Chimurenga News Media Struggle for Freedom Who No Know Go Know
Chimurenga, based in South Africa, draws its name from the Shona word for "struggle" and its motto from Fela Kuti's "Who No Know Go Know."
All About Chimurenga: The Pan-African Platform of Culture and Politics
Chimurenga is a groundbreaking Pan-African project based in Cape Town, South Africa. Its name, from the Zimbabwean Shona language, means "revolutionary struggle" or "struggle for freedom," and its motto, “Who No Know Go Know,” is taken from a song by the legendary Nigerian Afrobeat activist and pioneer Fela Kuti. The phrase, in Nigerian Pidgin English, is a mission statement in itself: "Those who do not know will come to know."
Founded by a Visionary
Chimurenga was founded in 2002 by Ntone Edjabe, a multi-talented Cameroonian writer, journalist, DJ, and intellectual. Under his leadership, Chimurenga has become an innovative platform for free ideas, political reflection, and cultural production by Africans about Africa. In 2012, British writer Bidisha famously described it as "better than The New Yorker," highlighting its unique and critical voice.
More Than a Magazine
While it began as a print publication, Chimurenga has evolved into a broader project-based organization. It is not a regularly scheduled magazine but rather produces:
- Thematic Publications: Dense, curated issues focused on specific themes, blending fiction, reporting, essays, manifestos, and art.
- The Chimurenga Chronicle: A seminal project that took the form of a newspaper backdated to the week of severe xenophobic attacks in South Africa in 2008.
- The Pan African Space Station (PASS): A long-running online and live music platform showcasing avant-garde and traditional music from across Africa and the diaspora.
- Digital Archive and Publishing: Their website serves as a living archive and publishes new online-only content.
Awards and Recognition
Chimurenga's impact has been widely recognized. In 2011, it won the prestigious Prince Claus Award, given for outstanding achievements in culture and development.
How to Subscribe and Engage with Chimurenga Today
Since Chimurenga operates as a project-based platform rather than a periodical, a traditional "subscription" model doesn't apply. Here's how you can stay connected:
1. Stay Informed via Mailing List
The best way to be notified of new publications, projects, and events is to join their mailing list. You can sign up on their official website: http://chimurenga.co.za/.
2. Purchase Publications Directly
Chimurenga's books, magazines, and newspapers are sold as individual items. You can buy them directly from:
- The Chimurenga Online Store: Available on their main website
- Selected Bookshops: Their publications are stocked by independent bookstores worldwide
3. Engage Digitally and Follow Online
- Website: Regularly check chimurenga.co.za for new content
- Social Media: Follow them on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
- The Pan African Space Station (PASS): Tune into broadcasts at pass.chimurenga.co.za
4. Access the Chimurenga Library
Explore their vast online repository of African writing at library.chimurenga.co.za.
In summary, to "subscribe" to Chimurenga is to actively engage with its ecosystem—sign up for their newsletter, follow their digital platforms, and purchase their unique publications as they are released.
