Adriaan van Dis
(The Netherlands, 1946) grew up in a family with a past in the Dutch East Indies. He draws on these experiences in several of his works such as My Father's War (1995), Repatriated (2002) and recently in Naar zachtheid en een warm omhelzen (2023). Van Dis became well known via his literary television programme Here is... Adriaan van Dis (1983-1992). In addition to novels he has written novellas, travelogues, essays and plays. He presented the award-winning TV documentary series Van Dis in Africa (2008) and Van Dis in Indonesia (2012). He has received the Constantijn Huygens Award for his entire body of work. Recent publications are the collection Vijf vrolijke verhalen (2021), the novel KliFi, woede in de republiek Nederland (2022) and the essay De kolonie mept terug: over witte arrogantie en voortschrijdend inzicht: een denkoefening en leesreis (2024).
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Archive available for: Adriaan van Dis
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OVT Live from Writers Unlimited Festival The Hague
With: Abdelkader Benali, Adriaan van Dis, Frank van Bommel, Frans van Deursen, Frederique van Rijn, Lara Nuberg, Mark Nieuwenhuis
Every Sunday morning, the topicality of history is the focus of one of the most popular radio programs in the Netherlands. On Sunday morning, 21 January 2024, OVT was broadcast live from Writers Unlimited Festival in the foyer of Theater aan het Spui. You could listen to and watch discussions, interviews and stories by festival authors and others. Hosts: Julie Blussé or Laura Stek. In Dutch.
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Opening Night Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague
With: Adriaan van Dis, Aminatta Forna, Burhan Sönmez, Celeste Ng, Daniëlle Zawadi, Emilienne Malfatto, Hashem Kabreet, Jan van Zanen, Jörgen Tjon A Fong, Judith Uyterlinde, Sholeh Rezazadeh
Freedom to speak or write is important but impossible for many. The festival opened with "human voices" (the theme of this edition) from The Netherlands and beyond: a unique lineup of famous writers speaking out. This was one of those evenings of inspiration, creative thoughts and apt words that make a deep impression. Meet the authors who make their voices heard for four delightful days of this Hague festival!
Opening Night 2024 was focused on freedom of speech and the power of literature, with appearances and readings by US author Celeste Ng, internationally one of the most-read authors with Asian roots; the British writer Aminatta Forna (The Hired Man); Adriaan van Dis, whose moving new novel Naar zachtheid en een warm omhelzen was published Fall 2023; Burhan Sönmez, author of Istanbul, Istanbul and chair of the writers organization PEN International.
Young spoken-word artist and writer DaniÃ"lle Zawadi from The Hague and, accompanied by percussionist Hashem Kabreet, writer and novelist Sholeh Rezazadeh gave spoken word performances.
Host Jörgen Tjon A Fong discussed with the US novelist Celeste Ng (Our Missing Hearts) and French writer and photojournalist Emilienne Malfatto (Le Colonel ne dort pas; The Colonel Doesn't Sleep) what "human voices" means to them in relation to freedom of speech. Finally, Hague mayor Jan van Zanen kicked things off by officially opening the festival!
The programme included the short film Monument for murdered writers and journalists 2023, a project by Theatre of Wrong Decisions, Committee To Protect Journalists (CPJ) and PEN International.
Our favourite Hague bookstore De Vries Van Stockum had well-stocked tables of books for sale in the foyer of the Theater aan het Spui throughout the festival (English and Dutch language) by the authors appearing at the festival. Browse to your heart's content, and maybe the author is even present to personally sign your freshly bought book.
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Old Ties, New Connections: A trip via the Indonesian past to the present
The ties between The Netherlands and Indonesia is a complicated history, and has strongly influenced generations of people with roots in the Dutch Indies. How do writers from generations born in The Netherlands view the land of their (grand)parents? The country they only know from lore, and with which they have built a new relationship of their own? Old Ties, New Connections is about having roots in another country and another time, about displacement and fresh ties to Indonesia.
