Recognised for her stories, poetry
The iconic Worcester native, Diana Ferrus, has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Stellenbosch.
The university informed Ferrus on 29 September about their decision.
“I don’t know if it has sunk in yet. My sister had passed away on the same day they informed me. I think that is why I still have mixed sentiments about it, but I will say, it is a great honour. I remember when the university called me, I said, prof are you sure?’ and he laughed, and said, ‘of course, I’m sure. It was presented to the board, and they voted.’ I feel really honoured and privileged,” she explained during a telephonic interview with Standard.
However, she added that in her mind there are so many other people the Doctorate could have gone to.
“But by the support I have received from my friends and family, the way they are elated for me, has led me to know that people grant me this. And that is a wonderful feeling. I really don’t know how to describe it,” she gushed.
Diana started writing when she was 14 or 15, during the height of apartheid in our country.
“I was small and I was struck by what was going on around me. I just wanted to make a difference. I never could have imagined that by writing about it, it would lead me down this road.”
She believes the fact that she wanted to honour her family’s expectations of her is what has kept her going all these years.
“My community and especially my family had great expectations of me. I wanted to honour their expectations, and did not want to fail in doing so. But I also firmly believe it is prayers and my belief that helped me reach these heights and goals throughout my career. And I am also of the opinion that I am not done, one can never just be done becoming what you set out to, I believe I am always becoming. You’re done becoming when you die.”
Continuing, she says, it is important to know who you are and where you come from in order to produce work that deeply connects you to yourself as well as others.
“To the writers out there, know who you are. Go and explore where your people come from. Staan stewig in jou skoene. Writing is not for sissies. You have to believe in yourself that you are doing your best. Believe in your writing. Weigh the positives and the negatives, get to the story behind the story you are telling, to connect with your readers,” she passionately expressed during the telephone conversation on Tuesday.
Diana deeply appreciates the continued, unwavering love and support she receives from the inhabitants of her home town.
“I will always treasure and love the town – pray for the town’s good-keep. I still want to make a difference there, I want to give back to the residents of Worcester.”
The literary legend was born in Worcester in 1953 and is of mixed Khoisan descent. In 1998 she wrote a poem about the undignified exploitation of Sarah (Saartjie) Baartman, I’ve come to take you home. It is widely believed the poem is part of the reason Baartman’s remains were returned home after it was on display in Paris until 1986.
She also read the poem to the South African government at the handing over of the remains in 2002. The popularity of the poem translated to her having a global platform for her writing.
She also read the poem to the South African government at the handing over of the remains in 2002. The popularity of the poem translated to her having a global platform for her writing.
She has various other published works, in both English and Afrikaans in her canon, which includes the Afrikaans poetry collection, Ons Komvandaan and her English poetry collection, I’ve come to take you home.
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