Ingrid Jonker - Legacy

Legacy

Jonker's poetry has been translated from Afrikaans into English, German, French, Dutch, Polish, Hindi and Zulu, among others. She wrote a one-act play 'n Seun na my Hart ("A son after my heart") about a mother's illusions about her handicapped son. Jonker also wrote several short stories.

The prestigious Ingrid Jonker Prize for the best debut work of Afrikaans or English poetry was instituted by her friends to honour her legacy after her burial in 1965. This yearly prize, consisting of R1000 and a medal, is awarded alternately to an Afrikaans or English poet who has published a first volume in the previous two years.

Nelson Mandela read her poem, "Die kind (wat doodgeskiet is deur soldate by Nyanga)" ("The child (who was shot dead by soldiers at Nyanga)"), in Afrikaans, during his address at the opening of the first democratically elected parliament on 24 May 1994.

In 2001 a documentary about Jonker was produced for Dutch television by Saskia van Schaik: "Korreltjie niks is my dood".

In 2002 the one-woman, interactive play by Ryk Hattingh, Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker ("Assignment: Ingrid Jonker"), was staged at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival starring Jana Cilliers. The play dealt with questions and comments on Jonker’s life, interwoven with her poems and other writing.

In April 2004 Jonker was posthumously awarded the Order of Ikhamanga by the South African government for "her excellent contribution to literature and a commitment to the struggle for human rights and democracy in South Africa."

A number of her poems have been set to music by Afrikaans musicians over the years and sung by such artists as Laurika Rauch, Anneli van Rooyen and Chris Chameleon.

In 2005 Chris Chameleon (known better as the lead singer of the South African band Boo!) released the album Ek Herhaal Jou ("I Repeat You"), which consisted of a number of Jonker's poems that he had set to music. The release coincided with the 40th anniversary of Jonker's death. Some of Jonker's poems that inspired Chameleon's songs are "Bitterbessie Dagbreek" ("Bitterberry Daybreak"), "Lied van die gebreekte Riete" ("Song of the Broken Reeds") and "Ontvlugting" ("Escape").

In 2007 a documentary Ingrid Jonker, her Lives and Time by Mozambique-born South African film and documentary maker Helena Nogueira was released in South Africa. Hailed as the definitive work on Jonker this is the first literary documentary to ever get theatrical release in South Africa.

Also, in 2007 work was already underway on a feature film about Ingrid Jonker with the working title All that Breaks. Based on a script by Helena Nogueira workshopped at Johannesburg's Market Theatre, the film focusses on three years in the life of Jonker and the Sestigers who gathered around poet Uys Krige at Clifton in Cape Town. The film is produced by David Parfitt (Shakespeare in Love), Charles Moore (Schindler's List) and Shan Moodley and is directed by Nogueira.

In 2011, Dutch actress Carice van Houten appeared as Jonker in the movie Black Butterflies, based on Jonker's life.

Also in 2011, South African musician Chris Chameleon released an album of Jonker's works, entitled "As Jy Weer Skryf" ("If You Write Again").

In 2012, Nicola Haskins choreographered a dance drama which told the life story of Jonker for the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and then later to be performed at various venues including the University of Pretoria