The Literary Space of Black Women: Trauma, Memory, and Literary Activism in Selected Works of Koleka Putuma

This article examines how Koleka Putuma, through her poetry, plays, and installations, illuminates the lived experiences of Black women in post-apartheid South Africa by interweaving themes of trauma, memory, and empowerment. By exploring her works, Collective Amnesia (2017), No Easter for Sunday Queers (2021), and Theatre of Beauty: Imvuselelo (2023), this study argues that Putuma’s artistic expressions disrupt conventional narratives, amplifying the voices of marginalised individuals over collective identities. Her literary activism not only exposes and addresses trauma but also offers a pathway to healing while persistently challenging the enduring impacts of colonialism and apartheid systems and their legacies.