The Cheeky Natives

Send us Fan MailMost women endure silence and sacrifice because of societal expectations — but what if that silence is a form of violence? Dr. Kopano Matlwa, acclaimed author and public health physician, unpacks the hidden costs of womanhood, the trauma of Gender Based Violence, and the myth of the perfect family in her powerful novel Bosadi. This conversation challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths and rethink the narratives we’ve inherited about gender, resilience, and survival.You’ll discover how Bosadi explores the architecture of sacrifice and the emotional toll of living in a society that normalises misogyny and violence. Dr. Matlwa shares her insights on the complex relationships between mothers and daughters, the silent wounds of migrant domestic workers, and the dangerous ways community complicity enables abuse. We break down the importance of naming, the symbolism behind her titles, and her deliberate choice to speak uncomfortable truths through storytelling.We delve into the themes of faith and endurance that often silence women, revealing how religious and cultural pressures can act as tools of gaslighting and control. Perfect for readers, activists, and anyone committed to ending Gender Based Violence, Bosadi is a mirror held up to society—demanding reflection and action. If you're ready to challenge the status quo and empower women’s voices, this episode will inspire you to start conversations that matter. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailWe sat down with Nadia Davis, author of Cape Fever, to honour the quiet strength and resilience that hidden stories bring to our lives. In a beautifully tender conversation, we explored themes of silent resistance, personal empowerment, and the power of internal archives. We explored narratives that challenge conventional tales of survival and authentic connection. Nadia reflected on her journey—from a storyteller navigating silencing systems to an author embracing her agency and unique voice. Much of the conversation was an excavation of hidden knowledge, unspoken histories, and the ongoing process of reclaiming agency. We discussed why personal narratives remain incomplete without meaningful introspection and genuine growth. This powerful episode, is an invitation to you, our listener, to reconsider what personal empowerment means in a world marked by silence, erasure, and resilience. Join us as we invoke the journey into stories of hidden strength and the ways we reclaim our narratives in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are those where people choose their agency—and each other—on their own terms. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailWe sat down with Siphokazi Jonas, author of  "Weeping Becomes a River," to honour the wisdom and relatability that poetry brings to our lives.Together, we explored themes of cultural reclamation, personal transformation, and linguistic identity. Our conversation journeyed through narratives that challenge traditional tales of resilience and genuine connection. Siphokazi reflected on her evolution—from a poet navigating discordant worlds to a storyteller embracing her heritage and authentic voice.We delved deeper into themes of grief, unspoken histories, and the ongoing process of redefining belonging. We discussed why cultural narratives remain incomplete without meaningful dialogue and real growth. In this episode, we invite you, our listener, to reconsider what cultural healing means in a world marked by chaos, disillusionment, and disenchantment.Join us as we explore stories of identity and the ways we make meaning in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories are those where people choose their heritage—and each other—on their own terms. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn the final installation of the acclaimed trilogy, Zibu Sithole, the acclaimed author of the beloved Zola series, reveals why she’s choosing to tell stories of gentle, soft Black love. We journeyed with characters who challenged the traditional narratives of suffering and resilience by prioritising self-love and genuine connection.In a heartfelt conversation, Zibu reflects on Zola’s incredible evolution from a self-centred dreamer to a woman embracing her independence and true happiness. We  explored the themes of forgiveness, unspoken hurts, and redefining happiness, examining why love isn’t enough without effective communication and real growth.In an all -encompassing conversation, Zibu shared her insights on why fiction is such a powerful vessel for social change, especially when addressing complex relationships: fathers and sons navigating absence, women reclaiming their narratives, and generational shifts in codes of commitment. This episode is an invitation for you as a reader to redefine what a happy ending means in a world full of chaos, disillusionment and disenchantment.Join us as we explore how stories about love can, and should, look different in 2026. Because sometimes, the most powerful love stories are the ones where people choose themselves, and each other, on their own terms. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailFrank Sayi grew up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in the 1970s. His childhood straddled two very significant periods in his country's history, both of which heavily influenced his memoir. The first was the war of liberation (1975-1979), closely followed by the post-independence internecine war (1981-1987).Frank and his two older sisters, Thoko and Gift, lived with their grandmother, a stern, wise, mercurial matriarch, capable of intimidating severity, and her son Uncle Sami while Frank's mother, the main breadwinner, lived in the city. Through the connection of the narratives of these two major wars, Frank offers a comprehensive view of a turbulent history with the ongoing consequences of his country’s political violence. Gukurahundi and it’s unacknowledged history is explored, reflecting on what it means to be a people who’s pain has been ignored and erased.The memoir is intricately woven around the lives of the members of Frank's immediate family, whom he uses to foreground the tragic lives of a people caught within the web of war.He walks us through the disconnection between memory and reality especially in the aftermath of war, displacement and personal loss. Grief permeates throughout the book, anticipatory and rituals around it as we witness the emotional toll of expecting loss prior to its occurrence. Written at the intersection of love and abuse, Frank’s memoir explores how these dynamic shape relationships and identities. Frank writes tenderly about the struggle to find belonging in fractured families and communitiesIn this episode we engage in a profound conversation with Frank Sayi. The discussion delves into the complexities of identity, home, and the lingering effects of colonialism in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Frank shares his personal experiences of displacement and the struggle to reconcile his past with his present, emphasising the theme of returning home to a place that feels both familiar and alien. He articulates the idea that the language of violence and colonialism has shaped the narratives surrounding black identity, complicating the relationship between self and memory. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailAs a high-performing, excellence-driven, successful black woman, being in control of everything in her life was crucial to her survival and success for Nozipho Tshabalala. For much of her life, it had always served her well until it no longer did. The book begins with her receiving the news of her mother’s passing while she stood on the biggest stage of her career. This formative event sends her into a spiral which asks her to reevaluate her ideas of success and the price of these achievements.We sat down in conversation with Nozipho Tshabalala about her story of burning, of breaking, of becoming. Having described the writing this memoir as an act of deep vulnerability — a labour of love, we were interested in the process of unbecoming and breaking open the things held tightly to for so long.We explored the journey of soul-searching and discovering new and old but also one of truth- for ourselves and our loved ones. Much of the book centres around confrontation, of self, of narrative and of hidden pain with a journey towards healing made possible by this.Nozipho like so many of us, stands at the crossroads between certainty and trust, between holding on and finally releasing what no longer serves you, and invites us with truth and vulnerability to come along.Beyond the things she has let go of,  After the Fires is an exploration of the things we find within ourselves, our loved ones and our journeys to becoming. It honours the complexity of womanhood while celebrating the possibility of becoming exactly who you were meant to be, even when that person looks nothing like what you imagined.In a beautiful, tender conversation, we sojourn with Nozipho to the other side, after the fires finding freedom, clarity, and a reclamation of voice and self. Nozipho demonstrates how surrender becomes not an act of defeat but a pathway to freedom. