WIN Newsletter, Vol 2, Issue No 6

EDITORIAL

Writers Tsitsi Nomsa Ngwenya (left), who read a passage from N Sigogo’s book, and Virginia Phiri (reading a passage from Yvonne Vera's The Stone Virgins) during the 2019 ZIBF Writers Workshop

Welcome to our 6^th issue! There is so much happening in the literary community.

We are being inspired by emerging writers who are braving the current challenges in the publishing sector and are going ahead churning out tales that are thought-provoking. Among other new books recently published, one finds Shona novels such as Oscar Gwiriri’s Hatiponi (Progressive Booksellers & Publishers), Crymio Kutyauripo’s Chinyaride (Dean & Dione Publishing House) and Fanwell Wandayi’s Ndaiti Ndinotewo (Lawnic Publishing House), all dealing with pertinent issues. Shepherd Mutamba, author of a biography Tuku Backstage (first and second editions), has a new a book that fuses two arts, photography and poetry, titled Dobhadobha: A Book Without Margins. Milton Chitsime, an author and social worker who ‘life coaches’ adolescents, also has his 21-paged new offer The Spiritual Side of Sex: A Guide for Christian Youths (Inforwareness Projects). Chitsime seem to be passionate with educating the young about sexuality issues. His previous book Not In Zimbabwe, which will be reviewed by Tendai Chinhoro in our next newsletter, fearlessly tackles the subject of homosexuality.  International Law scholar Christine Nhamo, who last year gave us a stimulating poetry collection called A Handful of Tears, has just published her Pills of Wisdom. Nhamo’s A Handful of Tears is in the same fold with Dobhadobha as it uses poetry and photography to convey ideas and emotions. We also say congratulations to elder Philbert Jumbe for documenting church history and highlighting God-fearing practices in the running of church business.

Surely, writers are not stopping! Reviews of these and other new books will appear in our forthcoming newsletters.

The 2019 ZIBF is now gone but it left us with so much to ponder. Yet soon after the ZIBF, the arts sector lost a loving elder, Stephen Chifunyise, who died this August. We will cherish the knowledge and wisdom he shared with us in the arts and culture world. Rest in peace, Uncle Steve...

PETINA GAPPAH KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Petina Gappah

Award winning Zimbabwean writer and lawyer Petina Gappah will be presenting at the 19^th edition of the International Literature Festival Berlin, Germany, scheduled for September 11-21.

   According to ILB, Gappah will give the keynote speech at the opening of the festival on September 11. The festival will run for eleven days with exciting, comprehensive program and Berlin, the German capital, is expected to “become the centre of literary, scientific and socio-political debate”.

For more about the ILB, please visit: www.literaturfestival.com 

VETERAN AUTHOR ESTABLISHES NDEBELE WRITING CONTEST

 Barbara Nkala

One of Zimbabwe’s senior authors Barbara Nkala has launched a novel writing competition that will greatly promote Ndebele language. Gogo Nkala, an editor, publisher, belongs to the generation of early Zimbabwean writers who wrote in their mother languages. She has proved a dynamic writer by embracing ICT to promote Ndebele writers and spread the Word of God. She now runs a blog named BARBARA C NKALA – nee MAKHALISA MOYO where writers can get more details about the Ndebele writing contest as well as enjoy her weekly newsletter.

DOING THE MOST GOOD OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED

 

Mr. Philbert Jumbe (left) being congratulated by the Salvation Army Territorial Commander, Commissioner Joash Malabi at the launch of his book

Salvation Army elder Philbert Jumbe, who once led the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, officially launched his debut book ‘Doing The Most Good as a Servant of God In the 21^st Century’ on Saturday, July 27. The launch was held at the Salvation Army head office in Harare.

In his speech, guest of honor Joash Malabi described the book as a relevant resource in good governance and accountability practices not only to the Salvation Army but the world at large.

The book, he said, is an encouragement for fellow churchmen and women to write books. He pointed out that in the past most of the Salvation Army publications came from the ‘first world’ and Jumbe’s book, endorsed by General Andre Cox, is truly a trailblazer.