Adriaan van Dis' work leads back in part to his Dutch Indies background. His 2023 novel Naar zachtheid en een warm omhelzen (To Tenderness and a Warm Hug), deals with his youth with his grandfather and Ommie, the woman who cared for and brought him up when Van Dis could not go home because his father struggled with the trauma of having been in a internment camp.
Maddy Stolk wrote in her autofiction novel Soedah, laat maar (Soedah, Never Mind, 2023) about her mothers past in an internment camp and how it affected her whole youth while she empties the house after her mother's death. In this way, she confronts the ghosts of her youth one more time.
Authors Ellen Deckwitz, Lara Nuberg and Robin Block belong to the third generation of Indonesians in The Netherlands. How do they look at the preceding generations? What is their view of the country where their ancestors were born?
With a presentation by Adriaan van Dis, Ellen Deckwitz, Lara Nuberg and Robin Block.
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Opening Night
With: Adriaan van Dis, Angelina Enny, Antjie Krog, Cynthia Mc Leod, Ellen Deckwitz, Goenawan Mohamad, Hassnae Bouazza, Jolyn Phillips, Karin Amatmoekrim, Nelleke Noordervliet, Petina Gappah, Reggie Baay, Rosabelle Illes, Shailesh Bahoran, Sigrid Kaag, Simon(e) van Saarloos, Ton van de Langkruis, Vamba Sherif
A fantastic line-up of fifteen Dutch and international authors provided a preview of the festival with their new poetry and prose, mixed with dance performances by Shailesh Bahoran. This festive evening celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Winternachten festival with the presentation of the (Dutch language) anniversary anthology De verovering van Jupiter (Over de dekolonisatie van de geest) (Conquering Jupiter: On decolonising the mind). The festival was opened by Sigrid Kaag, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.
At the behest of Writers Unlimited, all contributors wrote a short essay, story or poem for the anthology to reflect on the festival theme. It is a unique collection of 28 wonderful pieces of writing edited by Toef Jaeger and published by Jurgen Maas. It is available at regular bookstores and online.
In the same venue in which the first Indonesian Winternacht (forerunner of Winternachten Festival) took place in 1995 - the Theater aan het Spui - on this jubilee opening night we proudly presented (inter)national writers that have developed a special bond with our festival and its audience. These included: Goenawan Mohamad (Indonesia) and Nelleke Noordervliet - who both performed at the first Winternacht in 1995 -, Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog (South Africa), Reggie Baay, Manon Uphoff, Vamba Sherif and Cynthia McLeod (Suriname). Tip: be sure to look up these writers in our online video and sound archive!
Writers Unlimited will always continue to seek out talent, and in 25 years has presented many debuting local and foreign writers. How wonderful, then, to welcome on this evening - once again, or for the first time: Angelina Enny (Indonesia), Rosabelle Illes (Aruba), Jolyn Phillips (South Africa) and, from the Netherlands, Karin Amatmoekrim, Simon(e) van Saarloos and Ellen Deckwitz. We awaited their appearances and recitations with bated breath.
Theatre maker, choreographer and hiphop innovator Shailesh Bahoran performed parts of his dance solo Heritage that was inspired by his Hindostani background; a short video of The Theatre of Wrong Decisions was shown and the Hesce Mourits Quartet of the Royal Conservatory The Hague also performed.
The Opening Night was hosted by Hassnae Bouazza.
The performance of Manon Uphoff, announced for this programme, has been canceled due to illness.
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Ellen Deckwitz and Adriaan van Dis: Inheritance
A discussion about family, inheritance and whether or not it is possible to escape the transferral of history, and thereby your roots, and the good fortune or grief that goes along with them. Led by Fiep van Bodegom, with music and poetry by Robin Block.
In her new collection Hogere natuurkunde (Advanced Physics), Ellen Deckwitz writes about the war, the Dutch Indies, and consequences thereof in today's Netherlands. The grandmother in the text is her Indonesian oma, who will only tell her story to her granddaughter.