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn the captivating 100th episode, we engaged in a profound conversation with Andile Cele, the author of the compelling debut novel Braids and Migraines.This enlightening discussion delved into a rich exploration of identity, mental health, and the complexity of human relationships.Braids and Migraines chronicles the journey of a young girl navigating life in a post-apartheid township while battling personal and societal challenges.Despite the promise of a post-racial South Africa, the protagonist experiences the violence of racism, misogynoir and microagressions at school with white women at the centre of this violence. The episode  concludes with a hopeful reflection on the book's potential impact, emphasizing the power of literature to heal and initiate change. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“Part theory, part manifesto, part history” – this book sparked a black feminist movement in Brazil. Patricia Hill Collins writes: “Where We Stand boldly claims a space for Black feminism in Brazil. This long-awaited translation offers new audiences a rare opportunity to encounter the rich ideas of an emerging generation of Black women academics and activists who are fearless in pushing for social change.”Djamila Ribeiro is an activist, writer and coordinator of the Plural Feminisms initiative. She is a university professor who has worked at several institutions, such as the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo and New York University. Ribeiro is the curator of the Feminismos Plurais Collection and the author of books on Black feminism, anti-racism, and her own life story. Her works, translated into several languages, have sold over 1 million copies.In a society shaped by the legacies of enslavement, white supremacy, and sexism, who has the right to a voice? In this book, Djamila Ribeiro brings forth a powerful disruption into conversations on the intersection between race, power and identity: the concept of “speaking place.” With a particular focus on her native Brazil, Ribeiro uses the  speaking place to introduce the the idea that everyone has a social position in the world and that what we can say, and how it is received by others, depends on it. Ribeiro chronicles the evolution of Black feminist, exploring the ways that Black women have been silenced, ignored, and punished for speaking. Building on feminist standpoint theory, and in conversation with the works of Sojourner Truth, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and others, Ribeiro joins the Cheeky Natives to invite all of us to recognise where we stand, to imagine geographies different from those we’ve inherited, and to speak a more humane world into being. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn a world where the lines between privacy and exposure blur increasingly, Onyi Nwabineli's latest novel, "Allow Me to Introduce Myself," offers a profound exploration of identity, familial bonds, and the often untidy experiences of coming of age. The novel centers around the complex world of Anuri, a child raised in the public eye as the offspring of a popular mommy blogger. It is with this backdrop that discussions about identity, the cost of lost privacy, and the pursuit of autonomy in an increasingly digital world percolate. Onyi keenly addresses these issues, weaving them intricately into Anuri's journey. Throughout the book, grief and identity are ever present.  Onyi also challenges traditional narratives of coming of age, highlighting that identity formation doesn't stop when one reaches adulthood.  Onyi highlights the privilege and importance in the luxury to make mistakes away from the limelight.Onyi writes so tenderly on the significance of chosen family, showing them as a refuge and a source of unconditional love. The novel beautifully portrays the support Anuri receives from her friends and her aunt illustrating the undervalued contribution of friendship to one's life.One of the novels standout moments is Onyi's use of language as a tool to discuss the importance of cultural identity. In an ode to a long and rich cultural tradition, her characters names are deliberately thought out and decided, accompanied by a decision not to include a glossary for non-English terms, encouraging readers to engage actively and seek understanding, much like how English language dominance often keeps its terms undefined.In the podcast, Onyi reflects on the 'untidy' ending of the book, mirroring real life's unpredictability.In a thought provoking conversation, Onyi invites readers to embrace complexity and imperfection in life's narratives. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailWe sat down for a candid and vulnerable discussion on rebellion, compliance and the intricacies of language and place with Mubanga Kalimamukwento, author of the prize winning Obligations to the Wounded.The collection transcends physical spaces and time with Mubanga navigating the interplay of memory and geographical place. Her stories, woven in rich narratives, explore the landscapes and lives of Zambian women. In an ode to a rich oratory history we explored literary devices and cultural references within her stories.Central to her collection is the theme of rebellious women—those who defy societal norms. Mubanga explores what it means to reimagine the futures of such women, asking readers to contemplate the costs of rebellion and compliance. Mubanga offers a unique narrative lens in her writing, showing a child's perspective. She draws on her own childhood experiences with grief and loss to blend childlike observation with adult articulation. In this juxtaposition, there is the contrast of the raw, unfiltered view of a child alongside the nuanced understanding of an adult.In a wide ranging collection covering themes of identity, loss and becoming, Mubanga writes tenderly and vulnerably, often leaving the reader to ponder.We sat down with to reflect on the meaning of community, obligation and writing in the in between spaces. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn ‘The Girl With The Louding Voice’, the book ends with Adunni winning the scholarship and her dream of school seems close to fruition. In this triumphant book that breaks the curse of the sophomore novel, Adunni and Ms Tia are back. This story unfolds over the course of 24 hours, with Adunni being forced to return to her home village just hours before the new school year commences. As Adunni returns to Ikati, she meets other young women and girls who are similarly forced to account for the crimes: essentially being women and so forced to bear the brunt of society’s blame and anger. In a testament to the power of female friendship, we see the relationship between Adunni and Tia evolve, from saviour-rescuee to friends. Despite their differences, these two forge a friendship which sustains the other, providing comfort during some of the most difficult moments in their lives. In this novel, Tia is forced to confront her history and the estrangement from her family as a result. Adunni’s own complicated family relationships are brought to the fore. An additional layer is the climate crisis and the disproportionate ways in which women are affected.  This book offers a searing commentary on climate change and social injustices which arise. Abi Daré won the inaugural Climate fiction prize for her novel And So I Roar. Tackling themes of patriarchy, tragedy and justice, Abi Dare is at her best in this sophomore novel.