EDITORIAL
Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors for the Intwasa Yvonne Vera Award. We are proud of you. Please make a note of the dates for the Intwasa Festival and make a date. Let us support each other. Vote for Ncube’s book in large numbers. Congratulations to Musodza for harnessing new technology. All the best with the reading!THE INTWASA ARTS FESTIVAL koBULAWAYO ROUND THE CORNER
Yvonne Vera Award –Senior Category Shortlist
Ango Leonard’s Game by Mercy Dhliwayo
A Mouse among Men by Ivor W Hartmann
A Moment of Madness by Thamsanqa Never Ncube
A Mixed Multitude by Phillip Chidavaenzi
One by Blessing Musariri
Chanting Shadows by Mbonisi Pilani Ncube
The Sound of Silence by Lilian Dube
Memories of a Past Life by Bongani Ncube
The Last Place on Earth by Kathryn Truscott
Night Riding by Sarah Norma
Mr. Pothole by Diana Charsley
Poor Signal by Emmanuel Sigauke
Ndebele is the New Coloured by Tswarello Mothobe
Times Change, People Change by Tanya Hunt
Radio Culture is Dead by Elizabeth R S Muchemwa
The Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, now in its 7th year, is a multi-disciplinary arts festival that brings together various art forms such as dance, theatre, music , film, literary arts, visiual arts, spoken word and fashion under one roof every year during the month of September. The Festival is aimed at celebrating artistic talent present locally, regionally and globally. This year’s Festival is running from September 19 – 25 under the theme “Arts Without Boundaries”
VOTE FOR MBONISI NCUBE!!!
Pan Macmillan South Africa has announced the 2011 Citizen Book Prize longlist. According to a report by Books Live, "The Citizen Book Prize is the only South African literary award voted for by the people. The winner gets R 10 000 from the Citizen and, either publication by Pan Macmillan SA or a spot on a top SA creative writing course." Out of the longlist of novels, the jury has shortlisted ten carefully-selected synopses. Two of these are by emerging writer Mbonisi Mbotse Ncube, who is also featured on the shortlist of the 2011 Intwasa Yvonne Vera Award Shortlist. Another story of his is going to appear in the 2011 edition of African Roar: An Anthology of African Fiction. The winning book for the Citizen Prize is determined by online voting on the Books Live website OR on the Facebook poll page through the following link http://poll.fm/f/37irp
(Source: WEALTH OF IDEAS Blog)
(Source: WEALTH OF IDEAS Blog)
A READING OF MUKADZI WAMUKOMA SHEPARD
PRESS STATEMENT
Middlesborough, North-East England-based Zimbabwean author Masimba Musodza pioneers a new realm for contemporary literature in ChiShona with a scheduled podcast reading of his new novel, Mukadzi waMukoma Shepard ("Brother Shepard's Wife").
Written mostly on his Samsung Omnia 7, which has the Microsoft Office Suite, Mukadzi waMukoma Shepard is set in Zimbabwe and England. It is the story of a lower middle-class Zimbabwean family, torn apart by secrets and the conflict between deep-rooted folk beliefs and the overwhelming modern world.
Wesley returns home from boarding school to find that his older brother, Shepard, who still lives at the family home, has married. A friendship blossoms between him and Aesnath, the new bride, and where his loyalties lie become clear when Shepard starts to cheat on her.
However, there are dark, terrible secrets in the family just waiting to come out like predators lying in wait for their victims.
The story explores themes such as the custom of kuripa ngozi (i.e. marrying off a daughter to the family of a murder victim by the murderer's family as compensation), the role of the amaiguru (wife's older brother) as mentor and confidante to a young man in contemporary Zimbabwe, courtship in urban Zimbabwe and of course, the conflict between "tradition" and "modernity". All told in Musodza's unique style, that makes you want to know what happens next, yet at the same time keep you on the edge. Not for those of a nervous disposition!
Musodza wrote most of the novel while sitting on a bench in Middlesbrough's Town Square, or lying in bed, beginning on the 10th of August. Actually, he wrote two novels with a horror theme, the other one is in English.