A major portion of Adrian van Dis' oeuvre addresses Indonesian influences on his family. His first novel, Nathan Sid (1983) and the novels Indische duinen (Indonesian Dunes, 1994), Familieziek (Family Illness, 2002) and Ik kom terug (I'm Coming Back, 2014) are about his mother and his family, and about how family history persists, generation after generation.
Poet, musician and theatre maker Robin Block follows the path of his grandparents, who had to flee Indonesia in 1949, in the other direction. This is the theme of his solo performance Samudra ("ocean") and the 2019 book he wrote together with Angelina Enny (from Indonesia) In Between, Di Antara.
Tip: Ellen Deckwitz and Robin Block also appear in the Winternachten program at the Nieuw Waldeck Library on 17 January 2020, as of 20:15h. On Saturday afternoon, 18 January, Deckwitz, together with fellow NRC columnist Clarice Gargard and the audience, discusses the novella Oeroeg (1948) by Hella Haasse. Both events are in Dutch.
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Indo-European parents: stories behind the silence - Reggie Baay & Adriaan van Dis
With: Adriaan van Dis, Paul van der Gaag, Reggie Baay
A programme in Dutch on the colonial heritage in Indo-European families in The Netherlands. Writers Adriaan van Dis and Reggie Baay both wrote autobiographical novels on the lives of their parents, during the Second World War in Indonesia, and the Indonesian struggle for independence in the years after. When the parents die, the children try to reconstruct the real story that was never told to them.
Hosted by Paul van der Gaag (VPRO radio O.v.t.)
Curated by Ton van de Langkruis (Writers Unlimited). Bookselling by Van Stockum Boekverkopers
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Writers' Fest
With: Aad Meinderts, Adriaan van Dis, Anna Woltz, Annelies Verbeke, Dick van der Harst, Edward van de Vendel, Femke Halsema, Francis Broekhuijsen, Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Job Cohen, Joris Wijsmuller, Lamin Kuyateh, Michael Krüger, Rodaan Al Galidi, Typhoon
A festive event built around the presentation of the Jan Campert Prizes, the literary awards of the City of The Hague. In collaboration with the Jan Campert Foundation and the Dutch Foundation for Literature, Dutch literature is celebrated with various performances by writers, poets, and representatives of other disciplines (who honour the winners). The event is intended, in part, to highlight the state of Dutch literature. The afternoon culminates in the presentation of the Constantijn Huygens Prize for a whole body of work, which this year is awarded to Adriaan van Dis, beloved author and a great friend of the festival since day one. In Dutch
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VPRO's O.V.T. Live
With: Adriaan van Dis, Eva Vriend, Florejan Verschueren, Helmut Lotti, Inge Schilperoord, Jos Palm, Kristien Hemmerechts, Nelleke Noordervliet, Paul van der Gaag, Rodaan Al Galidi
One of Radio 1's most popular programmes is VPRO's O.V.T. Every Sunday morning, the focus is on the contemporary significance of historic events. It's become a tradition for the producers to move to The Hague during the festival, this time broadcasting live from the cozy lobby of Theater aan het Spui. Count on appearances by festival guests Adriaan van Dis and Rodaan Al Galidi. Flemish singer Helmut Lotti will perform, and of course Nelleke Noordervliet will deliver her spoken column. The hosts are Paul van der Gaag and Jos Palm. The public is welcome and admission is free - but be sure to reserve your spot via www.writersunlimited.nl
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The Text of my Life: Adriaan van Dis
In Filmhuis Studio A the festival's guest writers present their favourite literary texts and explain why a particular poem, novel excerpt, or song lyric influenced their life and work. Which memory, what feeling does this text call up for them? A continuous interview programme, in which the audience also talks with the writers. Hosted by Wim Brands. In Dutch
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Welcome in Holland
Rodaan Al Galidi roamed the world without a passport until he ended up in a Dutch refugee centre. What followed was a battle with the government, the system, and institutionalized evil. Without the benefits of refugee status or an integration diploma, he built a career as a writer. A victory of man over system? Of humanity over rules? These questions form the basis of his latest book, Hoe ik talent voor het leven kreeg (How I Found a Talent for Life), which is presented to the public and to special guest Adriaan van Dis tonight.