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn Zukiswa Wanner’s latest novel, we are confronted with couples battling secrets, betrayals and endings. This book is a meditation on the weight of betrayal, difficult choices and navigating moral quandaries. The characters are flawed, making bad choices and yet still remain relatable.This page turner deftly manages to deal with a wealth of topics including gendered social behaviour, infidelity and difficult choices. We meet Akani and Owami, who are battling interpersonal and communal pressures while trying to navigate black life. Cultural attitudes and the explanations we give to ourselves and others are the subject of a nuanced critique in this book. Zukiswa asks what becomes of a society where men have license to behave unaccountably and what this does to society’s fabric. Interestingly, the women in this book are themselves portrayed to be flawed, human and multifaceted. Additionally, Zukiswa explores contemporary and relevant topics such as gender-based violence, the grooming, and sexual abuse. Despite the heavy themes, Zukiswa’s writing ensures that the reader never feels preached to. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailSet in Zambia, this novel introduces us to a young lawyer, named Grace and her client Wilbess (Bessy).After a string of unfortunate events, Bessy has been arrested for having sex with another man. A crime according to Zambian laws which prohibit same sex relations.Following Grace’s initial visit, Bessy disappears from custody without a trace. Thus begins Grace’s fight for justice and reform of a system which subjects the most vulnerable individuals to systemic violence and corruption. Grace is tenacious, having grown up in a village and almost being the victim of gendered violence, she is moved by this case. Despite being well-intentioned, her temper often gets in the way of her quest for justice. She is also subjected to sexism and other forms of discrimination because of her age and background.This fight takes place against the backdrop of the HIV epidemic in Zambia and the stigmatisation of people living with HIV. The author avoids prevailing stereotypes around this disease and humanizes the experiences of those affected without passing moral judgements.This is a fast paced legal thriller which engages with the themes of queerphobia, interpersonal and state sanctioned violence and family-chosen and biological.Although humorous and entertaining in many parts, the book is ultimately heartbreaking as readers are forced to confront the violence of queerphobia and what it means to have your humantity at the mercy of people’s morality and judgement. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailWe Were Girls Once is the sequel to Tomorrow I Become a Woman, honing in on the lives of Ego, Zina, and Eriife, the daughters of Uju, Chinelo, and Adaugo from the first book. It explores their journey of they transition from being girls to women.Ego, who moves to the United Kingdom to further her studies but despite experiencing relative success while working in a firm, she is constantly haunted by past: familial and institutional violence and its ripple effects. Ego is a woman robbed of the joy of becoming. Zina is also a prisoner of the past, stuck in a tense relationship with her mother. Despite this, she is a renowned actress who is famous and publicly admired. Eriife whom we encounter last in consumed by the realm of political life in Nigeria. There is a loss she mourns in her personal life, which she compensates for with the pursuit of influence, power and wealth.  Despite this bubble that these things afford her, Nigeria still deals with her as harshly as it does to those far less wealthy and privileged. This is a profound tale of the beauty of women’s friendship, as a conduit for growth, healing and justice. Zina helps Ego confront a serious injustice in the past and in doing so find closure. Despite their differences and disappointments, they come together for Eriife in her hour of need. Odafen explores the themes of family, politics, community, class dynamics and religion in this book. Odafen’s, We Were Girls Once is an ode to the timeless strength and beauty of female friendship.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailThe Comrade’s Wife follows a turbulent marriage between a rising politician and an academic, told through her life and lens.The novel features a whirlwind romance between a charming rapscallion and a maiden fair who has been wronged in her past.  With deliciously crafted sentences, Boswell's prose is thought-provoking and emotionally impactful.  Anita is not only a victim of workplace injustice and discrimination due to race and gender, but has her own unfortunate experience with gender-based violence, as well. There are those who would say that it sounds contrived that so much can go so wrong for one person but this is a reality that many women face.We sat with Barbara Boswell to talk about this novel.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this collection of interconnected stories, we are introduced to four women: Solape, Remi, Nonso and Aisha whose lives trajectories are bound by friendship, loss and the business of life. Spanning diverse geographical locations and time period, this collection traverses the past and looks to the future.In an ode to globalisation and the rapidly shrinking nature of the world, the story begins in Nigeria and ends in the United States.Interestingly, each story explores a different character and allows us to look into their interior lives.In all these stories, Ogunyemi explores the ways in which women grow, change and come to a place of peace in differing and often difficult situations.Ogunyemi explores the themes of friendship, racism, family and evolving political structures in this collection.The titular story forms the bedrock for this exploration, at once espousing grief, loss and the myriads of ways in which this continent and its leaders can break your heart.Food is central point of this book and Ogunyemi uses it as an ode to the various locations covered in this book.Using beautiful, evocative language Ogunyemi writes a layered, articulate account of kinship, love and grief.We sat down with Omolola Ogunyemi to discuss the timely collection of short stories. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailI Do… Don’t I? is the eagerly awaited sequel to the The Thing with Zola.  In it there is a continuation of the love story between Zola and Mbali, traversing the unique location of Kigali and Johannesburg while navigating the complications of a long-distance relationship and the underlying question of commitment. Will they say I do? Zola's teenage sister adds to the drama as we encounter her in the midst of a cannon life event. Okuhle is not exempt from the drama of the book as she faces her own demons in love and family. Additionally, the elders in this book serve their own dramatic lessons in this book. We sat with Zibu Sithole to discuss her sophomore novel, writing black love and flawed characters.  In this conversation we discuss explored the themes of love, humour and family in the South African context. