WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 38

EDITORIAL

 Josephine Sithole-Muganiwa: WINZ Board Chairperson

We are   grateful to the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust for assisting us spread the word of who we are and ensuring networking takes place. We are also grateful for their involvement in the various festivals around the country and sponsorship of individual authors. They are an integral part of the culture industry in Zimbabwe.

We are still calling for contributions in indigenous languages as they fully express our cultural heritage. Some words cannot be translated into English and even with those that can be translated the full essence is lost along the translation chain.

So let us write, ngatinyorei, kasibhaleni!

WIN-ZIMBABWE TO UNVEIL NEW BROCHURE

By WINZ Staff Writer

There is no retreat or surrender for WIN-Zimbabwe as the association will soon replace its black & white brochure with a new & exciting one proudly sponsored by the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust (CFZT).

The new tri-fold brochure naturally gives WIN-Zimbabwe a glossy look and will conveniently answer simple questions about what the writers’ association subscribes to, its major activities, objectives, among other details.

The Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust threw the life-line to the new writers’ association as a gesture demonstrative of the Trust’s support to the development of new literary initiatives in Zimbabwe.

WIN-Zimbabwe Board Chairperson Josephine Sithole-Muganiwa said she appreciates what CFZT has done for her association.

“As WINZ we acknowledge the invaluable support in form of funding our business cards and brochures from the Culture Fund. It comes just at the right time when we are on a major drive to promote networking and reach out to the nation,” she said.

Muganiwa commented the Culture Fund for its sterling job in promoting the culture industry in Zimbabwe.

“We are grateful to have benefited from them,” said Muganiwa.

WIN-Zimbabwe, formed in 2010, is in the process of laying down a strong foundation upon which it intends to establish permanent infrastructure for new writers and its flagship e-newsletter (the WINZ Newsletter) is slowly becoming a source of information and inspiration for many writers.

CFZT is led by its Executive Director Farai Mupfunya (pictured) and was established and registered as a Trust in 2006 to contribute to the culture sector in Zimbabwe by providing finance and technical support to cultural practitioners, institutions and activities. To date, the Culture Fund has unveiled financial and technical support to various artistic initiatives, including projects designed to uplift languages and literature in Zimbabwe.

THE REGULAR WRITER

With

Tinashe ‘Mutumwapavi’ Muchuri

Internalizing the verse

There is no straight formula for internalizing your verse. Different ways works for different poets. I have a few words for those who want to recite their pieces without forgetting a line. Rehearsing is important only if the words are now flowing within you. Rehearsals will help you shape your presentation. Rehearsals help you work out your correct pronunciation of words. It helps you also in matching your gestures with what the verse says.

I want to concentrate on the advanced stage of rehearsal that is, internalizing the verse. It starts with reading loud and listening to yourself. Here you are the audience of your own performance. After every reading you ask yourself, “If I were part of the audience will I clap for this performer (me)?” If you get satisfied with the fluency of your loud reading, then you embark on the journey to internalizing the verse. Internalizing the verse requires much concentration. Some poets do some exercises to prepare the body for this duty. If truth be said, this duty needs a body that is at peace with itself.

But some poets argue that they concentrate much in a noisy place. It is undeniable however that some people are capable of reading novels or performing in a noisy beer hall with revelers chanting alongside their verse discordantly and the disco playing in the background.

My interest is with the poets who love to work away from disturbing noises. Some poets love to internalize the verse while in the bush far away from all artificial noises. They sit on a rock or under a tree, listening to the verse and absorbing it like air into the body. Others work alone in a locked room without noise. They will be in the world of their own. Yet others internalize their verse while walking silently on the road, speaking to themselves.

 When a verse is internalized its presentation becomes easy. Every body part of the performer knows when to be involved in the delivery of the verse. The hands know when to move, legs when to walk and the voice when to rise and fall. When the verse is internalized no line or single word can escape the mouth. The whole body communicates well, it responds naturally to the rhythm of the verse.

This done, the performer is guaranteed of enjoying on stage in front of people. The rewards of this hard work also follow the performer.  Till next time, rega kazwi ako! (Let the voice flow out).

 NEW COLUMNS IN OUR NEXT ISSUES: “KASIBHALENI” & “NGATINYOREI” 
Contributions still welcome, free your potential!!!!

WINZ Newsletter, Issue No 37

EDITORIAL

Greetings once again! We hope that those who are attending the currently running festivals such as the Shoko Spoken Word & Hip-Hop Festival, the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo and the University of Zimbabwe International Arts Festival which runs until 23 September are catching the fun.  A lot is happening. Zimbabwe Writers Association (ZWA) is now registered with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe and is ready to move. This is our organization and it moves with you. Let us show commitment to it by paying subscriptions; as individuals, associations and partners. WINZ needs interested writers for the Shona and Ndebele columns to promote the indigenous languages. However, any contributions in the other languages spoken in Zimbabwe are welcome. Let us keep writing and project the Zimbabwean character and experience! 

Josephine Sithole-Muganiwa: WINZ Board Chairperson

HIGH PRINTING COSTS FORCE LOCAL PUBLISHERS & WRITERS TO LOOK ABROAD

By WINZ Staff Writer

Due to the rising costs of printing in the country, Zimbabwean writers and publishers are now mulling collaborating with publishers and printers abroad to minimize costs and in turn reduce the price of the final book to make it affordable to local readers.

