The stormy petrels in the 80s and 90s of the previous century didn’t have Twitter, blogs or Facebook. Anti-culture activists, creators and agitators expressed themselves in so-called “little magazines”, which led to growth in a time of militarisation and censorship.
One of the strongest magazines, perhaps too established to be classified as a “little magazine”. Hermann Giliomee and André du Toit were the founders.
From Pretoria, with poet Johann Lodewyk Marais at the helmAn outstanding English magazine which also featured Afrikaans literatureEtienne van Heerden founded Graffier, which led to the founding of Uitgewery Skoppensboer later on.Stet originated at Wits University’s Afrikaans and Dutch department.Karring was founded at the University of the Western Cape. The late poet Patrick Peterson appears on one of the covers.Maandblad was published by Ben Dehaeck’s experimental theatre in Stellenbosch. Photocopy on wax paper.Koos Kombuis called his broadsheet Koerant. From Pretoria. Photocopy, stapled.Palladium could be found wherever music was made. Photocopy.Poet Johan van Wyk’s Kabelkarnumfe. From Johannesburg. Photocopy, stapled.The Congress of South African WritersEven the smallest magazine was used as a platform for those who wanted to have their voices heard. Stellenbosch University’s Penseel is well-known.Work in Progress. From Braamfontein, Johannesburg.Staffrider was well-known.Another important publicationThe brave Black Sash’s magazinePerhaps a newspaper and not a “little magazine”, but important to be mentionedIf you were lucky enough to travel, you could find stormy petrels in foreign countries. Van Heerden brought back these magazines from his travels to Zimbabwe and The Netherlands.From Botswana and WashingtonCosaw Natal JournalA magazine for childrenNever forget the mainstream publications.
