Nati Ferreira

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.

BA degree

Art in the Secret Garden, Swellendam