A peaceful still life of Grace Painting

Natif (pronounced Nah-tééf), short for Ignatius Ferreira, was born on the 4 th of July 1939, and grew up on a remote farm in South Africa. He then studied biochemistry, genetics and microbiology, and later philosophy, history and psychology. He became politically aware at an early age and became an active and vocal opponent of apartheid as a journalist, writer and influencer, hated by the nationalist regime. Prime Minister John Vorster, whom he labelled ‘the Stalin of apartheid’, called him a volksverraaier (traitor of his people) in parliament. Natif is a fluent free improvisation pianist. He calls his music ‘a Bach-like sort of jazz’. He started painting at age 74 and is still at it, with passion. He is happily married and has two daughters and a son.