Issues Read past issues of Doek!

You might be here a while, so be sure to make yourself comfortable: put your doek, durag, or headscarf on, and enjoy.

Cover Image: Jockey, Rehoboth, 2013. © Kristin Capp

Issue 1: A story happened here…

August, 2019

FICTION


The Heat by Coletta Kandemiri
Subterwhere by Ange Mucyo
Losing Out by Mutaleni Nadimi
Dankie Botswana (or, Semper Fi) by Rémy Ngamije
The Night-Time Oboist by Tuulikki Tammi

NONFICTION
The Trip North by Kavena Hambira
The Rat’s Dilemma by Emily Schlink
In Conversation: 
Death, Detention, and Disappearance by David Smuts

POETRY


Ex Avibus by Brook Johnson

VISUAL ART

Latitudes by Kristin Capp
Mtanda And Sorese by Romeo Sinkala
Crosses and Walvis Bay by Shawn Van Eeden

EDITORIAL

A Story Happened Here by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Kristin Capp


Issue 2: Stories find stories…

February, 2020

FICTION


House Girl by Bongani Kona
Body In Six Parts by Makena Onjerika
Sharia Baudelaire by Alexandra Parrs
City Heights by Mohammed Shehu
Woman On A Train by Don Stevenson

NONFICTION


Activism Beyond Wokeness by Jamil Khan
A Mourning Song by Zanta Nkumane
Realisations by Emily Schlink

POETRY

A Slave To Alcohol, Disastrous Word and Bearer Of Rumours by Verushcka Garises
Cape Town Tourist by Michael Kelleher
Drag by Esperance Luvindao
Embalming The Past, Let Us and Homo Sapiensaria by Pedro Vorster

VISUAL ART


Night Watch by Hallie Haller
My Work Is Not Done by Rofhiwa Maneta
Dry Dock by Shawn Van Eeden

EDITORIAL

Stories Find Stories by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Shawn Van Eeden


Issue 3: Stories from a small place…

July, 2020

FICTION


Our Mouths Hold Fire And Water by Jo-Ann Bekker
Body Riddled With Bullets by Jessemuse Cacinda
Where To Put The Things That Hurt by Jason De Klerk
Golden by Coletta Kandemiri
It Will Be Beautiful Again by Mubanga Kalimamukwento
This Little Light Of Mine by Troy Onyango
The Regent by Mohammed Shehu
Only Way To The Future Is Forward by Olivia Walton

NONFICTION

Shadow Man by Nicole Ludolph
Short Story Long 01: Submission by Rémy Ngamije
Literatea 01: The Facts Are Cold When The Tea Is Hot by Zukiswa Wanner

POETRY

Queens In Your Bloodline by Ros Limbo
A Heresia De Eva by Yara Monteiro
Dust Devil and Windhoek Wintering by Don Stevenson
Essentially There Is Nothing Wrong by Pedro Vorster
Fate Of The Departed by Dina Asabea Williams

VISUAL ART


UBhuku LukaMenzi by Mandisa Buthelezi
Lothar Von Throtha’s Ghosts by James Jamu
Vendor Of Dreams by Johan Johnston
Threshold by Nina Van Schalkwyk
Gentle Alpha and Unseen by Jean-Claude Tjitamunisa

EDITORIAL

Stories From A Small Place by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Jean-Claude Tjitamunisa


Issue 4: Worlds beyond this one…

November, 2020

FICTION
December by Filemon Iiyambo
The Letter by Dalene Kooper
Esmerelda by Natasha Omokhodion-Banda
Itch by Jarred Thompson

Fiction illustrations by Inger Junge from Fragments

NONFICTION
The Roasted Plantain Seller Of East Legon by Bisi Adjapon
Sights And Sounds: Auralgraphs From Cape Town by Vasti Calitz & Andri Burnett
Literatea 02, Part 1: The Journey Is The Joy by Maaza Mengiste
No State Of Emergency: Auralgraphs From Kinshasa by Merdi Mukore
Karibu: Auralgraphs From Nairobi by Ndegwa Nguru
Short Story Long 02: Nonfiction by Zanta Nkumane
Bridge And Birdsong: Auralgraph From Cairo by Youssef Rakha