On September 16 2011, a small group of writers and publishers in Harare had the opportunity to meet India-based Pinnacle India Educational Publishers Chairman, Rakesh Gupta at the Embassy of India, courtesy of Mukesh Kumar, First Secretary (HOC-Embassy of India). 

Kumar, who stimulated writers during the 2011 edition of the ZIBF Indaba Conference where he also made a presentation, said the meeting between Gupta and local writers/publishers was mainly aimed to explore areas in which they can work together.

Rakesh Gupta explained how his company functions and said his company works with highly automatic systems, making them one of the major export houses in the Indian Global scenario.

He said although Pinnacle India does not publish general books, it is open for all sorts of business such as partnerships/joint venture with the Zimbabwean book industry stakeholders.

The meeting, coordinated by renowned writer Virginia Phiri on behalf of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair, was attended by a small group that included officials from Prestige Books, WIN-Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Women Writers, Eresina Hwede, Beatrice Sithole, Greenfield Chilongo, Irene Chikaka, and Charles Makari.

The Embassy had initially wished Gupta to meet two groups, one in morning and the other in the afternoon. However, due to traveling delays from India, Gupta arrived in the afternoon and missed the morning group.

Pinnacle India, established in 1960, is a leading company in India and has an impressive production units that include conceptualization and Copy Writing, Graphics, Designing and Execution, Pre-press, printing, exercise books manufacturing, binding, packaging and forwarding.

THE REGULAR WRITER

With

Tinashe Mutumwapavi Muchuri

The Poet and the Audience

If there is anything that performance poets want, it is to be accepted by the audience and mutually entertain the audience and take away their worries. Performance time is time to engage the mind of the viewers and listeners.

However, there are young aspiring performers who are afraid of getting aboard because of stage fright. I have a few words for them .

One can develop his/her stage skills by listening to seasoned poets, attending their live shows and participating in workshops. Above all, practice sharpens your skills. The poet must have the desire to learn more, read, listen and experiment until the stage becomes a place to enjoy oneself.

A good performance poet is never disorganized or noisy when on stage, but he/she is clearly composed and audible that every word said sinks deeper into the heart and mind of the audience. Performance poetry communicates with the heart. It is a heart-to-heart communication. If one becomes noisy, the audience is distracted from listening and would ignore the poet’s performance as they engage in own noisy discussions. The noisy performer attracts noisy audience. A good performer does not rush words, but speaks slowly and clearly using varying tones. Do not send the audience to bed.

A good performance poet communicates with the audience. The audience wants to feel that they are a part of your performance. If you leave them out of your performance, then you will be a bore, if not an ‘eyesore’. It is very important not to shy away from the audience. If the poet communicates well with the audience, every member of the audience would pay attention to the performance and thereby respect and appreciate the poetry.

A good performance poet does not use big words where small ones work wonders, does not show off to the audience how much learned he/she is.

If you bring in instruments to accompany your performance poetry, you should make sure that the instruments are really enhancing your performance. It is wrong to bring instrumentalists who compete for space with you, thereby disturb your movement.

A good performer should know the right moment to end a presentation. You should not out-perform your given slot unless the audience has clamored for more and it is in agreement with the Ceremony Director.

If you think of having collaborations, make sure you rehearse before you stage your show. Don’t take your audience for granted. Make sure your team-mates are not under the influence of alcohol. Drunkenness takes away the respect your audience have for you. Next time the audience won’t be interested in attending your show.

These are just some of my thoughts which I have always wanted to share with upcoming performance poets. Until we meet again, regards.

POETRY

Swing On

Zeal lives

where talent and skill

Unravels

Abundant

Fortune

Sweat

Spews out and trickles

Down

Like summer

Streams

Down

To the ocean

Of

Our conscience

Which

Immortally cheers us to

Swing on

And build our country in

Love and Harmony

And with talent and

Skill make our

Nation shine

                                          By Clifford Zinyoni, Mashonaland Central

(Born in Mazowe district in Chief Makope area in the mid-seventies, Clifford Zinyoni went to St Alberts Mission for his primary and secondary education. He has taught at several schools in Centenary and currently works as an agriculturist in the Department of Agritex (Ministry of Agriculture) in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central. Zinyoni is a literature enthusiast, short story writer and poet. His favorite poet is John Keats.)

Muroora Wenyu Amai

Anondibikira mutakunanzva

Anondibata samambo

Anondida nemoyo muchena

Wenyu muroora Amai

Chidadiso

Ndi Dadirai

Chishamiso

Donhodzo remoyo wangu

Chenai moyo Amai

Dada, mweya wangu, dada

Dada, Bee, ndati fara

Dadanura moyo wako

Kumwanasikana

Fara, moyo wangu, farisisa

Wakapiwa chipo

Wakawana shamwari

Yepamoyo

Dadai Amai dadai

Ndiye wandaireva

Dadiso

Dadai

By Beaven Tapureta

(Poem first appeared in the Writers’ Scroll, Issue No 1, 2004)

 

 CULTURE MATTERS!!! LETS WRITE!!!

Do you want to be a writer for our Shona column “Ngatinyorei”?  Unodada here nerurimi rwako? Uyaluthakazelela na ulimi lwako? Uyafuna yini ukubonisana labanye endabeni zokubhala ku blog  yethu? Ungathanda yini ukuba ngumlobi we non-fiction column entsha ethiwa “Kasibhaleni”? Nxa uyijabulela indaba leyi, khululeka ukhulume lathi.

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