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn Only Big Bum Bum Matters Tomorrow, Damilare Kuku introduces a protagonist, Témì with big plans for a drastic change to her appearance in the form of a BBL. In her debut novel, Damilare examines familial relationships, beauty standards and the quest for desirability in modern day Nigeria. Témì is a young university student, grappling with her body image all while navigating loss and complex family dynamics including her older sister’s sudden disappearance prior. Her journey towards the BBL unravels a slew of other issues including the weight of physical beauty, the desire to be attractive and what it means to reach for unattainable beauty standards. The women in this book are deeply flawed but incredibly relatable, a testament to the authors skill. They live full and interesting lives while making challenging decisions in a life full of difficulties. Once again, Damilare disarms the reading by infusing humour in writing these challenging themes. Deeply observant and thought-provoking, Damilare scratches beyond the surface of what it means to be a woman striving for beauty and by extension a sense of self, in contemporary Nigeria. We sat down with Damilare Kuku to discuss self identification, beauty standards and the quest for beauty while navigating familial relationships Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn a collection of 12 short stories, Damilare Kuku demonstrates the almost Sisyphean task that is navigating love, relationships and life in Lagos. Damilare deftly uses humour and wit to explore the difficult themes of love, loss, friendship and romance, often catching the reader unaware. As a testament to the universality of these stories, as reader you or someone you know may have encountered one of the mad men Damilare has written about. Of course the women are not exempt from the afflictions of humanity, many of them being difficult and somewhat exhausting in a node to the realities of the women we do know in our daily life. Most striking is the depiction of sex and agency displayed by these women particularly in the face of misogyny and patriarchy. Damilare draws the reader in, using both humour and sensitivity as she explores what it means to live and love in a place like Lagos. We sat down with Damilare to discuss her break out collection.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailColoured as an ethnicity and racial demographic is intertwined with the creation of today’s South Africa. Yet often coloured communities are disdained as people with no clear heritage or culture – as not "black enough" or "white enough". Coloured by Tessa Dooms and Lynsey Ebony Chutel, challenges this notion and presents a different angle to that narrative. It delves into the history of coloured people as descendants of indigenous Africans and a people whose identity was shaped by colonisation, slavery and apartheid. Coloured as an ethnicity was again in the spotlight following Tyla’s brilliant rise to fame on both side of the Atlantic this year.  In South Africa, there has been a problematic discourse that disparages the Coloured identity as inherently lacking, in culture, heritage and ultimately place in our democracy. Tessa Dooms and Lynsey Ebony Chutel, challenge this prevailing idea  and bring forth a different way to view this incredibly varied and rich community.  In a powerful exposition, Tessa and Lynsey delve into the history of people shaped by colonisation, slavery and apartheid. Spurred by the death of  Nathaniel Julies, a young Coloured boy following a shooting by the police.  #ColouredLivesMatter began to circulate on social media in response to this violence. Tessa and Lynsey sought to address the cultural alienation that young Coloured people continue to experience in South Africa by looking deeply into the history of Coloured history, ancestry and political placement in South Africa.  In working through the conundrum of Coloured identity, it becomes clear that it cannot be distilled in racial classification.  We sat down with Tessa and Lynsey to discuss the complexities of Coloured identity beyond the tropes and stereotypes.  We spoke about the work of understanding the realities of Coloured identities, experiences and setting. Written as a mirror to both reader and subject matter, this book is a love letter to Coloured people.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn a once majestic but now decaying mansion, itself a potent metaphor for the current state of Durban where it’s set, we meet the characters of Shubnum Khan’s latest novel. Originally developed as an ode to beauty, culture and heritage by its owner Akbar Ali Khan, who came to make his fortune in South Africa. In its current incarnation, the mansion has been converted to weary looking apartments with an assortment of residents each haunted by their own tragedies and pasts. With the latest edition being Bilal and his teenage daughter, Sana. In a mix of teenage angst and curiosity, Sana stumbles upon some of the houses supernatural inhabitants. In a novel that confronts the ghosts of the past and present, Shubnum weaves a magical tale of loss and becoming. We sat down with her to discuss the magic of things lost and forgotten, the gift of memory and archiving and what it means to make amends.  Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this novel, Busisekile asks what it means to be a young woman asked to make difficult decisions in impossible situations.Centred around Vimbai, a young Zimbabwean woman navigating young adulthood amid an economic crisis. She faces significant childhood trauma and we see its subsequent manifestation in her overachievement, detachment and other relational issues. These issues are compounded by the complexity of dating and navigating those additional layers. Both of her love interests are deeply problematic, flawed and unlikeable in varying degrees.We are captivated by these love stories. Navigating adulthood is impossible without community and Vimbai is no exception. There is an exploration of imperfect women still holding each other with grace as friends. Busisekile also explores the complexities of queer lived experiences in queerphobic spaces.Romance, parental failings, economic challenges – these are some of the themes Busisekile deftly explores. We sat with her to discuss the complexities of love, choice and growing up. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailHoney& Spice is a sweet, evocative and humorous coming of age debut novel from Bolu Babalola. We first encountered Bolu in the short story collection “Love in Colour.”In her debut novel set in a PWI in the UK, we are introduced to a cast of characters so relatable that you will find yourself or your friends in at least one of these individuals. The protagonist, Kiki is a seemingly self-controlled and focused young woman who is adept at playing the romance long game and seems to be content with the fleeting nature of these modern day dating interactions. This continues until the introduction of a new student, Malakai who is incredibly good-looking, intelligent and lovely. On paper, this combination is perfect, however the reality of life dictates that the seas of love are not smooth sailing at all.There a series of events where we witness Kiki and Malakai fake date and pass through the enemies to lover pipeline with a few complications in between.As the book unfolds, the themes of friendship, kinship and family come to the fore. We watch the characters navigate the realities of past romantic traumas, the  veneer of unavailability and parental disappointments as best as they are equipped to.Bolu’s characters ask us to think widely of love and friendship in the contexts of youth and self -discovery; what does it mean to find love in broken places and people. On first look, this is a fun, coming of age story set in a British university but a deeper inspection reveals a contemplation on trauma, familial influence and chosen family.We sat with Bolu Babalola to discuss these themes and ideas in this engaging conversation Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this immaculate study of father-son relationships and the black masculinity, Okechukwu introduces to two Black, gay British-Nigerian men. Achike and Ekene find themselves wading through the existential phenomena of being alive, Black and gay while navigating life, ambitions and family.The story begins with these two but then traces back to the fathers of these men, and their forefathers, in doing so examines a lineage of brokenness, unavailability and abuse.Who is man and how much of what he is, is a result of what has become and was undone before him? Okechukwu uses recurrence to emphasise the cyclical nature of life in this novel while exploring Igbo mythology and concepts of life, death and rebirth.The characters are struck by a tragedy almost a halfway into the book which forces the reader and the characters to participate in the exposition of love and life lost and intimacy unfulfilled. These complexities are compounded by grief and the cruelty of loss as we watch these characters attempt to make sense of iniquity of tragedy.We sat with Okechukwu to discuss his hauntingly beautiful trans-generational novel on fathers, sons, love and grief. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this enthralling debut collection of short stories by Arinze Ifeakandu God’s Children Are Little Broken Things is a collection of 9 short stories set in Nigeria that examine queer identity, relationships, family and societal isolation.Arinze writes stories with characters whose lives are layered, complicated by youth, love and grief. He asks of them and by extension, the reader; difficult questions around the relationship between truth and honesty, disappointment and resilience.Many of these stories could be individual novels and that in itself is a testament to Arinze’s skill in one of the most challenging literary genres.We sat down with Arinze Ifeakandu to discuss his Dylan Thomas prize winning debut  God’s Children Are Little Broken Things. It also won the inaugural Republic of Consciousness Prize. It has also been shortlisted for other literary awards.In this powerful conversation we explored love lost and found, queer belonging and displacement, the onsweship of grief , and what it means to love a place that may not love you back. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this intriguing debut by  Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ, we are introduced to two young girls Ozoemena and Treasure, whose coming of age takes place in a boarding school in Nigeria. Their meeting is set against the backdrop of familial loss and tragedy. We watch them try to navigate the realities of coming of age and into themselves in a society that doesn’t always give them space to do that.Treasure has experienced the violence of patriarchy and the institutions which support it and has to make difficult decisions when approached by a dark spirit. Ozoemena has to contend with a different spiritual identity when her uncle dies. In this novel, filled with Igbo mythology and fascinating metaphysical occurrences, African oral histories are brought to the forefront.We sat with Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ as we explored what it means to write a genre bending coming of age novel as a debut. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailThis book begins with a curse put on the house of Zulu and her family, the Mhlongos, by Nandi Mhlongo, mother of Shaka ka Senzangakhona for the disrespect she endured from them.Weaving through the lives of three women living in different historical ages who in their own ways attempt to get restitution for Nandi.Through the eyes of three female protagonists, each who experiences a different loss and heartbreak, Dr Mazibuko-Msimang explores African spirituality, disappointment and familial relationships.This novel is an ode to the power of historical fiction, well-researched with a focus on some of the most important historical periods in South Africa. From the Frontier wars, Apartheid and Fees Must Fall, each of the protagonists reveal a powerful, feminist centred gaze. Dr Mazibuko-Msimang sat down with us to discuss her debut novel. In this eye opening conversation, we discussed the themes of generational trauma, cellular memory, restorative justice  and how those with no institutional power get justice. Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this beautiful memoir, Safiya Sinclair writes about her childhood and adolescence in Jamaica with parents in the Rastafari faith. In an act of personal excavation, she brings forth the hidden histories of a people pushed to the margins by colonisation, oppression, and religious intolerance, all exacerbated by patriarchy. Raised in difficult socio-economic conditions by a father who increasingly becomes more militant in his practice of Rastafari, Safiya and her siblings find refuge in her mother’s creativity and love for literature.We are drawn to the discovery of Safiya as a scholar and poet while navigating her intimate relationship with her family, the first site of turmoil and conflict between the author and the people she loves. Truthful but graceful, we embark on the journey to humanise her parents in the face of the difficult upbringing that she has.The beauty of Safiya’s writing is the tenderness with which she handles the contradictions of an upbringing that cuts its children’s joys and ambitions small but also finds love and joy in many of these moments.All of this take place with the ever foreboding threat of Babylon, encroaching in their personal lives and their relationship with the outside world. We are struck by the ways in which even the most vehement opposers of Babylon, accede to its rules in the world of work and life – a metaphor for the ways in which people survive.National Book Critics Circle Award WinnerA New York Times Notable BookA Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!A Best Book of 2023 by the New York Times, Time, The Washington Post, Vulture, Shelf Awareness, Goodreads, Esquire, The Atlantic, NPR, and Barack ObamaThe 2024 OCM BOCAS PRIZE non-fiction winnerShortlisted for the non-fiction prize for the women's prize.   Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn My Life as a Chameleon, Diana Anyakwo explores the themes of identity, family and memory with a tender hand. Centred around the experiences of Lily, a teenager of mixed race background growing up in Nigeria and England. Lily’s experience is further complicated by her birth order as the youngest of four children with a significant age difference between her and the others. Interestingly, the novel is written in a diary like format flitting between different time periods with no strict adherence to chronology.We watch Lily experience bereavement and the subsequent pain of grief as young child whose experience is often dismissed. Prior to this loss, Lily experiences the confusion of a loved one’s mental illness and her family’s inability to confront or adequately acknowledge the fissures and chasms that this causes.We sat down in this delightful conversation with Diana to discuss what it means to write characters who navigate complex social contexts and identities while grieving a past unknown and an uncertain future.My Life as a Chameleon has been longlisted for the Jhalak Children's and Young Adult Prize 2024 and shortlisted for the KMPG Ireland Children's Books Ireland Awards Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail"1. Unwelcome Reunion Unwelcome ReunionWhen I was twenty-eight, my stepmother Anabel came to New York on vacation. She was living, at the time, in Pakistan, where she worked for a UN agency. At a restaurant a few blocks from my Chinatown apartment, we ate noodle soup and drank red wine. That night, Anabel told me my father did not die of cancer as I believed. He died, she claimed, of AIDS."Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the days to years following a larger event or "mainshock."In her memoir of the same title, Nadia Ouwusu explores what it means to be a nomad, a childhood characterised by loss and distance. We travel with Nadia in a life characterised by contrasts, having no mother and two mothers, having strong roots and none at the same time.Thematically inspired by the activity an earthquake, Owusu weaves between different chronological events culminating in a week long reckoning with self and history at age 28.In a powerfully tender conversation, Owusu sat with us  to discuss her memoir. A reflection on belonging, grief and reckoning.Filled with honesty, grace and the joy of recollection, this was one of our favourite conversations this year.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail"And in breaking news, convicted serial killer and rapist, Napoleon Dingiswayo, escaped from Pretoria’s C-Max Prison at twelve-fifteen this afternoon, along with serial rapist and armed robber Andries Mathe, and heist kingpin Sifiso Khumalo.’ The voice of the newsreader rings crisp and cool while announcing the earth-shattering news."Angela Makholwa is one of South Africa’s more eminent crime writers. In Red Ink, we were introduced to the characters of Lucy Khambule and Napoleon Dingiswayo and left on the edge as we wondered what happened next. In her latest novel, Makholwa revisits the chapters we thought were long closed. The book opens with Napoleon’s escape from prison and Lucy’s subsequent terror begins. We sat down with Makholwa to discuss what it means to write crime fiction in South Africa, Lucy Khambule and how our preoccupations drive us towards the truth. We laughed, we introspected and walked away with a newfound appreciation for the art of crime fiction writing.