Merang is a collection of new Afrikaans poems. The collection title emphasises the idea of celebration, as “merang” means “feast” and belongs to the lexicon of Cape Muslim Afrikaans. It is a nod to the centenary celebration of Afrikaans’ official status, extending further back than 1925, and is an inventory of how and about what contemporary Afrikaans poets write. Rarely has a collection been so representative of different styles, poetic techniques, and thematic worlds such as love, loss, nostalgia, the natural environment, plant and animal species, socio-political issues, artistry, and technology. It invites loyal and potential poetry readers to be part of this special feast of poets.

Neil Cochrane holds degrees in publishing and Afrikaans literature from the University of Pretoria and a postgraduate qualification in instructional technology from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). He lectures in Afrikaans literature at Unisa and is an experienced book reviewer.

Alwyn Roux is a poet, literary scholar, and lecturer at Unisa. His debut collection, Weerskyn (2024), explores memory, absence, and reflection through image and sound. He is the chairman of the Suider-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Neerlandistiek (SAVN) and founder of Samespraak. His research focuses, among other things, on intercultural exchange between Afrikaans and Dutch.