After the author presented a speech, there followed a literary conversation between him and his South Africa-based daughter Jennifer Kudzayi Jumbe.

The launch was graced by fellow Salvationists, guests from other different churches, friends and relatives of the author, including celebrated Mai Rebecca Chisamba and Mr. Lordwell Manyika, a former Literature Bureau editor.

Images From The Launch

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN ZIMBABWE

With

Aleck Kaposa

Imagining Norton Children's Book Festival and Business Expo 2019

Imagine how it will be like on the day of the 2^nd edition of the Norton Children's Book Festival and Business Expo in September this year. Hundreds of learners from different schools arrayed in uniforms of different colors, broods of writers, entrepreneurs and other interested spectators, all gathered as if for a feast, at Katanga Shops open space. Its bright colors all over and in big, bright letters a huge poster that flaps slightly in the wind, it reads: NORTON CHILDREN'S BOOKS FESTIVAL & BUSINESS EXPO 2019.

    Imagine the sudden roar of life and fun. A young girl totters to the open mic in the middle of a huge human sea, the expectant crowd urges her on as she starts to recite a poem. Afterwards there's a thunderous applause and more learners come forward to recite poems, speeches and to read from exciting books.

    Imagine a well-known writer, poet and journalist Tinashe Muchuri bursting into the scene, whistling a song, dancing, then reciting a poem and afterwards talks about the importance of reading books.

    Imagine another writer Simbarashe Kavenga, writer of the acclaimed children's book Mashiripiti eDehwe presenting at the festival, followed by other writers and performers. Then book sales, book launches, children's art activities, more speeches and poems and readings.

    Imagine the wonderful music from South African jazz maestro “Dollar Brand” playing softly in the background of all this excitement.

Imagine all that and much more.

    Imagine how it will happen, imagine being there yourself, being part of the annual, historic, second edition of the children's books festival in Norton.

     On 25 September 2019, you will not need to stretch your mind anymore to imagine how it will be like. It will be happening real time at Katanga. Be there!

BOOK REVIEW

By Beaven Tapureta

Business Expertise and Church Ministry Fused In Book

Salvation Army elder and business expert, Philbert Alexander Jumbe, has produced a multi-dimensional book that will guide the modern Christian ministry in Africa especially in matters of business and how spiritually linked business is to the church’s spiritual refinement.

The book, Doing The Most Good As A Servant of God in the 21^st Century (2019), intensively draws its inspiration from the author’s own experience and the history of his church. On another level, it generously offers business administration knowledge which students will find useful. 

Although the Salvation Army is its axis, the book strategically provides relevant perspectives from which to investigate challenges being faced by the church in Sub-Saharan Africa and recommends special solutions that can claim the church back to its spiritual innocence.

Books like Doing The Most Good echo the same cry made in other books published before, that is, the need for documenting church history to guide future leaders or generations. One such book that comes to mind is Growing and Branching Out (2014, Radiant Publishing Company), compiled by established Zimbabwean writers Barbara C Nkala and Doris Dube, which vividly traces the history, challenges and achievements of the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.

Jumbe’s book opens with a foreword by General Andre Cox, who, born in Zimbabwe, rose to become an international leader of The Salvation Army until he retired in 2018. Having had the opportunity to closely work with the General, the author discovered a principled leader who stressed accountability especially in handling church finances.

Planning is the major motif in the first three parts of the book highlighting titbits of why, how, when and what to plan for within the church, within the private or public sector.

The essence of planning is conveyed through a Bible story which the author uses in one of the sections in the book. “Jesus Christ taught us a parable about two builders: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and yet don’t do what I tell you? Anyone who comes to me and listens to my words and obeys them - I will show you what he is like. He is like a man who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. The river overflowed and hit the house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But anyone who hears my words but does not obey them is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation; when the flood hit that house it fell at once – and what a terrible crash it was.” (Luke 6:46-48). The significance of Jesus’ words is that we ought to plan carefully before embarking upon building projects,” Jumbe writes.