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailIn this refreshing tale about Black love and the self-discovery, we are introduced to Zola, a young woman in her 20’s thrashing out what it means to reckon with disappointment. We meet her as a new arrival in South Africa, following an extended stint in Germany which ultimately falls apart. In the face of the disappointment of a dream shattered, she also has to navigate family politics and a complicated love life.This is when Mbali enters the story, a gorgeous man from the right side of town who is irresistible on paper but is deeply flawed and complex as most people are. The ensuing chaos between these two with a third unlikely character as Okuhle, who is her boss.The Cheeky Natives sat down with Zibu to discuss the nuanced nature of Black lives, the disappointments of dreams deferred and the search for one’s self in the face of complicated romantic and familial relationships.Zibu who is is no stranger to writing romance offered us the unique perspective of writing on Black love, life on the periphery and the navigations of class and education, especially between the haves and the have nots. More importantly, she asks important questions around the act of choosing yourself and your dreams even at great cost.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“In Violet’s bedroom, most of the furniture had been moved, except for the bed whose mattress lay on the floor and carried the weight of an unconscious Violet. The wardrobe had been moved to the corner of the room and the table that had been near the window moved to the sitting room. There was a small mound where the table had occupied space, a small grave where Violet’s baby would be laid to rest. Uncle Sontaga had dug the grave with the help of Andzani and Neo. He had used his leg to determine its depth, and when it got to his knee, he’d resolved it was deep enough.” A Soft Landing is a novel that explores the implications of a past not decisively dealt with. Wisani’s characters live lives that are mired in the questions and complexities that characterise Black life. A Soft Landing is more than a coming-of-age tale; it is a poignant study of grief in its myriad of guises. Every one of the central characters in this novel has a precarious relationship to loss. This is an examination on the weight of grief, past and present in all its manifestations. In this episode, we chat to Wisani Mushwana about his debut. We traverse topics such as homosexuality being unAfrican, weaponising shame, the cost of a human life, mental health, the implications of not dealing with trauma. We also delve into tender moments in the book, which include love, healing and hope.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“He stared back at her, unconcerned. She had always marvelled at his calm assurance that everything good in his life would either remain the same or get better. He took good fortune for granted. As though it were impossible that it would abide only for a spell. She had never been able to shake the sense that life was war, a series of battles with the occasional spell of good things.” - Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀A dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession and political corruption.We sat down with Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ discuss her latest book A Spell of Good Things, which has been longlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailSet over the course of one weekend, Christopher introduces us to Vuyo, one of a long lineage of headstrong January women. Vuyo, pregnant with twins is mourning the death of her Scottish-born husband and has come home to her family home in the rural Eastern Cape.Paying homage to matrilineal lineage, the January women take centre stage in this book. Written from each of their perspectives, Christopher offers a look at the interior lives of these Black women, their tragedies, relationships, and histories. Tenderly and with a clarity that can only be described as masterful, Siyotula explores what it means to be each of these women.Healing and reconciliation, and the transformative power of nature are explored in this novel. Aided by the vivid, visual representations of the lush Eastern Cape, water is central theme in this book. The power of water and by extension, nature is a prominent feature of Siyotula’s writing.Interestingly, Siyotula’s characters are complex and deeply layered. Representative of the deeply labyrinthine nature of family, each of these characters are a reminder that home is indeed the first site of the political.With unconventional male characters, Siyotula reimagines what equality in relationships may look like, particularly for women whose lives and experiences have always been devalued.The Cheeky Natives sat down with Nozuku Siyotula to discuss this beautiful novel.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail"With her first full-length poetry collection, Warsan Shire introduces us to a young girl, who, in the absence of a nurturing guide, makes her own way toward womanhood. Drawing from her own life, as well as pop culture and news headlines, Shire finds vivid, unique details in the experiences of refugees and immigrants, mothers and daughters, Black women and teenage girls. In Shire’s hands, lives spring into fullness." The Cheeky Natives sat down with Warsan Shire following the release of her much anticipated poetry collection.In a far ranging conversation spanning the both themes of the book and the context in which they exist, this complex and layered life was laid out. These poems are a record of black womanhood, a journey often characterised by a prevailing state of precarity and difficulty.Despite this, Warsan also captures the joy and magic in the essence of our journey into becoming. Warsan’s writing is masterful, each poem so vividly and tenderly written that it unfurls as you read it. For fans of Warsan, (s/o to Tumblr), this collections feels like a meeting of old friends, an encounter where one sees just how much they have changed and grown. In many ways, this book is effulgent. A writing against the abyss of trauma, harm and erasure.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailAccording to the NYT, The Prophets’ is an exploration of Black Love and Memory in a Time of Trauma. What an apt description of this powerful debut by Robert Jones Jr. In a novel moving across time and space, we are introduced to Samuel and Isaiah, who are two enslaved young men on a plantation named Empty. Despite a betrayal by another one of the enslaved men, their love burns brightly. Moving back in time, we are introduced to the Kosongo people and meet Kosii and Elewa who are spiritual predecessors to Samuel and Isaiah. There are a multitude of other characters who we meet in this traversing of time and place, Amos, Ruth, Paul and Tim. The Cheeky Natives sat down with Robert Jones Jr to discuss this radical book of queer love that moves in courage and history.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailDr Tlaleng Mofokeng aka Dr T, is a globally renowned doctor and human rights defender and a bestselling author of “Dr T: A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure”. Born in Qwaqwa in the Free State, she credits her success to the guidance and nurturing that her mother continues to give her. Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng is an advocate for sexual and reproductive health rights (including adolescent health, transgender affirming health, abortions) with experience in legislative reform, policy, healthcare provision, and health communication. Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng was recently named one of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Goalkeepers Advisory group. The Cheeky Natives sat in conversation with Dr T to talk about her book, its genesis, her work as a medical doctor and her role as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health. The conversation touched on the way Dr T approaches her advocacy and activism. It was a delightful conversation with an important figure in our global imaginationSupport the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“See, if you act like your uniqueness is a great thing and you couldn’t care less about their opinion, they eventually give up. And that feels so good that you do it again and again until you truly believe it.”An Ordinary Wonder is a coming of age story about Oto — the main protagonist. Oto is a twin, who is born intersex and socialised as a boy and who experiences hardship in the family home because of her desire to live as a girlThe book is filled with rich imagery, art, proverbs and folk tales. The writing is stunning, often lyrically.Oto leaves for boarding school with one plan: excel and escape his cruel home. Falling in love with his roommate was certainly not on the agenda, but fear and shame force him to hide his love and true self.Back home, weighed down by the expectations of their wealthy and powerful family, the love of Oto's twin sister wavers and, as their world begins to crumble around them, Oto must make drastic choices that will alter the family's lives for ever.The Cheeky Natives sat down with Buki Papillion to speak about this debut. The conversation is heart-rending. We speak about a debut that will steal your heartSupport the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailCarice Anderson author of Intelligence isn’t enough is a professional development manager and coach with over 17 years’ experience at top companies. Having noticed that Black professionals are often the ones who struggle the most with the transition to corporate life and as a result become frustrated and demotivated very early on in their professional lives.Anderson looks both forward and to the past as she addresses cultural differences and legacies that often burden first generation black professionals.Anderson set out to write a guide looking at the domains which one needs to flourish in any corporate setting. These are IQ, Mental Attitude, People Matters, Cultural Intelligence, Personal Branding and Communication. The book masterfully sets to uncover why each of these are so pivotal for professional success in the corporate world.Anderson addresses the questions of excelling in challenging job assignments and experiences which shape your learning in the work environment. She looks at maximising relationships and experiences in the working environment. She presents the case for developing yourself not only as a career professional in your chosen field but also for working on yourself as a brand.She presents the case for developing yourself not only as a career professional in your chosen field but also for working on yourself as a brand.She asks readers to examine how they spend their time and the time spent is setting them up for greatness.Cognisant on the many factors that are out of our control in the workplace, Anderson implores the reader to focus on what is in their control as an empowering way to shape your experience.In this conversation Anderson sat down with the Cheeky Natives to look at just why Intelligence isn’t enough and what you can do about it.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding."is how Peace Adzo Medie introduces us to Afi and Elikem in her acclaimed debut His Only Wife. A Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick. This book os also a New York Notable Book of the year. EBased in Ghana, the story is centred on the life of Afi Tekple, a young seamstress. We meet her having been convinced by her family to marry a man she does not know. She knows of him since he is a wealthy businessman whose mother has chosen her as a way to end his ill relationship with a woman his family deems unsuitable. Afi is an intelligent and tenacious young woman and despite all of these qualities still feels that she has to endure a difficult and unhappy marriage in order to ‘secure the bag’In this deceptively simple novel, Medie challenges us to explore the difficulties of modern life for a young woman traversing social and financial inequalities, patriarchal norms and the innate desire for companionship. Peace Adzo Medie sat with us in this delightful conversation exploring Ati’s world and all those who live in it.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailMeet the Mafus, a close-knit, traditional family with three daughters. As leaders of their church, The Kingdom of God, Pastor Abraham and his wife Phumla are guiding the community of Bulawayo in faith, while trying to keep the different branches of their family intact.’Although, the podcast was recorded a year ago, we are cheekily release it now because the paperback edition of A Family Affair is out. In this conversation, Sue Nyathi explores the journeys of family. What does is it mean to be family in a time of tumultuous changes, challenges and complications. We explore the different personalities of the members of this family, Xoliswa in all her feistiness, Zandile and her marital bliss always complicated by Yandisa who considered is the ‘black sheep’ of the family. There are interesting, painful and heartbreaking moments as we explore what happens to women when life happens. So much of the conversation is centred around what it means to hold space for family when you don’t approve of each other’s choices. Sue challenges the reader as we navigate the difficult themes of grief, loss and Gender-Based Violence. We spoke to these themes and more. This was a powerful conversation between the Cheeky Natives and Sue Nyathi.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“This is not a story for the romanticisation of pain and perseverance, although it tells of overcoming many difficulties. It is a critique of secret violence in faith communities and families, and the hypocrisy that has damaged so many people still looking for a place and way to voice their trauma. This is a critique of the value placed on ritual and culture at the expense of human life and well-being, and the far-reaching consequences of systems of oppression dressed up as tradition.”Jamil F. Khan is a critical diversity scholar, columnist and author. They are currently enrolled for a PhD in Critical Diversity Studies at the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies. Their work explores multiple axes of difference including race, gender, sexuality and class. As a columnist, their analysis of socio-political events shaping the South African landscape pulls no punches in speaking truth to power. Their published work includes a socio-political memoir, Khamr: The Makings of a Waterslams – winner of best biography at the 2021 Humanities and Social Sciences Awards, book chapters in Intersections of ageing, gender and sexualities (Polity Press, 2019), They Called Me Queer (Kwela, 2019) and Touch (Kwela, 2021) and scholarly articles on the subject of queer ageing in academic journals Sexualities and Agenda.In their memoir which details their experiences from childhood to early adulthood, Khan writes with tenderness and vulnerability, the complicated realities of living in a so-called middle-class Coloured home in the Northern suburbs of Cape Town. The detail of these memories is both jarring and reassuring as we watch Khan and examine the intersections of race, Islam and homophobia while they works through self discovery. There is a deep examination of generational trauma and what pain is left as an inheritance in an environment of abuse and trauma. Extending grace while holding their loved ones accountable is a theme which runs throughout the book and both challenges and comforts the reader in their own confrontation of the traumas of racism and homophobia. In this episode, The Cheeky Natives sat with the talented Jamil F Khan to discuss what it means to memorialise your self and journey in memoir.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailLerato never wanted to join her sister's stupid social club. All those pretentious people spending hours showing off their wealth. To what end? What was the point of it all? She'd been disappointed that her husband had fallen for Solomzi's charms and finally acceded to the invitation to join the group."In her latest novel chronicling the lives of four couples, Makholwa reveals the price of ‘perfect’. In a social media world obsessed with love lives here and Black love, Makholwa challenges readers to look beyond the veneer.These very successful women who form the backbone of this story are each battling their own demons in their marriages and even work life.The discovery of the body of unidentified woman in the beginning of the book is the source of much mystery and tension.Exploring the themes of financial crisis, toxic relationships, religion and sexual frustration, critical but. stable is a feat.Makholwa calls on us to rethink what capitalism means for Black love and existence.