AWALI

Illustrator  |  Writer  |  Historian

“The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live.”
– Auguste Rodin 



MY STORY

Hi! My name is Ziyaad, also known as Awali. Some of you may know me as the host of Season 1 of Comic Con Africa’s Anime Manga Otaku, but I am also the writer, illustrator and creator of Siri Watu, the Afro-manga series (I am told the first of its kind in South Africa). Siri Watu follows four teenagers that inherited supernatural abilities from a secret empire of people forced into exile long ago.
Hated! Betrayed! Hunted!  It ultimately asks the question, if your people were taken from you, what would you do to regain them? 
48377221_2293478720889253_1037390324613251072_n
There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.” – Helen Frankenthaler
About Me
My Experiences

YEAR  2015

Deans Merit Award in  History, 

Received BA in Arts 

 

YEAR 2016

Deans Merit Award (1st Semester),

Deans Merit Award (2nd Semester),

Received Cum Laude in History Honours,

Unofficial Release of Siri Watu Book 1

 

YEAR 2017

Short Film Released:

 "Interview with  Aunty Anthea" at the Labia Theatre,

Released Siri Watu Book 1,

Released Siri Watu Book 2


YEAR 2018

Released Siri Watu Book 3, 

Released Siri Watu Book 4


YEAR 2019 

Released Siri Watu Book 5,

Released Siri Watu Book 6, 

Co-Hosted Comic Con Africa's (CCA) Africans in Animation


YEAR 2020

Co-Hosted CCA's African in Animation II


YEAR 2021 

Host of CCA's Anime Manga Otaku,

M.A in History,

Illustrator of Seigi no Academia,


YEAR 2023 

Siri Watu: Volume 1 and 2 released at Comic Con 

Editor of Mr Wilson is Live

YEAR 2024 

Siri Watu: Volume 3 Pre-Released at Comic Con