What do you know about your own family history?

This tale has its origins in the rainforests of Central Africa, with a family past bound to the Dutch East India Company and its trading colonies in Batavia, India and Africa.

Searching for Yay Yay chronicles the lives of the slaves and freemen in the melting pot of the Cape of Good Hope and the surprising discoveries that show the fragility of racial identity.

Told through the histories of two families, it shines a light on a period of three centuries of European colonisation and the profound effect – both good and bad – colonisation has had on the conquered lands and their people.

“A captivating telling, one which doesn’t shy away from lighting up the dark corners of a time past. An exceptional read…” Leonard, Indie Book reviewer

Nominations