Writers International Network Zimbabwe: WIN Newsletter, Issue No 77

EDITORIAL

Done: WIN-Zimbabwe Founder & Director Beaven Tapureta poses with his certificate after completing the arts management ''Train the Trainer'' course last week at Pakare Paye, Norton. He is flanked on his right by European Union ambassador Aldo Del l’Ariccia and on his left, the Culture Fund Board Chairperson Mrs. M. Mukonoweshuro. (Photo courtesy of AFAI & Mthabisi Phili)

It’s not what one achieves but what one overcomes that makes a person earn respect, said Zimbabwean music legend Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi when he addressed a group of artists who had come for a “Train the Trainer” workshop at his arts centre Pakare Paye in Norton. We are not going to get into detail about what he later said but lets meditate on the wisdom of the words quoted. We have come to associate Tuku’s music with wisdom and no doubt the man is blessed with it.

While at WIN we acknowledge there are ups and downs, we are always guided by the spirit to overcome. In writing, as in life, no one opts to lose but to win. We hope that our writers will take this time to write and read as much as they can.

We are aware of the anxiety, the hunger of our members. Nothing matters now but to overcome whatever hurdles come our way, for only that defines who we are - WIN. Please enjoy.

LOCAL CULTURAL LEADERS UNDERGO TRAINING

Role-playing: From left - Mgcini Nyoni, Tapfuma Gutsa, Tafanana Chirimukora, Enock Kolimbo and Chris Timbe

The intensive five-day arts management training course held at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, Norton, will remain an unforgettable learning experience for a group of local arts managers who were drawn from different arts and culture sub-sectors.

The customized workshop, running from May 5 to 9, was co-facilitated by African Arts Institute’s Business Development Manager Belisa Rodgrigues and Project Coordinator Ayanda Mpono, both from South Africa.

The first day, which was devoted to understanding the local context of cultural leadership, started on an ‘autumn’ note as most artists had come directly from the hectic Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) where they had been participating.

When the mood gained momentum, the workshop turned out to be a valuable learning experience as learning partners were taken through a series of activities in arts management.

Practical topics that were mainly dwelt upon include cultural leadership, learning approaches, ICT, fundraising strategies, and various other issues related to facilitation skills.

Apart from the intensive programme, the arts managers also had a chance to meet the founder of Pakare Paye Arts Centre, multi-award winning musical icon Oliver Mtukudzi who talked about the centre’s history and vision before he played his newest song to the group.

Mtukudzi had words of wisdom for the group and expressed his joy at hosting the workshop. He said he founded the centre with his wife to rescue new artistic talent.

Albert Chimedza, who is the Director of Gonamombe Mbira Centre, was also invited to speak to the group on the second day of the workshop. Chimedza noted the sad environment in which artists operate and said there is need for an entrepreneurial spirit in the arts sector. He also spoke about the newly created Zimbabwe Chamber of Creative Arts Industries which he chairs.

The Chamber was formed last year in October at the annual arts Indaba in Harare to lobby and serve business interests of local artists and whisk them from dependency on donor-funding, said Chimedza.

The moment of festivity came on the evening of last day when workshop participants were presented with certificates by the European Union ambassador Aldo Del l’Ariccia and Culture Fund Board Chairperson Mrs. M. Mukonoweshuro.

As participants comprehended the workshop not as an event but a process that will build up to some tangible results, a meeting was called for after the workshop to draft the way forward for the group. Thoughts shared include partnering and conducting regular meetings in the future.

The workshop in pictures

(All photos courtesy of AFAI & Mthabisi Phili)

Chipo Bhasopo presenting

Part of the ICT session included how best arts managers and organisations can develop online strategies to enhance their work

Dudu Manhenga stressing a point while Tariro NeGitare attentively listens

Belisa Rodrigues, co facilitator

The inspirational evening when the arts managers met with superstar Oliver Mtukudzi

Sense of humor was readily available medicine

Ayanda Mpono, co-facilitator, explaining a point

Tuku sharing a moment with Ignatius Mabasa, Uncle Chris Timbe and Mgcini Nyoni

The following are the arts managers who went through the training: Tafanana Chirikumora, Tariro neGitare, Ignatius Mabasa, William Ndinde, Christopher Timbe, Beaven Tapureta, Chipo Basopo, Nocks Chatiza, Mthabisi Phili, Enock Kolimbo, Tapfuma Gutsa, Chido Musasiwa Gutu, Dudu Manhenga and Mgcini Nyoni.