The idea to do a reading came from the realisation that there are not enough efforts being made by publishers etc to bridge Zimbabwean authors to their readers, especially with the use of new media. Musodza is hoping that this reading will introduce him to a wider audience. Already, there is some encouraging interest as indicated by the Facebook Event Invitation.
Mukadzi waMukoma Shepard will be read by the author on Friday 16th of September 2011 from 2030 GMT on http://www.spreaker.com/page#!/user/musodzalive
(From the PUBLICITY TEAM –admin@masimbamusodza.co.uk)
THE REGULAR WRITER
With
Tinashe 'Mutumwapavi' Muchuri
Girl Child Creativity Launched a New Cluster
Girl Child Creativity, a project formed this year to promote the creativity of girls, launched a new Hatcliff cluster at Premier College in Harare on August 19.
Mr. Dendere, personal assistant to the Minister of Lands and Rural Settlement, was the guest of honour.
The occasion was also graced by the reigning Miss Teen Tourism Zimbabwe, Runyararo Kache.
In his speech Mr Dendere encouraged girls not to give up their talents and said they should have the ‘never-say-die’ spirit if they want to succeed in their lives.
“You must have the ‘never-say-die’ spirit. You should learn to make things happen. For you to be successful, you need to believe in yourself,” he said.
Mr. Dendere said that in an attempt to empower more women, the Ministry of Lands and Rural Settlement is now giving joint allocation of land to make sure that women are not discriminated in the event the couple separate.
Mr Dendere also urged the students present at the function to balance their talents with education. He said lack of education leads some talented people in our society to die as paupers. He said, if one doesn’t have enough education, one can not defend oneself. Education is freedom. He reiterated that, some of the best musicians and footballers are dying poor because they cannot defend themselves when making contracts.
Lack of education also disadvantages the talented people because they will not be able to do business, said Mr. Dendere.
17-year old Miss Teen Tourism Zimbabwe, Runyararo Kache, who is a student at Westridge School, narrated how she arrived at where she is today and advised students not to be afraid of failure but to work hard.
She said when she started having lessons with a model trainer named Tinashe Victor Mpofu, she had no knowledge of how to walk as a model. She walked fast, and was told not to walk to arrive. She said she was taught to take time in everything she is doing. She too urged the students gathered for the event not to move fast. She said her mother was behind her all the way and urged other parents to listen to the call of their children.
Girl Child Creativity founder, Mr. Mbizo Chirasha, said his organisation is not there to urge girls to fight boys but to have a balance between boys and girls in the creative arena. He outlined events he plans to hold such as essay writing competitions.
However, a talent search that was supposed to be held at the New Ambassador Hotel on the August 26 2011 was postponed until further notice. He also said next year in June there will be a Girl child Creativity arts festival.
There were musical, theatre and poetry performances by Premier College students, Milopi, a Mbare-based girls-only urban grooves outfit, and youths from Hopley School and Haticliffe.
POETRY
Visions through The Past
By Noble Gakaka
On a mountain top here I am mama Africa
The streams of blessings flowing within
Tears of joy mixing with the rain
The fullness of life pumping in my veins
Various Kingdoms with kings and queens
Working together creating a mighty nation
Producing a well cultured generation
From the big sweeping ocean a ship anchors itself
Therein lies your destruction mama Africa
Good tidings we thought they brought
Later to learn of their deceit
We acknowledge our lives were not entirely sweet
But to be a slave in your own home is something else
Ancient children have endured a lot the creator knows
In the concrete jungle everything is sold
From hair down to the fruits of the forest
Only the elites can Hunt now
Days are filled with bitter sweet moments
Past the era of physical slavery now in the mental
Anytime they want they can reach us
For we are now educated
Looking from the same mountain top
I can still see the rivers flowing
But with a certain colour of pollution
Threatening the peace, the love…..everywhere!
(23-year old Noble Gakaka lives in Harare and is a graduate from the University of Zimbabwe. Gakaka’s interests include development and social issues that have implications on everyday lives of African people. This is in the view of the History of the continent and the challenges that were and still are being faced by the African Nation.)