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A Conversation with Adriaan van Dis
With: Adriaan van Dis, Hans Goedkoop
A one-on-one conversation with much-loved writer Adriaan van Dis.
The subject matter includes his new novel Ik kom terug (I'm Coming Back). Historian and TV host Hans Goedkoop leads the interview.Adriaan van Dis is a journalist, television host, and one of the preeminent writers in the Netherlands. In the fall of 2014 he published Ik kom terug (I'm Coming Back) to brilliant reviews. It focusses on Van Dis' mother. Married to a member of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army who was murdered during the Japanese occupation, she and her three daughters ended up in an internment camp. Then she met the Indonesian man with whom she would return to the Netherlands (with her daughters), and who would become Adriaan's father. In the novel, the son describes his difficult relationship with his mother. He took notes during their phone calls that allowed him to portray her truthfully, mercilessly, but ultimately with a great deal of love and understanding. Aside from an all-revealing portait of his mother, the book also constitutes a razor-sharp definition of the idea of "home." What does it mean for a human life when "home" is both the safest and least safe place on earth?
Adriaan van Dis will be in conversation with Hans Goedkoop, who studied history, is the biographer of Herman Heijermans and Renate Rubinstein, and is especially recognized as host of the VPRO program "Andere Tijden" ("Different Times"). In 2012 he published De laatste man (The last man), about his grandfather, who fought in the Dutch East Indies war in the late 1940s.
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Indonesian Winter Kumpulan
With: Adriaan van Dis, Anna Montan, Bodil de la Parra, Dinar Rahayu, Gustaaf Peek, Karin Amatmoekrim, Michaël Olbrechts, Nadja Hüpscher, Patrick Lauwerends, Reggie Baay
A convivial gathering where you can sample Indonesian delicacies while listening to talk of Indonesian literature.
A special programme to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the festival, which was launched in 1995 under the name Indonesian Winternacht. Kumpulan refers to the typical Indonesian "coming together, getting together" with family, friends, and others. Performing writers Karin Amatmoekrim, Reggie Baay, Adriaan van Dis, Gustaaf Peek, and Dinar Rahayu (Indonesia) will talk about moments of Indonesian togetherness
inspired by an object, photo, music clip, or story. We also look forward to the contribution of young Belgian graphic novelist Michael Olbrechts, whose debut De allerlaatste tijger (The Very Last Tiger) draws on the history of his great-grandmother in Java. This cheerful evening is hosted by actresses Bodil de la Parra and Nadja Hüpscher, who toured with the hit play Ouwe pinda's (Old Peanuts). Toko Zwijndrecht will cater Indonesian treats during the intermission, and Anna Montan and Patrick Lauwerends will set the mood with jazzy kroncong. Aduh, such fun! -
The Film Choices of Adriaan van Dis
Adriaan van Dis once hosted the VPRO public-television programme "Zomergasten" ("Summer Guests"), in which he talked to guests about film and TV clips. Tonight we turn it around. Film journalist Bert Jansma interviews Van Dis about his favourites. We look at clips from Un prophète (A Prophet, 2009), about the prison system in France; The Attack (2012), about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964), the musical starring Catherine Deneuve and Michel Legrand's enchanting soundtrack; and much more.
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Fit In or Buzz Off
Nuweira Youskine dons verbal boxing gloves and takes on Adriaan van Dis. Shall we drink tea together or beat each other up? Multiculturalism has failed! Fit in or buzz off! No, say the idealists, let's drink tea. It's all our own fault, now we must make the best of it! Build bridges! It won't work, say the segregationists. Back to the home country, or to another place where we can be amongst ourselves. Fit in or buzz off? Referee Abdelkader Benali is strict and maybe even fair. In Dutch.
