Brave Broken Heart? The Story of the Late Radio Journalist Suna Venter

This chapter originated with news reports on the death of journalist and radio producer, Suna Venter on 29 June 2017, because of Broken Heart Syndrome at the age of 32. Venter was one of a group of eight journalists known as the SABC 8 who were suspended in 2016 for objecting to the editorial policies implemented by the South African Broadcasting Corporation. In response, the death of this young woman was mourned in various news media via the expression of condolences, including respect for her courage and principled journalism, explanations of the cardiac condition, and consoling references to the “Were you brave?” tattoo on her arm. Amid sophisticated news media and advanced medical diagnoses, the inked words remind one of the functions of some of the earliest tattooing. The chapter considers the question: How does Venter’s use of this ancient language reflect the challenges of our changing world and the effects on the body and its environment? This chapter focuses on the death of a prominent radio journalist to reveal how a cognitive semiotic link between a broken heart and a visible tattoo can guide us towards appreciation of the way the body tells a story within the presented framework and analysis.