EDITORIAL
Josephine Muganiwa
WIN-Zimbabwe Board Chairperson
Greetings. Hope we find you well. As the year begins let us reflect on what we want to achieve with our writing and the issues we would want to see resolved. Let us discuss these and find solutions to them so that we do not keep going in circles. Let us take one step at a time and not be discouraged. A mile’s journey begins with a step. Let us continue the networking and learn from each other to build a strong writers’ fraternity. Keep on Writing!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NAMA NOMINEES IN THE LITERARY ARTS SECTION
Below are the nominees:
Outstanding Fiction Book
Promises On The Wind by Kawengo Samachai (Benaby Printing & Publishing)
Lazaruses and Devases by Wellington Kusema (Heritage Press, UK)
Writing Free edited by Irene Staunton (Weaver Press)
Where To Now edited by Jane Morris (Amabooks)
Outstanding Children’s Book
Fear Not My Brother by George Mujajati (Longman Zimbabwe)
Tindo's Quest by Shimmer Chinodya (Longman Zimbabwe)
Outstanding First Creative Published Work
Chandakazviitira by Stancellous Matoreva (Mambo Press)
Gweja Nyumwawo by Reason Kufonya (Lleemon Publishers)
The African Tea Cosy by Violet Masilo (Zimbabwe Women Writers)
CHINGONO’S WIDOW ENCOURAGES WRITERS
By Beaven Tapureta
(First published in the Newsday of February 13, 2012)
The late Julius Chingono's portrait on a 2009 international journal, The Warwick Review
Juliet Chingono, widow of the late well-known writer and poet, Julius Sekai Chingono, has urged writers to continue writing and thanked them for remembering her husband whom she said used to carry his notebook and pen everywhere he went.
She was speaking at a touching commemoration of Julius Chingono’s life and works held on Wednesday evening, at the Harare’s Theatre in the Park.
“Thank you for remembering my husband, and keep writing. I still come across some of Julius’ little notes in the house because he used to walk with his pen and notebook everywhere he went,” she said.
Juliet, who was in the company of two other relatives, went on to thank the Embassy of Spain, organisers of the commemoration which saw established and new writers, poets, publishers, actors, friends and relatives celebrate Chingono through moving performances and anecdotes.
Speaking at the same event the Ambassador of Spain, Pilar Fuertes Ferragut, said she was overwhelmed by the response the embassy got when it called for contributions of works and ideas for the Chingono commemoration.
“I am glad Chingono is still being honoured.
“What I liked about Chingono was his sensitivity, his humour, and his gift of words. Chingono spoke his mind and therefore became the voice of the weak,” she said.
Veteran actor, producer and ex-editorial officer of the Literature Bureau, Walter Lambert Muparutsa, said he met Chingono when the writer was staying in Mabvuku in the 1960s.
Muparutsa recalled when Chingono brought a poem titled My Old Shoe to the Literature Bureau where a British editorial officer advised him to translate it into Shona.
This, Muparutsa said, reflected the bias of the Bureau as an institution that cast linguistic precincts for local writers.
The poem had been broadcast on BBC and received tremendous comments.
“Chingono was a keen observer of life around him. You could sense his spirituality in what he wrote. He was a simple and ordinary person, but you would only know he was extraordinary after you had read his works,” said Muparutsa, who added that it would be good to translate Chingono’s English works into Shona so many people could enjoy his stories.
Various artists recalled humorous moments they shared with Chingono at home or on tour outside the country and how true it became, as in the lines of Fungai Machirori’s poem she recited: “Grief is not a thief-it is the stolen.”
Poets who took part in the remembrance event were each presented with a copy of Chingono’s book Not Another Day, courtesy of the Spanish embassy.
Born in 1946, Chingono, who belonged to various artist organisations, was also a board member of Writers International Network Zimbabwe.
He passed on in Norton early January last year after a short illness.
Chingono’s latest work is the posthumously published anthology titled Together which he co-authored with poet John Eppel.
“Thank you for remembering my husband, and keep writing. I still come across some of Julius’ little notes in the house because he used to walk with his pen and notebook everywhere he went,” she said.
Juliet, who was in the company of two other relatives, went on to thank the Embassy of Spain, organisers of the commemoration which saw established and new writers, poets, publishers, actors, friends and relatives celebrate Chingono through moving performances and anecdotes.
