WIN Newsletter, Issue No 45

 

EDITORIAL

 Josephine Sithole Muganiwa

WIN Board Chairperson

Greetings. We meet again while still celebrating the winners who reflect Zimbabwe’s artistic talents. Congratulations to writers of music, film and theatre scripts as well as the literary works. Let us all keep writing and create a better world. Please take note of the scheduled meetings so that we exchange ideas and encourage each other. The shortened name for Writers International Network Zimbabwe is now simply WIN. Yes, why not win!

As WIN we are so grateful for the visit from the Spanish embassy and the encouragement.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2012 NAMA WINNERS IN THE LITERARY SECTION

Outstanding Fiction Book - Lazaruses and Devases by Wellington Kusema (Heritage Press, UK)

 

Outstanding Children’s Book - Tindo's Quest by Shimmer Chinodya (Longman Zimbabwe)

 

Outstanding First Creative Published Work - The African Tea Cosy  by Violet Masilo  (Zimbabwe Women Writers)

INTERESTED IN WRITING FOR THE FLANEUR?

The Flaneur arts journal - www.flaneur.me.uk, is looking for writers interested in art and culture reviews, interviews and articles in Zimbabwe. The journal brings news and reviews of art and culture from around the world. Writing for the Flaneur is voluntary. Enthusiasm is more important than experience, and the writers will be able to write about whatever art and culture they like, as well as introducing readers to life in Zimbabwe.

Do you know any people who would be interested in writing for The Flaneur? Please let them know.

Thanks,

Jonathan (Editor)

UPDATE ON EPWORTH COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME

By Sindiso Regina Ngwenya Tapureta– Epworth Voluntary Coordinator

On February 01, 2012, WIN and its partner Global Arts Trust (GAT) opened a community office in Epworth to create a meeting place for artists and cater for their needs. The programme will benefit new writing and acting talent at grassroots level so that it can develop and find some outlet that will launch it to recognition in the local arts industry.

Although many people are yet to know that we are now in the area, we believe in patience and talent usually demands patience.

Telling by the conversations with people visiting the office to know more about how WIN works, it is true that the reading interest is in them but it needs to be turned into a pleasurable culture.

It is in this respect that the community office wishes to take advantage of its large space to host an in-house library, in addition to other planned activities. A writer needs to read as widely as s/he can as part of the learning process.

The library will cater not only for the needs of a writer but also encourage the community to read and know their writers as much as they know their musicians.

On February 28, 2012, our Epworth community office was profoundly privileged to have a visit from the Spanish Embassy representatives, Victoria Tur (Deputy Head of Mission) and Marina Garcia Sanchez (Cultural Attaché). Various ideas were shared between the visitors and WIN regarding areas in which collaborations can be held so that the outreach programme can have an impact on the Epworth community. 

If you click the following link you will also read more about our EPWORTH PROGRAM

And from Epworth, we send our thanks to you all for the support. Keep the ink alive!

 

YOU ARE INVITED 

 Harare’s Zimbabwe Writers Association (ZWA) meeting
Date: March 10, 2012

 

As a response to the request of the writers at the first Harare writers meeting of Saturday 3 December 2011 at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, ZWA is inviting you to its second Harare members meeting to be held at the British Council, 16 Cork Road, Belgravia (opposite the South African Embassy) on Saturday March 10, 2012 from 1:00pm to 4:30pm.

This time the discussion topic is ‘How I Create’ and Musician LEONARD KARIKOGA ZHAKATA and Writer DAVID MUNGOSHI will be talking about their experiences as creators. Alongside this will be some readings and discussion on what ZWA has encountered so far and our plans to fully go national. A substantive agenda will be sent to you very soon.

 Those who were not at the first meeting are reminded to bring $10 membership fees. Remember: the major objective of ZWA is to bring together all willing individual writers of Zimbabwe in order to encourage creative writing, reading and publishing in all forms possible, conduct workshops, and provide for literary discussions.

Zimbabwe Writers Association (ZWA) is the newest nationally inclusive writers Organization whose formation started in July 2010 leading to the AGM of June 4, 2011. It was fully registered with the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe in January 2011. Zimbabwean writers have taken the initiative to coordinate themselves to form an organisation to represent them and defend their interests. The birth of ZWA was a culmination of self initiated efforts and activities taken by writers of diverse backgrounds with the vision of developing into a strong and dynamic umbrella organisation for writers in Zimbabwe.

For more information, contact Tinashe Muchuri, ZWA Secretary: 0733 843 455/zimbabwewriters@gmail.com

ZWA BYLINE:"A WHOLE WORLD IN A WORD"

NGATINYOREI

Na

Clever Simbarashe Kavenga

Hande Kuchikoro!

Mumwe musi ndakasangana naDzekure achienda kumarikicho kwaVaTaswerera. Ndakamubvunza kuti asi aive akanganwa kuti musiwo chaive Chishanu, zuva rokuenda kuchikoro. Dzekure akandiseka achiti, “Rungano uri benzi unongoenda kuchikoro asi hapana chaunobura. Hezvi ini ndava kutoenda kubasa usazondinetsa paMuvhuro woda mari yokutenga maputi wanzwa?”

Ndakamubvunza Dzekure kuti, “Unongofunga zvemaputi haudi kudzidza kuti uzoshandawo basa rakanaka?”

