The biography “Mr Entertainer: The Story of Taliep Petersen” by Dr. Paula Fourie details the life of the deceased music star Taliep Petersen.
Taliep’s daughter Jawaahier Petersen, who furthermore portrays Kashiefa in the well-liked KykNET soap opera “Suidooster,” spoke about the book with IOL Entertainment.
Jawaahier stated: “The biggest worry for us has always been that his passing, the manner in which it occurred, and the subsequent events would obscure his amazing legacy and the significant contribution he made to the continent’s artistic and musical environment.
“And that people would disregard the efforts he made and the paths he paved for future artists of colour to follow.
So having a physical representation of a legacy like this, which will allow future generations to learn about him and his efforts, left me dumbfounded.
In order for Taliep Petersen’s name to be mentioned in the same context as other prominent musical contributions to the nation, she said, it is her hope that this will be included in the educational curriculum of our nation.
The work Dr. Fourie performed on this book was incredible. She worked on this book for ten years, and it was really exceptional.
It was touching to watch individuals reading and admiring books while gathered in the bookstore’s “new book department.”
“I realised how important his contribution to our nation is regardless of colour when I saw individuals of many races showing such interest in this book.”
On December 16, 2006, Taliep, 56, was fatally shot in his Athlone house during a robbery that turned out to be a hit planned by his 59-year-old wife Najwa Petersen.
Najwa was found guilty of planning the murder of her husband and received a 28-year sentence.
At Pollsmoor Correctional Facility, she is now jailed, and in November 2022, she will be available for parole consideration.
The book explores many facets of Taliep’s life, including the good, the terrible, and all the little elements that form the fabric of his enduring legacy.
This book originally began as a PhD project at Stellenbosch University, Fourie told IOL Entertainment. At that time, I was planning to write my dissertation on the Malay choirs since I was fascinated by them.
But when someone mentioned that Taliep Petersen once sat in that particular chair at a competition in the Good Hope Centre, it had a profound effect on me.
“A few days later, I had his name on the tip of my tongue when I woke up from a dream and made the decision to try writing his biography for my dissertation instead.
“That occurred over ten years ago. I decided to write a book about the experience after realising there was a lot more to the story after I earned my degree.
It has taken me a decade to finish, she continued. I conducted more than 30 interviews along the way. Additionally, Taliep’s father, brother, sisters, and children kindly allowed me access to the papers he left behind in his studio after passing away. I worked extensively with these papers as well. I am so appreciative that I was able to publish this book.
“What I have carried around for so long now has a life outside of me, and it feels both humbling and surreal. The journey has taught me a lot. Taliep carved his own path, which was frequently a solitary one.
He also coexisted with a large group of individuals, a robust and diversified group of theatre artists who all had distinct recollections of him and of the years they spent working with him. It has been an honour for me to learn about them and their experiences.