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Adriaan van Dis and Ahmad Tohari on the future of Indonesia
With: Adriaan van Dis, Ahmad Tohari, Michel Maas
After Soeharto's downfall Indonesia opened up to transparency and democracy. However, in reality corruption is rampant, while ethnic tensions remain. Writer Ahmad Tohari wrote about the love-hate relationship with his country. Adriaan van Dis made the documentary series Van Dis in Indonesië and as a correspondent in Jakarta Michel Maas is witness daily to Indonesia's fitful growing pains. A discussion about the challenge for the future of the island-empire, with the use of fragments from Van Dis' documentary. In English.
The participation of Andrea Hirata, announced in our brochure, has been cancelled. -
Amos Oz and Adriaan van Dis on Ideals
Amos Oz, one of Israel's greatest writers, situates his new novel Between Friends in a kibbutz, the dream of the collective. In his book Tikkop Adriaan van Dis looks back on the ideals of the ANC, which fought for a better society in South Africa. A conversation between two inspired writers on the ideals of of yesterday, hosted by Bas Heijne. In English.
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VPRO De Avonden Live: Ece Temelkuran and Adriaan van Dis
Interviews with these writers from Turkey and The Netherlands at the festival for the VPRO radio programme De Avonden Live. Visitors are allowed to peek freely and listen in. In English and Dutch.
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Antjie Krog Sestig
With: Ad Zuiderent, Adriaan van Dis, Anne Vegter, Antjie Krog, Anton Korteweg, Bas Kwakman, Christine Otten, Hester Knibbe, Ineke Holzhaus, Jan Baeke, Jan Klug, Jan van der Haar, K. Michel, Liesbeth Lagemaat, Mark Boog, Peter Swanborn, Raj Mohan, Rob Schouten, Robert Dorsman, Rodaan Al Galidi, Tom Lanoye, Tsead Bruinja
Dutch poets honoured the South-African poet and writer Antjie Krog. She celebrated her 60th birthday in The Hague. A festive evening, where Antjie Krog presented the audience her favourite poems in Afrikaans. Writers Adriaan van Dis interviewed her on the position of the Afrikaans poet in South-Afrika. Numerous Dutch poets read their poems for Antjie.
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Writers Unlimited on tour in Hatay: Portraits of Multicultural Societies
With: Adriaan van Dis, Aslı E. Perker
Is multiculturalism merely a rhetorical concept? Are the authors living in diaspora always marked with their national identities and always expected to write about the inevitably exotic lands they left behind? Or do they ever leave behind in their writing that "far away country"?
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Writers Unlimited on Tour in Ankara
With: Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog, Aslı E. Perker, Ayşegül Çelik, Rodaan Al Galidi
Antjie Krog, Adriaan van Dis en Rodaan Al Galidi treden samen op met de Turkse auteur Ayşegül Çelik, met gespreksleider Aslı E. Perker.
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Writers On Tour in Istanbul - Remembrance of Places
With: Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog, Rodaan Al Galidi, Sadık Yalsızuçanlar
Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog en Rodaan Al Galidi and the Turkish author Sadik Yalsizuncanlar. Places have their own memories, they in their own right interact with the narrative and set the grounds for stories. But places are sometimes characters in fiction. In this event the authors will take on a reading and discussion about the remembrance of places and its interaction with the overall narrative structure in prose and poetry.
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Writers Unlimited on Tour in Istanbul - Unchartered Territories
With: Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog, Gülşah Elikbank, Ömer Erdem, Rodaan Al Galidi
Reading and discussion with Antjie Krog, Rodaan Al Galidi, Adriaan Van Dis, Ömer Erdem, Gülşah Elikbank. The authors will discuss the particularities of writing within the confines of an unfamiliar cultural and political environment. Uncharted territories of the "other"s state of mind are to be discovered in this multifaceted event where both poetry and prose will be taken on board.
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Writers Unlimited on Tour in Istanbul: Discussion
With: Adriaan van Dis, Antjie Krog, Aslı E. Perker, Rodaan Al Galidi
The three writers on tour for Writers Unlimited read from their work and discuss the festival theme 'Fear and the city', moderated by the Turkish writer Aslı E. Perker.