“Basa rakanaka ukariona unoriziva iwe? Basa rinoshandwa nevarume vanonzi vana ‘Misita’ unorigona iwe? Ndiwozve vaye vanoshanda vakasunga matai vachigara pamacheya ane mavhiri anotenderera! Unozozvigona here iwe pawakati mhaa ipapo? Rungano unozozvigona iwe? Kutorotawo here uchinzi ‘Misita’ Rungano?” akadaro Dzekure achipukuta tumadzihwa twanga tworembera pamhino pake. Twumadzihwa twaikonzerwa nekutonhorwa kunyangwe zvazvo aive akapfeka chijuzi cheshinda chaive chakarudunuka mudzimwe nzvimbo. Kunzewo kwaipfunhapfunha.

Ndakamboenda kupurazi uko kwaishanda mukoma waTizvirinde wataidaidza nezita rekuti Mukoma Takaruza.    Takaruza! Hanzi namhai anenge mazita emuhondo aya. Musi uyu mukoma Takaruza vainge vakangogarawo zvawo muhofisi asi hamuzirimo umo vanoshandira umu. Aaa ava here vanoshandira panze ava. Vanongodiridza-diridza nokuchekerera uswa nemaruva panze. Izvi vanozvigona nokuti uswa, miti namaruva zvinogara zvakati zvichiyevedza. Vakagadzira twunzira twokufamba natwo. Newewo  ungada kufamba nepahuswa hwakagadzirwa kudaro kuti haunyare? Unganyatsoti twasu twasu kufamba pakanaka kudaro hana isingarove? Unonyeba iwe!

Mukoma Taka vanogona basa asi hameno kuti sei vasingaporomotwe zvinoitwa vamwe? Dai ndiri shefu wake dai ave kutogarawo pacheya inotenderera akasungawo tai achinyora nyorawo. Asi tai haina kumufita mukoma Taka. Asi angaisunga pachihovhorosi chegirini? Handiti ndidzo hembe dzaainadzo mahovhorosi. Pose paanenge ari anenge akangobopa hovhorosi. Hazvina kuti ari kubasa kana kuti kwete mahovhorosi kupera!

Mukoma Taka patakasvika dzakati, dzichirasa badza radzaishandisa pamwe nokubisa magabhutsu mutsoka, “Wapfana huyai muone, majaira kundiona ndiri panze ndichikangwa musana nezuva kana kunaiwa nemvura manje ndave nehofisi yangu.” Pane chiro chimwe chadzakatadza kubvisa muhofisi umu. Paive nechikwangwani chaive chakanyorwa kunzi ‘maneja’ pamwe nezita ramaneja wacho. Ndakanyemwerera pandakazviona. Tizvirinde akanyemwererawo hameno kana aive aziva zvandainyemwerera panguva iyi.

Mukoma Takaruza dzaivhaira nokuti dzaiziva kuti muridzi wehofisi aive asipo. Dzaive zvadzo pamutambarakede, dzichimbopfeka bhachi raive rasiiwa rakaturikwa pacheya uku dziine hovhorosi yadzo. Dzakatanga kunyepera kunyora nyora dzichitsvororidza kamuridzo kekuzviti ndini huzu wacho ndiri pano ndiani anoti bufu? Waiona dzoturika makumbo adzo pamusoro petafra yemuhofisi yaipenya nokuzorwa vhanishi wonzwa dzoti zvadzo mukati menyemwerero, “Eee uu, tokubatsirai neyi pano tisu vakuru vacho!”

Hongu kwaive kwakafurwa nemhepo zvidembo zviri kure! Ungapagare pacheya iyoyo inotenderera iwe une hovhorosi izere madhaka netsine muridzi wehofisi aripo? Hazviite kana neniwo ndinokurambira! Hazvina mhosva kuti ndiwe unopota uchidhasita dhasita muhofisi umu. Hazvina mhosva kuti ndiwe unondigadzirira svutugadzike yandinonwa nguva nenguva. Zvingaite izvozvo? Kudhakwa chete uku hapana chimwe hamuzvione?

Mukoma Taka takazovaudza kuti taive tavavigira hupfu nembatatisi kubva kumaraini vakafara zvikuru. Vakati, “Dai homwe dzangu dzisina kubooka ndaikupai mari vapfanha motengawo zvamunoda. Zvino honai homwe dzakabooka wapfana.” Apa dzaitiratidza mamvemve ehomwe dzebhurukwa raive mukati mehovhorosi. Takazonzwa dzoti pava paye, “Kuti zvisadai dzidzai vapfana. Mukadzidza homwe hadzibvaruki nokuti mari inenge ichigara kubhangi. Mari shoma ndiyo inogara muhomwe nokuti unoitambirira mumaoko. Chionai zvinozoita homwe manje.” Dzakaburitsazve homwe dzakabvaruka.

Apa dzakaseka dzodzoka kubasa radzo chairo. Takanosiya zvihomwe zvedu kuimba yavo yaive kukomboni ndokubva tadzokera zvedu kumaraini pachine nguva.

POETRY

By Justice Chikandamina

Dambudzo The Man

Dambudzo the man
Dambudzo the writer
Dambudzo the poet

so many hats you did wear
now you are lost in flesh
your words remain a flash
to them we hang on with a tear

DM some called you
others say you were a prophet
way ahead of your time
you did cap all with that genius

within the House of Hunger
your restless Mind kept Blasting
but still you fed us all
with raised vowels and syllables

questioning the meaning of this Life…

The month of March this year has seen more being written about the late legendary writer Dambudzo Marechera (1952-1987). We think that the following link MOMENTS IN LITERATURE will lead you to more new reflections on Marechera. 

There will be an event to commemorate Marechera on March 13 at the Zimbabwe-Germany Society, Harare. The event starts at 5pm. See you there!

In our next issue: 
Advice for new writers on how to approach a publisher...what is a query letter?

Feel free to send your poem or whatever you want us to announce on the blog.