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail‘Everybody lives in a cage. Whether they know it or not is the question. I think that knowing that you in live in a cage is what ultimately sets you free, But even if you don’t know that you live in a cage, you know that there must be more to life than this.’ – Terry-Ann Adams Women are often not the protagonists of their own stories. Terry- Ann Adams in her debut novel reputes this, Those Who Live in Cages captures the interior lives of five women in Eldorado Park, a Coloured township in the South of Johannesburg. It is through Bertha, Kaylynn Laverne, Janice and Raquel that we experience the everyday life of Eldos and surviving in ‘the Park’. Their lives enables us go think through living as a Black women in this country. The book does not shy away from difficult issues that plague these women, such as alcoholism, domestic violence, gender-based violence, teen pregnancy. Through all this, these women try to exercise some agency. The book also has soft moments in the familial context, in the friendship and in many ways how these women find themselves in the world that was not created to benefit them. We sat with Terry-Adams to reflect on the inspiration between the novel and to reflect more deeply on the issues that are excavated in the story. This debut is a poignantly beautiful offering that adds to the canon about an often forgotten community.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail‘My book was inspired by my multicultural background - Zambian, Nigerian, Jamaican and British. I wrote it at a time when I was processing the loss of both sets of grandparents, whom I had visited in Nigeria and in my Zambian village, Chinsali.’ Natasha Omokhodion-Kalulu Banda In a search for identity, love and acceptance two ordinary girls travel from London to Lusaka to Lagos in order to save their family and discover their identity. Maggie Ayomide and Bupe Kombe are cousins on either side of the world who couldn't be more different. Zambian-Nigerian and Zambian-Jamaican, both yearn for their disbanded family to reunite.The Cheeky Natives sat in conversation with Natasha to mediate on No Bia from Hia. We spoke about Migration, mother and daughter relationship, the sisterhood, men who harm and hurt and a meditation on loss and grief.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“The only difference between lying and acting was whether your audience was in on it, but it was all a performance just the same.”Born and raised in Southern California, Brit Bennett graduated from Stanford University and later earned her MFA in fiction at the University of Michigan, where she won a Hopwood Award in Graduate Short Fiction. In 2014, she received the Hurston/Wright Award for College Writers. She is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree, and her debut novel The Mothers was a New York Times bestseller. Her second novel The Vanishing Half was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. Her essays have been featured in The New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, The Paris Review, and Jezebel. The Mother’s was a best selling debut and her sophomore release was named one of the best books of 2020. The Cheeky Natives sat down to discuss The Vanishing Half with her. A book exploring the lives of two identical sisters, Desiree and Stella Vignes. This book is a multi generational exploration of the wide ranging impacts of the choices people make in difficult circumstances. In a beautifully written page turner, Bennett asks the reader to imagine what difficulties lie at the intersection of grief, family and race. Bennett is a tour de force.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail“It was a cool evening in late summer when Wallace, his father dead for several weeks, decided that he would meet his friends at the pier after all.” – Brandon Taylor“Jesse’s alarm went off at seven, but he’d barely slept. He was excited, if nervous; he’d been scared of London all his life but he was a man now and after a few months saving up, he was ready to do it. He’d found a hostel on the Internet, in Earl’s Court, for twelve pounds a night. He had three hundred pounds in his bank account and no responsibilities to anyone; he packed only what he absolutely needed – his best clothes, some under- wear, ten or so CDs, his Discman, the James Baldwin novel Another Country. He left his key and bible on his pillow” - Paul MendezShortlisted for 2020 Booker Prize, Real Life is Brandon Taylor’s debut. It explores the life of Wallace, a Black queer PhD student in a white institution. The novel takes place over a weekend. Hauntingly intimate, it puts a spotlight on violence - physically, emotional and structurally. In doing so, it enables us to question (toxic) masculinity.Rainbow Milk is an intersectional coming-of-age story, following nineteen-year-old Jesse McCarthy as he grapples with his racial and sexual identities against the backdrop of a Jehovah's Witness upbringing and the legacies of the Windrush generation. It allows us to imagine what freedom may look like for Black queer people.This episode is in search of tenderness for Black queer people. In this conversation, the writers speak about the place of location in their novels, how location is used as a literary device – a break from a past. It touches on the shame that is often experienced by Black queer people and how it influences the way that they date. The writers also touches on the pervasiveness of religion and how it adds to the self-loathing.In many ways, this episode is a gathering of Black queer people around the world holding space for each other to live more fuller. It is a conversation that pulls at the heart strings.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan Mail"The Fatuous State of Severity - a mouthful for most - was a state of mind I had learned to occupy while recuperating from a depressive episode at a psychiatric clinic.” - Phumlani Pikoli The Fatuous State of Severity is a debut collection of short stories written by Pikoli while he was recovering from depression in a psychiatric clinic. The book has stories about mental health and its effect on our lives, both directly and indirectly. The stories also explore themes surrounding the experiences of a generation of young, urban South Africans coping with the tensions of social media, language insecurities and relationships of various kinds.Intense and provocative, this new edition of the book, which was first self-published in 2016, features six additional stories as well as an introductory essay on Phumlani Pikoli’s publishing journey.This episode happened at the beginning of the year where Phumlani had his first exhibition at the Tomorrow Gallery. In the episode, we speak about mental health, social media, male intimacy in a familial context, relationship and suicide ideations. We also spoke about the exhibition and how it came to life and what conversations it will generate. We also touch on writers that inspire Pikoli.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives

Send us Fan MailEven as a young child, Angela Makholwa wanted to be a storyteller. Her first story was published at 13 and from then on a lifetime relationship with words was established. After graduating with a journalism degree, Angela worked as a journalist prior to establishing her own PR and events management company.She has written several novels including Red Ink, 30th Candle and Black Widow Society.Her most recent novel “The Blessed Girl “ published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury, was shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print (CWIP) prize.She spoke to The Cheeky Natives about her literary journey and influences and what it’s meant to write about the interior lives of Black womxn.Angela is working on her fifth title “Critical but stable” and shared a few exciting tidbits from this story.Support the showfollow us on social media @cheekynatives