The Cheeky Natives

The Cheeky Natives
  • 5.0 (15)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

The Cheeky Natives is a literary podcast primarily focused on the review, curatorship and archiving of Black literature.The show is hosted by the cheeky duo, Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele and Advocate Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane. 

  1. Nadia Davids: Cape Fever

    MAR 20

    Nadia Davids: Cape Fever

    Send us Fan Mail We 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    53 min
  2. Siphokazi Jonas: Weeping Becomes a River

    MAR 6

    Siphokazi Jonas: Weeping Becomes a River

    Send us Fan Mail We 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    47 min
  3. Zibu Sithole: Love, Zola

    FEB 6

    Zibu Sithole: Love, Zola

    Send us Fan Mail In 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    44 min
  4. Frank Thabani Sayi: No Safer Kinder Hatred: How Racial Hatred and Ethnic Violence Shaped Zimbabwe

    JAN 23

    Frank Thabani Sayi: No Safer Kinder Hatred: How Racial Hatred and Ethnic Violence Shaped Zimbabwe

    Send us Fan Mail Frank 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 communities In 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    54 min
  5. Nozipho Tshabalala: After the Fires

    11/07/2025

    Nozipho Tshabalala: After the Fires

    Send us Fan Mail As 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    58 min
  6. Andile Cele: Braids & Migraines

    09/06/2025

    Andile Cele: Braids & Migraines

    Send us Fan Mail In 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    40 min
  7. Djamila Ribeiro: Where We Stand

    08/15/2025

    Djamila Ribeiro: Where We Stand

    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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    57 min
  8. Onyi Nwabineli: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

    07/11/2025

    Onyi Nwabineli: Allow Me to Introduce Myself

    Send us Fan Mail In 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 show follow us on social media @cheekynatives

    55 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The Cheeky Natives is a literary podcast primarily focused on the review, curatorship and archiving of Black literature.The show is hosted by the cheeky duo, Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele and Advocate Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane. 

Information

  • Creator
    The Cheeky Natives
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Cheeky Natives
  • Show Website
    The Cheeky Natives

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