Speaking at the same event the Ambassador of Spain, Pilar Fuertes Ferragut, said she was overwhelmed by the response the embassy got when it called for contributions of works and ideas for the Chingono commemoration.
“I am glad Chingono is still being honoured.
“What I liked about Chingono was his sensitivity, his humour, and his gift of words. Chingono spoke his mind and therefore became the voice of the weak,” she said.
Veteran actor, producer and ex-editorial officer of the Literature Bureau, Walter Lambert Muparutsa, said he met Chingono when the writer was staying in Mabvuku in the 1960s.
Muparutsa recalled when Chingono brought a poem titled My Old Shoe to the Literature Bureau where a British editorial officer advised him to translate it into Shona.
This, Muparutsa said, reflected the bias of the Bureau as an institution that cast linguistic precincts for local writers.
The poem had been broadcast on BBC and received tremendous comments.
“Chingono was a keen observer of life around him. You could sense his spirituality in what he wrote. He was a simple and ordinary person, but you would only know he was extraordinary after you had read his works,” said Muparutsa, who added that it would be good to translate Chingono’s English works into Shona so many people could enjoy his stories.
Various artists recalled humorous moments they shared with Chingono at home or on tour outside the country and how true it became, as in the lines of Fungai Machirori’s poem she recited: “Grief is not a thief-it is the stolen.”
Poets who took part in the remembrance event were each presented with a copy of Chingono’s book Not Another Day, courtesy of the Spanish embassy.
Born in 1946, Chingono, who belonged to various artist organisations, was also a board member of Writers International Network Zimbabwe.
He passed on in Norton early January last year after a short illness.
Chingono’s latest work is the posthumously published anthology titled Together which he co-authored with poet John Eppel.
THE REGULAR WRITER
With
Tinashe ‘Mutumwapavi’ Muchuri
A Look At Some Backyard Publishers
As the year begins I thought it good to start talking about some scenario that I came across in the publishing industry. May I say NOT ALL publishers in my country are like those that I will talk about. I am proud of the genuine existing Zimbabwean publishers, local or abroad!
In the past, I was made to believe that the publisher publishes a writer’s work after being allowed to do so by the writer through signing of the contract. But today there are some inexperienced publishers who get the work from the writer, edit it and publish it without consulting the writer in the process. This kind of publisher takes the book to the market before any contract is signed between the writer and the publisher. When the book is already on the market, then this publisher calls the writer to discuss matters of the contract and other issues.
Let me say, when ZIMSEC (our local examination council) has selected the book for a schools' set book material, this publisher then accompany the writer to a room at the publisher's premise where the writer is shown more copies of the published book in a bid to hush him/her or entice him/her into playing to the gallery.
The publisher tells the writer that he is preparing a contract which the writer should sign so that the two can be in business now. As a publisher, he explains that he has worked very hard to make the book qualify as school set book material. I don’t understand this!
In the past, I was made to believe that the publisher publishes a writer’s work after being allowed to do so by the writer through signing of the contract. But today there are some inexperienced publishers who get the work from the writer, edit it and publish it without consulting the writer in the process. This kind of publisher takes the book to the market before any contract is signed between the writer and the publisher. When the book is already on the market, then this publisher calls the writer to discuss matters of the contract and other issues.
Let me say, when ZIMSEC (our local examination council) has selected the book for a schools' set book material, this publisher then accompany the writer to a room at the publisher's premise where the writer is shown more copies of the published book in a bid to hush him/her or entice him/her into playing to the gallery.
The publisher tells the writer that he is preparing a contract which the writer should sign so that the two can be in business now. As a publisher, he explains that he has worked very hard to make the book qualify as school set book material. I don’t understand this!
Is there transparency on the earnings of the writer when the book is already feeding the market before the writer agrees with the publisher on certain important issues. In this scenario, the publisher seems to say, the writer has no choice but to accept whatever the contract will say. It in other words means that a writer is a nothing but a person who should be thankful to the publisher who have taken his time and income to fight for the book to be published. If it was not the hard work and investment of the publisher’s resources in paying the editor, your work could be nothing but just a manuscript.