KASIBALENI

Ndebele report on the Chinua Achebe Symposium

By Nomsa Ngwenya

Ngenyanga kaLwezi mhla ziku 20 - 21 nyakenye ngo2013 kwenzakala ukuba ngangihambele kweleMzansi Africa lapho engahlana lomkhosi owawuhlatshelwe abalobi lezikhwicamfundo zeAfrica yonke jikelele, lalabo abathanda ukuba sikhumbule umsebenzi lengqobe esayitshiyelwa ngumlobi wakuqala weAfrica uChinua Achebe. Loba nje kusazakala ukuba abalobi ababhubhi, sasikhumbula ukuba umzimba wakhe sowaphumula kodwa ingqondo kanye lembono yakhe silokhe silayo, siyicubungula, siyihlolisisa size sifundise ngayo ingane ezikolweni lasemaUnivesi umhlaba wonke ngobubanzi bawo. Lumkhosi wokucabangisisa wawenzelwe eUYunivesi yasePitoli eOld College House yabo.

Owethula ibandla ngenkulumo Ngusikhwicamfundo (Professor Mbulelo Mzamane, abanengi bamazi njengomlobi wogwalo u"Children of Soweto" lamanye. Yena wayemele iMzansi Africa lapho adabuka khona. Wakhala ngokutshiywa kwethu ngumbhali uChinua Achebe onguye owasungula ukuba abamnyama bathenjwe ekubhaleni ingwalo ngogwalo lwakhe lwakuqala u"Things Fall Apart". Lolo lugwalo lwakuqala iAfrica yonke jikelele olwabhalwa ngumuntu onsundu, Umlobi uChinua Achebe wazalwa mhla ziku 16 November 1930 wasitshiya kulumhlaba mhla ziku21 March 2013. Usikhwicamfundo UMzamane watsho njalo elinganisa ukuloba kuka sikhwicamfundo uZakes Mda ebhala ngokuncindezelwa kwabantu abamnyama ngabamhlophe kwezombuso, elinganisa amandla akhona ekubhaleni lapha. Watsho njalo usikhwicamfundo Mzamane ukuba ukubhubha komlobi kumele kubonakale njengokubhubha kwelibrary indlu yamabhuku, wabuza umbuzo ongadingi mpendulo ukuba uAchebe uyini kumaAfrica, sifundeni kuye lezingwalweni zakhe, kuyini esingakuthatha njalo sikusebenzise empilweni zethu njengelizwe lamaAfrica.

Owalandela ngempendulo yombono wakhe ngumlobi njalo eyisikhwicamfundo esidabuka eIvory Coast, uVeronica Tadjo.watsho umama waseAfrica yaphezulu ukuba uAchebe usitshiyele inkuthazo, watsho njalo ukuba balutshwana abantu abadlula esikolweni bangazange bafunde ugwalo lwakuqala olukhuluma ngempilo yabamnyama ngelizwi labantu abamnyama, u"Things Fall Apart". Lokho liqiniso elavunywa ngabanengi. Wasikhuthaza ukuba izenzakalo azigcinwe eziphaleni ngepenseli ukuze singasaleli emuva sibe sisolwa ngamanye amazwe. wasikhumbuza njalo ukuba ukuloba kugcina izehlakalo ngendlela enhle engatshintshiyo njalo abantu bayafa babhubhe bangcwatshwe lolwazi abaluphetheyo. UAchebe wasifundisa ukuhlakanipha lokhu. Abalandela ngenkulumo yizikhwicamfundo uHarry garuba odabuka kwele Nigeria, Dina Ligaga odabuka kwelaseKenya lo Senayon Olaoluwa waseNigeria njalo.

Owakithi usikhwicamfundo Maurice Vambe owakhuluma kakhulu ngembono kaAchebe njengelihlo elabona impi yaseBiafra kweleNigeria eyenzakala kudala emva kokutholwa kukazibuse elizweni laseNigeria. Wakhuluma ngokuzwisisekayo ngayo impi le langokubhalwa lokuchazwa kwayo ngumlobi uChinua Achebe ezingwalweni zakhe ngokuyibona kwakhe. UMaurice Vambe wakhuluma njalo ngoChinua Achebe esithi wayelilizwi balabo abahlukumezekayo kanye labafayo kuleyompi. walandisa ngobubi bempi, kungaba yiCivil War, Genocide noma impi yokulwisana kwamazwe wathi konke yizimpi eziletha ubuhlungu lokuhlukumezeka ebantwini.

Wathi njalo usikhwicamfundo uMaurice Vambe, loba nje abalobi beloba becatshile ngokuthi babhala indaba abazibumbele zona ngokujula kwemicabango yabo, makube lezehlakalo eziliqiniso kizo. Kumele izindaba zabo ziphefumule iqiniso, ziphile. Wathi njengabalobi singakwazi njani ukuchaza lokhu esikubonayo sikukhuphule kube yindatshana singesabi, labo abafuna ukusiphikisa lokusilwisa. Wagcizelela ngomzekeliso wokuthi asike sithi izilwane zazilethuba lokubhala indaba, zazingeke yini zibhale ziziqhenya ngokubulala lokudla ezinye inyamazana angathi yinto enhle? Yebo kuyinto enhle kizo, kodwa kulabo abadliwayo ke?