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Forgive or Forget
Can we learn from history or is humanity doomed to go on repeating the same mistakes for ever? Did the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission bring just that or did it yield anger and division? Do Indonesia and the Netherlands suffer from amnesia concerning the black pages in their history? Forgiving and Forgetting: Anil Ramdas chairs a debate between Leila Chudori (Indonesia), Kopano Matlwa (South Africa) and Adriaan van Dis - who has ties with both Indonesia and South Africa - who talk about the most effective strategy. In English.
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Old Ideals
Adriaan Van Dis, Maaza Mengiste en Abeer Soliman wrote books on ideals. Van Dis' novel Tikkop relates the history of two white men who as students got involved in the international resistance against Apartheid in South Africa. Mengiste wrote The Lion and the Emperor about the Ethiopian revolution which started in 1974 with the dethroning of emperor Haile Selassie. Soliman is working on a book about three generations in Egypt, the generation of the Nasser revolution, the 1970s, the generation of the exploiters and the present 'lost' generation. Joris Luyendijk talks to the writers about the loss, rebirth and clash between old and new ideals. In English.
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VPRO's OVT Live from Winternachten
With: Adriaan van Dis, Ahmed Ziani, Antjie Krog, Asis Aynan, Geert Mak, Haytham Safia Qu4rtet, Mathijs Deen, Paul van der Gaag
The last of Winternachten 2008 can be heard in the Sunday morning Radio 1 programme OVT (Simple Past Tense), a live broadcast from The Hague.
In VPRO's OVT history and literature come together in conversations with Winternachten guests Antjie Krog from South Africa and the Berber poet Ahmed Ziani, and writer Geert Mak. The series 'In Europe', part of the programme, today focuses on the 1930s. Can the fear of those times be compared to that in our time? In Dutch -
In A State of Fear
With: Adriaan van Dis, Bram Peper, Fouad Laroui, Frank Furedi, Maxim Februari
"The only thing we fear is fear itself", said president Roosevelt. The Netherlands is one of the safest countries in the world. The government does everything to protect us. And yet fear reigns. British sociologist Frank Furedi, writer of among others 'Culture of Fear', says: "Societies capable of projecting a positive image of the future do not know the need to use fear as a currency in everyday life. And politicians trying to enthsue the electorate for a positive programme, largely avoid the politics of fear."
In this Friday afternoon debate Furedi talks to writer and philosopher Marjolijn Februari, writer Adriaan van Dis and former politician Bram Peper. Each of them presents a recommendation to state and citizens, about how to deal with risks and fear. Four students of the Institute of Social Studies, coming from non-western countries, form a shadow panel. In a dialogue with the public they assess the recommendations, adapting them where needed. Host is writer and professor in migrant literature Fouad Laroui. In English -
Between Fear and Hope Part 3: art and religion
The conclusion of the tryptich. After science, literature and architecture we now enter the fields of religion and music, and the writer has the final say. 'Hope' doesn't merely have to be aimed at the future, tradition can also play a vital role. But to what extent do our cultural traditions still have any power of expression? In her work clergywoman and hospital chaplain Abeltje Hoogenkamp makes use of religious conventions. For composer Peter-Jan Wagemans Wagner is the composer who succeeds in expressing human emotions at the highest level. Wagemans will play his musical hope on the piano. Does writer Adriaan van Dis know the saving power of tradition? In his seven part documentary, to be seen on tv in January, Van Dis returns to southern Africa, to countries he once visited as a travel writer. In Dutch.
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The world goose board
In a well or in jail? Miss one turn or tell your travel story. Adriaan van Dis, Cynthia McLeod, Reggie Baay and Thomas Rosenboom played the World Goose Board, a risky journey through the world, in search of the ideal destination. Dutch spoken.
De earlier announced participation of Marjon van Royen had to be cancelled. As a correspondent for the Dutch media in Brazil, she must stay in this country to report on the landslide. Her place was taken by the Surinamese writer Cynthia McLeod.