What should the writer, in this case the vulnerable aspiring writer, do then? Is watching this happening not the same as letting a rapist rape your children before your own eyes? Let us talk about this scenario? Will the writer get his royalties due to him? I mean his real dues. I am not convinced. It tells me that some publishers are there to live off the writer. If you have something to say about this don’t hesitate to contact the regular writer on tmuchuri@gmail.com
NGATINYOREI
Dai Ndiri Shiri
Na
Clever Simbarashe Kavenga
Ndakanzwa Hamu achiimba kambo kandakambonzwa Reriya achiimba. Ndakanyatsoteerera achiimba zvake ndikanyemwerera. Ndakambofunga kuti chii chiri kumunetsa kuzoimba kambo kandakambonzwa Rungano achikaimba.
Asi zviri zvaRungano hazvibvunzwe. Ehe Rungano ukanzwa achiimba chibva waziva kuti musiwo anenge akaguta. Kana nzara ichimun’en’enura haumunzwi kana kuti kotso! Zvino zvenguva ino zvinobvunzwa here ino inguva yemanhangatanga anongobikwa chero nguva kwete kuti ndeemangwanani ekunwisa nesvutugadzike chete aiwa. Pachoto chavo vanaRungano pavakutogara paine chikari chemagwere namanhangatanga.
Nguva ino yezhizha yakangoomawo iyi, unoona vanhu vachisenenereka nemazitumbu akati tanana kuguta semadzimai akazvitakura. Izvi zvinobva zvandifungisa madhara maviri baba waPinjisi namudhara Marikopo vane mazitumbu seemadzetse nokuda kwedoro ramasese ravanoswerokapita kunwa zvavo kumagirosa uko. Kana doro richinge rapera ravo hariperi ravamwe ndiro rinopera. Ravo vanochengeterwa. Apa chinotopera imari asizve vanogonazve kunyorwa pasi vonwa zvavo rechikwereti.
Ndipozve pakazonzi naRungano ‘mutengesi uyu akapusa mhani. Haazive kuti kunyora muvhu zvinopfudzika mvura ikanaya?’. Akanga anzwa mutengesi wechitoro achiti kumadhara maviri aya, ‘Saka chiregai ndikunyorei pasi’. Rungano haadi kuinzwa nyaya iyoyi nokuti musiyo akasekwa navanhu vamwe vakabuda misodzi chaiyo nokuseka. Kudzidza hakupere , pasi pairehwa nomutengesi wemuchitoro ibhuku rake raainyora vanhu vaitenga nezvikwereti. Kwete zvaifungwa naRungano.
Zvino ndinoyeuka Rungano achiti, ‘Tizvirinde dai zhizha risingapere vanhu havaiziva nhamo kana nzara ava. Zvino zhizha rinokundwa nechirimo gare gare woona vanhu vaye vachiondoroka semikonikoni. Mabhurugwa aye wosungwazve nemakavi kuti arege kupuruka. Chirimo chikara chinoparadza zvamunoona, chine masakadzwa senhamo pachayo.’
Ndizvo zvinogarotaurwa namudhara Murekabwe mbune.
Ndizvo zvinogarotaurwa namudhara Murekabwe mbune.
Ndiri kunzwa izwi rinenge raMatinyanya watinodzidza naye achiimba kambo kaye kandakambonzwazve Mavambo musikana waRungano achiimba nezuro chaiye. Iiii! Ooo apa ndapotsa apa! Ndapota hangu musazonditengesewozve zvandataura izvi kuna Rungano. Imi Rungano wacho haasati adiwa uyu! Kana ndimiwo pafungeiwo ipapo angadiwe sei iye asati amboudza Mavambo wacho kuti anomuda? Hongu anogarondiudza kuti anomurota asika kurota munhu handiko kumuudza kuti unomuda. Kana kuudza mumwe munhu hazvirevi kuti naiye Mavambo wacho wamuudzawo.
Kwete hazvifambi zvichidaro. Mavambo wacho haambozvizivi uye anenge asingambokendenge zvake kuti kuna Rungano anomushaira hope! Dai aiziva kuti mumwe munhu haamborari achimufunga asi anozomurota hake handifunge kuti naiyewo aimborarawo futi. Pada apa ndipo paaizorotawo ana Rungano vachidanana handiti? Vanenge vari munyika yeNyatoro inogarorotwa vari naRungano vachiimbirwa nenyuchi nemazingizi zviri mushishi kutsvaga maruva ane muto unotapira.
