Willemse, Hein (Heinrich Stephen Samuel)2008-05-052008-05-052008Willemse, H 2008, 'Insularity and ambivalence : the case of the South African poet P. J. Philander's epic poem, Zimbabwe', Research in African Literatures, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 125-148. [http://inscribe.iupress.org/loi/ral]0034-5210http://hdl.handle.net/2263/5100This essay explores the South African author P. J. Philander's epic Zimbabwe (1968), an Afrikaans poem of 307 alternate quatrains largely based on the disproved notion that the Phoenicians built the ancient complex of Great Zimbabwe and established a religion of phallic or fertility worship. The essay initially traces the longstanding debate on the "mystery" of Great Zimbabwe and arrives at the conclusion that the poet made a deliberate choice for the Semitic or Phoenician thesis. In the second phase of the discussion, Zimbabwe is read with Frantz Fanon's classic text Les damnés de la terre, especially with regard to the complex but key binary relationship between settlers and aboriginals. In conclusion, the essay discusses the author's political ambivalence and his attempts at making the rise and decline of Great Zimbabwe applicable to apartheid South Africa221207 bytesapplication/pdfenIndiana University Press. This article was published as Willemse, H 2008, 'Insularity and ambivalence : the case of the South African poet P. J. Philander's epic poem, Zimbabwe', Research in African Literatures, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 125-148. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or distributed, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographic, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Indiana University Press. For educational re-use, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center (508-744-3350). For all other permissions, please visit Indiana University Press' permissions page.Philander, P.J. (Peter John), 1921-ZimbabwePoets, Black -- South AfricaAfrikaans poetry -- South AfricaAmbivalence in literatureEpic poetryGreat Zimbabwe (Extinct city)Phoenicians -- ReligionPhallicism -- ZimbabweApartheid -- South AfricaFanon, Frantz, d1925-1961 -- InfluencePostprint Article