SWOP Associate, Kally Forrest, has won the the award for Best Biography at the Humanities and Social Sciences Awards (NIHSS) for her book Lydia: Anthem to the Unity of Women.
In their comments on the book, the judges remarked that; ‘the content is substantively South African and it is presented clearly, cogently and coherently. The writing style is both accessible, and scholarly rigorous. The innovation lies in the focus on the life of a woman who has not yet received scholarly or popular attention as she deserves’.
The judges highlight that ‘Kally follows in Lydia‘s footsteps, accompanied by family, friends and comrades, and ancestors from Limpopo and Johannesburg to Cape Town, where Lydia once sat on Nelson Mandela’s parliament. The devastating loss of her family’s land in the 1930s profoundly influenced Lydia’s life choices. She was fiercely independent yet tied to the collective, forceful yet consultative, humorous yet deeply serious’.
About the book:
With great care and meticulous research, Kally Forrest brings us the life of Lydia Komape, also known as Mam Lydia Kompe. Kally travels in Lydia’s footsteps, with family, friends, comrades and ancestors from Limpopo and Johannesburg to Cape Town where Lydia sat in Nelson Mandela’s parliament.
Her family’s shattering loss of land in the 1930s deeply impacted Lydia’s life choices. She was fiercely independent, yet bound by the collective, forceful but consultative, humorous and deeply serious.
Lydia closely identified with rural women, remarking, ‘We are so discriminated against, but we are made to work like donkeys. We do all the dirty work – you must go and plough, hoe, harvest, carry water, fetch wood, and men are just sitting drinking alcohol under the tree.’
This is a biography that will open your eyes and heart.