Kambo kari kuimba Matinyanya kazozvuzvurudza pfungwa dzangu kachitiza nadzo kuenda kure kure. Apa kabva kadzisiya ikoko. Ndazopamharika zvangu ndiri ndoga zvangu ndichidzoka kumba ndichinge munhu anotanda botso. Kana mhai ndazonzwa wobvunza kuti, “Asi wava kurwara kani Tizvirinde? Gwere rawanga uchigocha richinyatsotsvukira zvarangova dota kudaro?” Ndipo ndazoti pengenu! Ndanyemwerera handina kuvadavira. Nechemumoyo ndatanga zvangu kuimba kambo kaye kandaive ndanzwa Matinyanya achiimba ndichiti;
Dai ndiri shiri
Ndaienda kuna mai vangu nababa
Dai ndiri shiri
Ndaienda kuna mai vangu nababa
Bhuru bhuru kwiyo
Ndaienda kuna ……!!
Hongu apa ndinenge ndofunga baba wangu wandisingazive mufunge zvenyu. Baba vangu vanonzi variko kuHarare ikoko, kuHarare kwatisingazive kwatinongonzwa nembiri nekuona mabhazi akanyorwa kuti – Harare Harare! Vhaya Rusape. Zvino ndinogaro zvibvunza: zvino kana mabhazi aya zvaanoenda asingadzoke nababa vangu zvaariwozve akamutakura kareko ndichiri mudumbu raamai vangu, ko vanoti achadzoka naani?
Mhai vanoti mabhazi anonzi Kukura Kurerwa aya ndeyezuro rino aya, baba vakaenda nanaBhenisiyi! Ndizvo nanhasi baba vangu vachiko Harareko. Vanotomukawo mumangwanani sevamwe zuva richigere kubuda vachigeza muviri kugadzirira kuendawo kubasa. Baba vangu variko, vanotogezawo mazino vapedza kudya kutiwo mukanwa mavo musazonhuwira vamwe variko kubasa kwavanoswera. Aaa baba here? Zvimwe vanotoitawo puresha pakukwira makombi vachimhanyira kubasa vachitya kuti basa ringapere vanonoka kusvika kana kutorovha chaiko. Iroro basa rinovatadzisa kuuya kuno kumusha kuzotionawo?
Ndivo baba vangu ava baba vanoita sevasina shamwari. Ko kana vainadzo dzingatadze here kuvaudza chokwadi paye vachinwa zvavo zvikari zvavo zvamasese kuti, ‘Sahwira rwendo rwuno ngatimboenda kumusha makore awanda.’ Uku vachipukuta zvavo masese pamuromo. Handioni baba vangu vachiramba zano iri ini.
POETRY
Ring, Ring, Ring
By
Tendekai Nzira
Constant ringing bells
in My life, my ear drum swell
beating out loud
Songs of Psalms
Ring, Ring, Ring
The time to count
and mount
is now, as long as I stay in the lane
Sanity is my best friend
False
Evidence
Acting
Real
in My life, my ear drum swell
beating out loud
Songs of Psalms
Ring, Ring, Ring
The time to count
and mount
is now, as long as I stay in the lane
Sanity is my best friend
False
Evidence
Acting
Real
Ring,
Ring, Ring
Life is a journey of adventures
I inherited mine from
Genesis
to Present, I wait closely
for Revelation
hence I am washed with salvation
Ring, Ring, Ring
for it is written:
the destruction of the poor
is their poverty.
(c)Tendekai Nzira
Ring, Ring
Life is a journey of adventures
I inherited mine from
Genesis
to Present, I wait closely
for Revelation
hence I am washed with salvation
Ring, Ring, Ring
for it is written:
the destruction of the poor
is their poverty.
(c)Tendekai Nzira
(Tendekai Nzira is a talented young artist born in Zimbabwe but now resides in the United Kingdom. Nzira has been writing poetry and has a blog where he publishes his gripping pieces. His main passion though is painting and drawing and he loves to work on portraits and landscapes. He says nature, everything around him, inspires the way he creates forms and shapes in his work.)
LET US WRITE!!!
Well done Tendekai.
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