A cultural legacy was celebrated at the Woordfees 2022.
The festival celebrated our icon, the respected Doctor Taliep Petersen, through what will soon be known as a bestselling biography. The book was officially launched at the festival and is now available to the public at leading book stores.
Instead of remembering his gruesome murder, I prefer to remember Taliep for his work in theatres around the world, telling unforgettable stories like District Six the Musical, Poison, Danger in the Dark and Kat & the Kings. These award-winning productions are some of the highlights mentioned in the book.
Aptly titled Mr Entertainer, the book speaks through the voices of those who knew the legend best – his family, friends, colleagues and collaborators. His life story is brought to life, from his childhood to his rise to fame starting from the Kaapse Klopse all the way to London’s West End, his artistic collaborations, most notably with David Kramer, his family life, and finally, his tragic death and its devastating aftermath.
Cape Town’s most beloved entertainer is seen from many angles, along with his far-reaching legacy that continues to be celebrated nationally.
Author Paula Fourie has worked on this masterpiece for the last 10 years and spoke to Taliep’s closest friends and colleagues.
At the launch she spoke to his daughter Jawaahier, aka Kashiefa from the soapie Suidooster. Also on stage was Taliep’s closest friend and colleague, Terry Fortune, known for his Fleur De Cap award-winning lead role in the Kramer-Petersen Songbook musical.
Fortune has also received a Fiesta lifetime achievement award, and is recognised for his stellar work in the original District Six – The Musical and Remembering the Lux.
The host at Woordfees was respected filmmaker, author and journalist Sylvia Vollenhoven, who conducted the interview and ensured every relevant question was asked and answered. Paula said: “All the work Taliep did on TV paved the way for so many people, like Jody Abrahams, Loukmaan Adams and other household names.
“Taliep claimed any kind of music as his own, adding that his legacy was boundary breaking, whilst still being a conservative Muslim man during the prejudiced time of apartheid, he achieved more than many can dream of.”
Jawaahier spoke with the utmost respect of her beloved father, and mentioned how strict he was, how he wanted his kids to understand the importance of equality as human beings, and not fall behind because of not being white or black enough.
“He never believed that he was done, always wanted more and always wanted to do better than the last,” she said.
“As much as I wanted to study drama, he blatantly refused and said that his daughter went to a school that he had to work very hard for just to pay their fees.”
Jawaahier said she was told to study something more promising and after that she could do whatever else she wanted.
Taliep’s reason for this, she said, was that drama wasn’t a promising career for people of colour and he didn’t want his daughter to play a tea girl or a cleaner on the big screen, as these were the available roles for coloureds on TV at the time.
She added: “I was also very jealous of all the artists who spent more time with my dad than we did. We wanted to have a bit more of him but he was a constant work horse.”
There was a tense moment when an audience member asked Fourie how she felt while she interviewed Taliep’s youngest daughter Zainab in the same house where her father was murdered, but the author handled it smoothly.
“To honour the story respectfully I spoke to her and respected what she wanted to give and also respected her when she didn’t want to give, and if she couldn’t continue, we would resume when she was comfortable. I needed to understand that it was going to take longer than expected and if I had a deadline, this would not be an honest piece of art,” she said.
The interview ended on a happier note when Sylvia asked the panel as to what would Taliep have thought of this book?
Terry immediately screamed: “Yoh! He would have said, ‘did I really do all that?!’”
He concluded by saying: “When Taliep and I worked together, he did the production side of things while I took care of the admin and the cooking, but we stood in London at Trafalgar Square and that was where our lives changed forever.
“He climbed on a plane and I stayed behind for other work and when he came back to London, it was the name of Taliep Petersen on the West End.”
With tears running down his face, Terry spoke lovingly about his friend and described him as “difficult but articulate and always wanted all of us to succeed”.
“If he was here, he would tell me to stop crying and start writing the next masterpiece.”
Meticulously researched and written with acute observation, personal warmth and honesty, to some it’s a bright read, to others a little bruising.
It speaks about our hero beautifully, but no story goes well without hardship.
The book highlights a difficult period for coloureds and what they needed to go through to kick down the doors of entertainment for all of us to enter.
I was in awe, my heart smiled knowing that people came out to celebrate the legend and even after so many years, we are still celebrating him the way he deserved.
It will be 16 years since his tragic death come December 16, but his music and his story is still a respected legacy that many will continue to celebrate.
Thank you for the music, the memories, and the wisdom. Your footprint is felt by so many and we strive to succeed more and more each day.
Hamba kahle, brother Taliep.