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Hella's lessons
At this time in the programma, writer Hella Haasse would have spoken on her latest book 'Bij de les' ( At the lesson ) on school-posters on the Netherlands-Indies, used in schools in the colonial era. Last Friday Mrs. Haasse informed us that she was ill and unable to perform at the festival. In all haste we have put together an alternative programme around her new book. Eight writers, all experts on the Dutch Indies and friends and admirers of Hella Haasse, have been asked to choose one of the school posters, give his or her commentary on this and also react to the accompanying text. They will compare Mrs. Haasse's memories with their own image evoked by the posters and comment on Mrs. Haasse's observatons. Up to now the following people have promised to take part: Adriaan van Dis, Helga Ruebsamen, Sitor Sitomorang - Indonesian poet and contemporary of Mrs. Haasse - writer Hans Vervoort, journalist and writer John Jansen van Galen and Peter van Zonneveld, who with Mrs. Haasse went over the rough version of her book. Paul van der Gaag, presentor of VPRO's radio programme O.V.T. will chair the discussion. In the course of this week more names of participants will be published. We are convinced that in this way the book 'Bij de les' (At the lesson) and Hella Haasse will receive the attention that they so justly deserve.
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Poems analysed and put to music
With: Adriaan van Dis, Denise Jannah, Gerrit Komrij, Toef Jaeger
Everything you always wanted to know, but never dared to ask. Writers Adriaan van Dis and Gerrit Komrij give a lesson in poetry. For and with the audience, they each analyse one poem from world literature on the theme of dreams and ideals. In the second part of this programme jazz singer Denise Jannah wil put one of the poems to music. For this she makes use of the analysis of Van Dis and Komrij, and she will make use of the the audience participation. The poems will be on this website in the week before the festival and will be handed out to the audience.
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Van Dis in Optima Forma
Adriaan van Dis loves languages that 'make love to one another'. He calls it Loving Language. Recently he put together a whole edition of the literary magazine Optima about this very subject. He asked amongst others Abdelkader Benali, Michiel van Kempen, Ellen Ombre and Henk van Woerden to write an article about how for them - as van Dis puts it - 'ribs from one language intertwine with those of another language'. Once more van Dis allows during this conversation languages to make love to one another.
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Winternachten Overseas at the Erasmushuis - Jakarta
With: Adriaan van Dis, Changa Hickinson, Chitra Gajadin, Denise Jannah, K. Sello Duiker
Als afsluiting van de Indonesië-tournee vindt in het Erasmushuis (verbonden aan de Nederlandse Ambassade) een avond plaats rond het thema 'The Dutch connection'. Een avond met voordracht en gesprekken met Adriaan van Dis, Sello Duiker (Zuid-Afrika), Changa Hickinson (Sint Maarten) en Chitra Gajadin (Suriname/Nederland). Denise Jannah zingt poëzie uit de verschillende landen.
De voorgedragen proza-teksten en gedichten worden simultaan in Indonesische vertaling geprojecteerd. De gesprekken worden in het Engels gevoerd (met samenvattende vertaling in het Indonesisch) met de Indonesische gespreksleider Nono Anwar Makarim. -
Winternachten Overseas in Teater Utan Kayu - Jakarta
With: Adriaan van Dis, Changa Hickinson, Chitra Gajadin, Denise Jannah, K. Sello Duiker
Het festival Utan Kayu Literary Biennale 2003 vindt gedurende drie dagen plaats in Teater Utan Kayu in Jakarta. Het theater is een cultureel centrum dat kort voor de val van Soeharto werd opgericht. Het wil een vrijplaats zijn voor debat, literatuur, film, theater en muziek. Twee jaar geleden vond hier het eerste literatuurfestival plaats, in samenwerking met Winternachten.
Dit jaar komen de schrijvers behalve uit Indonesië ook uit Maleisië, Duitsland, Oostenrijk, en - via de samenwerking met Winternachten - uit Suriname, de Antillen, Zuid-Afrika en Nederland. De 'Winternachten-groep' treedt op verdeeld over de avonden, met voordracht uit het werk (in simultaanprojectie vertaald naar het Indonesisch), en zang van Denise Jannah, begeleid door lokale musici.