POETRY
Identité by Ayi Dossavi Renaud
No Fun by Tanveer Jeewa • Film by Ondjaki
What I Am by Undjizuva Kaputjaza
Walk On by Tinotenda Mashumba
A Goddess by Jayson Museta
Green And Greening by Pauline Buhle Ndhlovu
Her Yearning Soul by Beata Nuuyoma
La Fille by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse

Poetry illustrations by Katherine Hunter from Becoming Home

VISUAL ART
Chrysalis by Namafu Amutse
Old Location by Dieter Hinrichs • Curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives
Absent Normal, Normally Absent by Natache Sylvia Iilonga
That Is How We Are Feeling by Indira Mateta
Como Os Frutos and Oriki Para Omolu by Daisy Serena
Reino Angolar and Project Mir Afrika by Kwame Sousa

EDITORIAL
Worlds Beyond This One by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Namafu Amutse


Issue 5: Start/Continue

March, 2021

FICTION

Silhouette by Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo
Yellow Woman by Foday Mannah
The Will Of Masks by Ange Mucyo

NONFICTION

Is There A Doctorate In The House? by Frowin Becker
A Sombre School Story by Sindi-Leigh McBride
Literatea 02, Part 2: The Fury Is The Hope by Maaza Mengiste
Spice In The Wind: Auralgraphs From Windhoek by Ndakolute Ndilula

POETRY

From The Fury Of A Dying Sun by Alacia Armstrong
Yoga Practice by Hugh Ellis • Film by Ondjaki
Musical Love Affair by Lamelle Shaw

VISUAL ART

Collateral Beauty by Jeni Andriamiseza
History Like Water by Ruth Dammann • Curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives
Carving Out A Home by Summer Du Plessis
Lines and Reach by Immanuel Natangwe Hafeni
Light From Dark Places by Shawn Van Eeden

EDITORIAL

Start/Continue by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Jeni Andriamiseza


Issue 6: Tomorrow/Together

July, 2021

FICTION

A Cure For Loneliness by Tessa Harris
Fatima’s Dog by Abdel Ghani Karamalla • Translated by Adil Babikir
Those That Remain by Roland Watson-Grant

NONFICTION

Literatea 03: Whispers On Fingertips by Ishmael Beah
The Street Below: Auralgraphs From Maputo by Zerene Haddad
Now That I Have Seen You by Silvia K. Ilahuka
Literatea 04: Sentiment With Intention by Sisonke Msimang
Ephemeral States In A Mall Parking Lot by Moso Sematlane
Ouma Sofie’s Gold by Natasha Uys

POETRY

Church Of The Informally Settled by Ndaudika Shefeni
Destined To Go and Escaping Places by Abdel Wahab Yousif • Translated by Adil Babikir

VISUAL ART

The White Lady by Anneliese and Ernst Rudolf Scherz • Curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives
Never Too Old To Cut The Banana When Erected by Keyezua

EDITORIAL

Tomorrow/Together by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Romeo Sinkala


Issue 7: Soon/Come

November, 2021

FICTION

The Many Forms Of A Sure Thing by Emmerita Ambata
Letters To Chloe by Roxane Bayer
Meet Cute by Heather Barker
The Plans I Have For You by Kay-Leigh De Sousa
Vara by Delila Katanga

NONFICTION

Literatea 05: Unicorns In Plain Sight by Chiké Frankie Edozien
Song Of The Lake: Auralgraphs From Lilongwe, Salima, and Blantyre by Tamanda Kanjaye

POETRY

The Hunger Of Absence and Windhoek by Kina Indongo
The Muted Bride and The Ripe Time For Pity Parties by Salma Abdulatif
Daughters Of A Witch, Grapefruit and There Isn’t A Word In Your Language For Being Touched by Veripuami Nandee Kangumine