Inkulumo eyalandelayo yayiphethe umsebenzi womlobi lesikhwicamfundo seAfrica uChinua Achebe ekutshengiseni kwakhe amadoda ezindabeni zakhe. leyi yona yayiphethwe yizikhwicamfundo uGrace Musila welaseKenya, Pumla Gqola welaseMzansi Africa, Uni Dyer labanye. Kwakhulunywa ngezinto ezitshiyeneyo kuhlanganela ukucubungulisisa umcabango lokujula kwengqondo zomlobi uChinua Achebe. Okunye okwakuqakathekile ngumbono kaAchebe kumisebenzi yakhe emumethe imbali yaseAfrica, ufanisa lale ayiloba ngemva kokuthola uzibuse eNigeria. Lolohlelo lwakhokhelwa yizikwicamfundo uJames Ogude waseKenya, Nape Motana,bencediswa nguBheki Peterson, uRonit Frenkel loSelayon Olaoluwa wangakibo ka Achebe eNigeria. Kwalandiswa kwaze kwathi emva kwalokho uInnocent Ebere Uwah waseUniversity of Port Harcourt khona eNigeria watshengisa umfanekiso oyindaba yogwalo u"Things Fall Apart". Emva kwalokho uGrace Musila wabonisa i interview kaChinua Achebe eyasakazwa kumabonakude eyabizwa ngokuthi, "We got African Writers Talking". Ababekhona njalo kulowo mbuthano yisikhwicamfundo esingumlobi UKeorapetse Kgositsile waseMzansi Africa, uSusan KIguli wase Makerere University eUganda, abalobi uNiq Mhlongo loNthikeng Mohlele bonke baseMzansi Africa.

THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE

With

Mimi Machakaire

Undiscovered talents

In my last article I revealed a young writer who approached me on Facebook expressing his views and difficulty on putting his work out there and being noticed by the public.

Luckily he would like me to mention him by name….he is known as Masimba Batirai and lately I have been reading a sample of the novel that he has been working on entitled “Peter Norpic and the Unstoppables”.

After communicating with him for the past 2 months he stated that because of the disappointing comments he’d received from people who had not even considered reading his book; at some point he’d lost motivation and eventually a number of months had gone by without him even continuing with his novel. I found this to be extremely depressing because the worst thing a writer can ever do is give up on his/her talent. You have to work for what you want and God always gives you what you worked for.

I know how I feel when I have finished writing a specific piece. It is small-mindedness and fear when another author/writer restrict himself or herself to a certain genre only because it is seen as something that is more appealing and he/she actually is influenced to change what he/she has written. If one restricts him/herself, he/she can only be considered as someone who has a closed mind and afraid to experiment. Life is about trial and failure, if at first you don’t succeed try again.

After a long talk to encourage my Facebook writing friend to finish what he started he agreed and I can happily say that he has gone back to work. I have seen and heard so many adults always wondering and complaining, asking themselves why there are not enough writers in Zimbabwe and this is the reason. Too many youngsters are not given the chance to really express themselves the way they want to but are only told to play it “safe.” You cannot restrict someone and give him or her limits because that crazy idea could have one day become something popular.

I would like to articulate the summary of his book. This novel is about a normal 12 year old boy, living with his troublesome top genius little sister Chloe, his dog Yoyo and the rest of his unruly family. The only thing that’s not normal about him is that he frequently experiences some rather abnormal dreams that seem to only occur on Thursdays and Fridays. After some time he goes on a whirlwind of adventures with a group of strange but worthy friends otherwise known as the Unstoppables!

So far from what I have read, the author really is talented. With just the proper amount of guidance he has the potential to be better than he is today. His work is from a first person point of view, where the character talks about his life on a day to day basis; touching on topics such as social issues and family relations. However if such talent is ignored then we are truly missing out. We cannot keep expecting to see the same genre being presented within the older generation as nowadays these genres are continuously evolving. The only reason why they are evolving is because young minds are slowly taking over and some adults may not realize this but they are actually being highly influenced by what the younger generation is interested in as of late. Vampires for instance are not only burning in sunlight like how they used to when we were growing up but some authors have changed their characters and have made them glisten instead. In the past witches and wizards used to be only considered as evil spirits or beings but now in some stories they are a healthy mixture of good and bad. Animals used to just bark as dogs, meow as cats and whine as pigs but now they are being personified as humans and last but not least angels and demons have been included in many different scenarios whereas before they were only spoken of in the Bible. We have to look and watch out for a lot of these changes that are going on every single day and realize that the world of literature is limitless, it is abundant and our mind can stretch to places that we may not even realize at this point in time.

Who knows how many more young and undiscovered talents there are out there in the world, but we will never know if barely anyone is being given the opportunity to really shine. I on the other hand will forever try my best to make it a point to at least mention one or two people who I think have the potential to be great but the question is will you be brave enough to do the same?

(You can read Mimi's poetry on her blog)

POETRY

Wangu Muromo