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Winternachten Overseas in Solo
With: Adriaan van Dis, Changa Hickinson, Chitra Gajadin, Denise Jannah, K. Sello Duiker
Op twee avonden treedt de groep schrijvers uit Nederland, Suriname, de Antillen en Zuid-Afrika op met lokale dichters uit de regio Solo (Java). Denise Jannah zingt poëzie op muziek, begeleid door lokale musici.
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Winternachten Overseas on Bali
With: Adriaan van Dis, Changa Hickinson, Chitra Gajadin, Denise Jannah, K. Sello Duiker
Voorafgaand aan de optredens van de schrijvers in Bali, geeft zangeres Denise Jannah workshops poëzie en muziek aan Balinese studenten.
Behalve de Winternachten-schrijvers treden op deze avonden ook schrijvers op uit Oostenrijk, Maleisië en Indonesië. Denise Jannah treedt op met haar gedichten op muziek, begeleid door lokale musici. -
Poetry of Displacement
Michaël Zeeman talked to Marlene van Niekerk, Gerrit Komrij and Adriaan van Dis on their choice of poems on the theme of displacement. Each of them read some poems from world literature. Dutch spoken .
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Wingewest van het Geweten
With: Adriaan van Dis, Etienne van Heerden, Frank Martinus Arion, Gerard van Westerloo, Shrinivási, Toeti Heraty
A panel discussion of writers from Indonesia, South-Africa, the Antilles and The Netherlands, titled 'Wingewest van het geweten'. Theme was the development of the cultural orientation of the different countries on eachother. During this meeting Frank Martinus Arion and Adriaan van Dis founded a committee to promote the erection of a National Monument for the commemoration of Slavery.
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South-African Winternight
With: Aad Nuis, Adriaan van Dis, Carl Niehaus, Emma Huismans, Etienne van Heerden, Henk van Woerden, Lesego Rampolokeng, Louis Maholo and Friends, Michaël Zeeman, Peter Snyders, Robert Dorsman, Sandile Dikene, Soli Philander, Thula Sizwe, Tom Lanoye, Tribal Countdown, Vernon February
An evening with writers from South-Africa and The Netherlands. They read from their work and were introduced by Aad Nuis. They were interviewed by Michaël Zeeman and Robert Dorsman.
In het musical programme there were performances by (among others) Tribal Countdown, Louis Maholo, Seon Birgin, Frankie Douglas and Ernst Glerum. The popular South-African Soli Philander did his stand-up-comedy peformance.
The films shown were the documentary 'Mandela, Son of Africa, Father of a Nation' by Jo Menell, nominated in 1997 for the Oscar in the category 'best documentary'. And 'Breaker Morant' , the moving drama by director Bruce Beresford on the Boer War, followed by some shorter movies on South-Africa from the beginning of the 20th century. -
Indische Winternacht 1997
With: Adriaan van Dis, Aya Zikken, Carel Alphenaar, De Nazaten van Prins Hendrik, Gamelan Ensemble Widosari, Hans Vervoort, Hella Haasse, Jill Stolk, Marion Bloem, Michaël Zeeman, Mischa de Vreede, Radhar Panca Dahana, Rayuan Samud'ra, Rendra, Sitok Srengenge, Sitor Situmorang, The Galaxy Band, Wieteke van Dort
In 1997 the second edition of the Indische Winternacht took place: a Dutch and Indonesian evening of literature, music, film and storytelling. Among the participants were: Adriaan van Dis, Wieteke van Dort, Mischa de Vreede, Jill Stolk, Hella Haasse, Aya Zikken, Marion Bloem, and from Indonesia Rendra, Sitor Situmorang, Panca Dahana and Sitok Srengenge. The writers were introduced by Carel Alphenaar and interviewed by Michaël Zeeman. With music by The Galaxy Band, Gamelan Ensemble Widosari and De Nazaten van Prins Hendrik.
