the world to more than a billion viewers!
Writing and Storytelling continue to be the main focus of Gcina’s Creative energies. She lives in Durban with her husband and their daughter Nomakhwezi, the morning star!
Our Story Magic
Gcina Mhlophe - Our Story Magic
Stories with magic inspire us to believe in hope and dreams. How will anyone recognise ‘real life’ miracles if they have not learned about magic from stories?
Our Story Magic is a collection of enchanting and compelling tales written by Gcina Mhlophe. The illustrations are by artists from KwaZulu-Natal. Read and share these stories with the love that went into the writing of them.
Some of the magical titles in this collection include:
SUN AND THE MOON
QUEEN OF THE TORTOISES
MOONLIGHT MAGIC
DAD IS EATING ASHES
THE SINGING DOG
JOJELA’S WOODEN SPOON
SUNSET COLOURS
