Pan Macmillan is proud to be releasing Scatterling of Africa, a memoir by Johnny Clegg in October 2021.
For 14-year-old Johnny Clegg, hearing Zulu street music as plucked on the strings of a guitar by Charlie Mzila one evening outside a corner café in Bellevue, Johannesburg, was such a ‘magical’ moment.
The success story of Juluka and later Savuka, the cross-cultural celebration of music and language, story, dance, and song that stirred the hearts of millions across the world, is well documented. Their music was the soundtrack to many South Africans’ lives during the turbulent 70s and 80s as the country moved from legislated oppression to democratic freedom. It crossed borders, boundaries, and generations, resonating around the world and back again.
Less known is the story of how it all began and developed.
Scatterling of Africa is that origin story, as Johnny Clegg wrote it and wanted it told. It is the story of how the son of an unconventional mother, grandson of Jewish immigrants, came to realize that identity can be a choice, and home is a place you leave and return to as surely as the seasons change.
This memoir of the early days is filled with extraordinary stories of the determination with which Johnny pursued his quest to play the music he wanted, to the people who wanted to hear it. Written with passion and humor, it is also a record of the absurdity and tragedy of the times.
The Clegg family has said :
‘We are hugely proud to be able to share this memoir that Johnny worked so hard on for several years. For Johnny, this book was both a process of coming to terms with his own cultural identity and reliving the most special, formative moments that defined his journey. This unique South African story is a testament to the power of human connection and friendships across cultural, political, and social divides. In his own words, he takes us on the great adventure of his early years with all its hardships, complexities, and self-discoveries. Discussions are underway with a prominent director for the screenplay and an announcement is due shortly.'
‘There are moments in life that are pure, and which seem to hang in the air, unhitched from the everyday world as we know it. Suspended for a few seconds, they float in their own space and time with their own hidden prospects. For want of a better term, we call these moments “magical” and when we remember them they are cloaked in a halo of special meaning.’