VISUAL ART

Siyah Zibast and Oxford F.C. by Priscillia Kounkou-Hoveyda
Her, Mishal by Mikhailia Petersen
Framing A New Liberated Africa curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives

EDITORIAL

Soon/Come by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Collective For Black Iranians


Issue 8: Komesho

May, 2022

FICTION

Drink Her Dew by A. K. Herman
Make It, Pay It by Andelaine Tsowases

NONFICTION

Salsa In Kal: Auralgraph From Cali by Laura Sotelo
Motherhood by Nina Van Zyl

POETRY

Unrest In The Nebula (2), Unrest In The Nebula (3) and The Captive Boy And The Unwinged Biped by Gitan Djeli
The Dust Was Here First and Soil Dances of Kaokoland, Badagry, and Amhara by Vivian Tjijandjeua Ojo
Praise Song For Kangozu, Prince of Rain & Ode To My Childhood Dog by Tjizembua Tjikuzu

VISUAL ART

The Unseen Self curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives
When The Land Speaks by Nicola Brandt

EDITORIAL

Komesho by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Namafu Amutse


Issue 9: Vasbyt

September, 2022

FICTION

Misdirection by Charmaine //Gamxamus
One Man’s Trash by Karin Eloff
A Song In D Minor by Mbozie Haimbe

NONFICTION

Deliver Me, Anvil by Frowin Becker
Some Near, Some Far: Auralgraphs From Maun, Gaborone, and Borobadilepe by Kenanao Phele
Literatea 06: Stuck Between The Gods And The Graves by Roland Watson-Grant

POETRY

Memory Mapping, My Mother’s Garden, and Pantone by Nia McAllister

VISUAL ART

Bones And Demigods by Taj Francis
In And Out Of A Windhoek Darkroom by Dieter Hinrichs • Curated by Basler Afrika Bibliographien Archives
The Gift and Oviruru by Jean-Claude Tjitamunisa

EDITORIAL

Vasbyt by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Taj Francis


Issue 10: The Struggle

May, 2023

FICTION

The Seasons Of Beatrice And Katherine by Emmerita Ambata
Jacob’s Technicolour Taxi by Kay-Leigh De Sousa
Their Mother’s Words by Filemon Iiyambo

NONFICTION

Literatea 07: I Am My Safe Space by Leye Adenle
Sunny Days: Auralgraphs From Mbabane by Siye Dlamini
Early Morning, Almost Midnight: Auralgraphs From Mussulo by Ondjaki

POETRY

A New Song and Tonight I Am The Ocean by Charmaine //Gamxamus
How Things Are And How They Happen and Our Last Conversation by Kina Indongo
The Jackal Who Prepares You For Marriage and Your Body Is A Changing Season by Veripuami Nandee Kangumine
Beloved Step-Child and She Lay There by Ros Limbo
Edhina Ekugidho and Love, Reimagined by Frieda Mukufa
Jamal and Who Did You Leave Under The Sea by Keith Vries

VISUAL ART

To Fable The Ori by Daisy Serena and Sérgio Silva
Windhoek To Khartoum, 1960: Photographing People Whose History I Did Not Know by Dieter Hinrichs • Curated by Dag Henrichsen

EDITORIAL

The Struggle by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Daisy Serena & Sérgio Silva


Issue 11: The Stillness

September, 2023

FICTION

The Hermit by Kojo Baffoe
Where Do I Start? by Maria Iita

NONFICTION

Literatea, 08: People Are Humans Before They Are Anything Else by Ellen Banda-Aaku
Until Next Time: Auralgraphs From Lusaka
by Fiske Serah Nyirongo

POETRY

Current, Dark, and In This Season by A. K. Herman
In An Old Gift Bag and Into The Graveyard by Pauline Buhlebenkosi Ndhlovu

VISUAL ART

A Meeting Of Art And Science and How Frankenstein Created A Character by Katherine Hunter
Lost And Found and Phillip And Guillermo by James Jamu
Chasing Chords and Streetscapes by Rofhiwa Maneta

EDITORIAL

The Stillness by Rémy Ngamije

Cover image: Katherine Hunter