{"id":8952,"date":"2020-05-17T11:12:08","date_gmt":"2020-05-17T10:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lailasnews.com\/international\/?p=8952"},"modified":"2020-05-17T11:12:08","modified_gmt":"2020-05-17T10:12:08","slug":"walter-chakela-biography-walter-chakela-death-obituary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lailasnews.com\/international\/walter-chakela-biography-walter-chakela-death-obituary\/","title":{"rendered":"Walter Chakela biography: Walter Chakela death, obituary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Walter Chakela biography, death, obituary: Founding President OF NWASA, Nana Kefuoe Walter Chakela died May 2020.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Walter<\/p>\n

The March Theatre announced Walter Chakela death in a statement that read:<\/p>\n

It is with sadness to hear about the passing of ntate Walter Chakela.<\/p>\n

He was a playwright, a poet, a theatrical director, and chief executive officer and artistic director of the Windybrow Centre for the Arts in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n

He has written twenty-two plays and directed many others. This interview was conducted by Nic Paget-Clarke, August 30, 2002, at the time of the United Nations World.<\/p>\n

May his soul rest in eternal peace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Walter Chakela biography: Walter Chakela death, obituary<\/h2>\n

Please say a prayer<\/a> for the family and friends as you read the tributes below.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ismail Mahomed
\nRIP … Walter Chakela!
\nFor many of us who had no access to formal theatre spaces before 1994 Walter Chakela was a pioneering figure who opened up the doors to the Windybrow Arts Centre when he was the Chief Executive Director and Artistic Director of the Centre from 1993 to 2004.<\/p>\n

Walter Chakela was a prolific playwright, a poet and theatre director. He has written twenty-two plays and directed many others. His annual production of the adaptation of Bessie Head\u2019s MARU for the stage gave thousands of township students access to theatre.<\/p>\n

Whilst he was passionately interested in advancing more opportunities in the performing arts for young Black artists and audiences he was also determined to develop the Centre as a space for intellectual thought and dialogue on African literature.<\/p>\n

During his tenure artists and audiences at the Windybrow Arts Centre were introduced to the literary works of Keorapetse Kgositsile, Dennis Brutus, Robert Earl Price, Amiri Baraka and Nadine Gordimer amongst several others.<\/p>\n

Last year, he was a key figure in the establishment of the National Writers Association of South Africa (NWASA).<\/p>\n

Walter Chakela was the recipient of Ghana\u2019s prestigious Nana Award for his contribution to the advancement of African literature.<\/p>\n

In his recent years, his health had taken a down-turn when he survived a stroke. Too often when African legends die we say that a boabab has fallen. It is quite fair to imagine a landscape of boabab\u2019s having fallen with Walter Chakela\u2019s passing. May his soul Rest In Peace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n