As a church leader and former president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, he displays a sharp mind when he applies the ‘planning’ motif to some realistic universal issues such as HIV/AIDS, climate change, urbanization, globalization, demographic developments and the information and communications technology. And any church (or any country) in this world faced with all the challenges of the 21^st century, has a role to play to make the world a better place.

The author’s humanitarian concern is felt when he writes about the church’s role in caring for the aged, the needy, in remembering the girl children and everyone in unfortunate conditions. His church, as noted in the book, has been involved in various projects in and outside Zimbabwe, such projects as assisting victims of natural disasters, constructing churches and schools in poor, rural communities and helping the girl children.

The success of these initiatives came through careful planning, guided by both business and spiritual sincerity as shown in the book.

How to tackle bigger challenges from the church and business perspective is what the book explains. For example, the author adeptly analyses the nature of climate change which Zimbabwe is facing, the causes and effects (on the economy and other sectors), and how these can be addressed or resolved. The church, according to him, cannot operate in ignorance of this challenge.

“Climate change will exacerbate poverty in Zimbabwe due to food insecurity, malnutrition and disease. The increase in the incidence of malaria due to climate change will also compromise sustainable development. Poverty eradication is one of the prerequisites for achieving sustainable development. Again, poverty reduction is a key component of the millennium development goals. The Salvation Army, as any other Christian organization, needs to be aware of these at all times…. Climate change will pose one of the most serious food security challenges of the 21^st century in the country…” he writes in the third part of the book.

The last part is historical as it profiles some of the men and women who have made the Salvation Army a global Christian force today and in this class of venerated leaders is Nelson Mandela, a political hero whose Ubuntu principle echoed across the world.

Using archival material such as reports and photographs, his personal church experience and observations and his business acumen, Jumbe speaks convincingly to three types of readers likely to benefit from the book – the business administration student, the global community of the Salvation Army and any other Christian leader.

Philbert Alexander Jumbe is a retired Head Usher, Projects Finance Committee Chairperson, and Corps Secretary of the Harare City Corps of The Salvation Army. Until recently he was the Chairperson of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, Zimbabwe Territory. He is the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Bearings and PAJ Holdings group of companies, based in Harare, Zimbabwe. He holds various qualifications in business administration and has been involved in local and international humanitarian missions.

 CINDY READY TO LAUNCH HER DEBUT NOVEL 

In September!

NGATINYOREI

Na

Tinashe Muchuri

“Ngatinyorei Vadikanwi, Tiriyo Kumamana Ikoko, Ngatinyorei Pafoni Dzedu, Tinosvika.”

(Continued from last newsletter)

Zvingava zvinofadza kunzwa Simbarashe Jongwe ari kwake kumunda kwaari kurima mbesa nenguruve kuMvuma uko achisimudzira pakasiirwa naIgnatius Zvarevashe paya paainyora nezvedziva reGonawapotera. Zvingadii chokwadi tikanzwawo nyanduri Abel Mauchi achibata zvizhinji nezvemo maGutu mumusha maVaMakura sekunyorwa kwazvakaitwa naVaHamutyinei zviya muna Chinamanenji Hachifambisi. Kana kunzwa pakasiirwa naSharai Mukonoweshuro zviya zvaaitaura nezvaVaMakandiona muna Akafuratidzwa Moyo? Kana kutevera umwe wevedzinza rake Nobert Mafumhe Mutasa kutevera zvenhoroondo dzamadzitateguru zviya munyaya dzakaita saana Mapatya, Hondo Huru, Misodzi Dzikita neRopa?

    Pandabata zvekwaGutu ndabva ndafunga munyori anonzi Obert Makumbinde uyo andakaziva musi wandaindoshanyira nzvimbo dziri munyaya, nduri nenyayanyorwa dzaTrust Mutekwa uyo anozivikanwa zvakanyanya sokuti Ticha Muzavazi. Mukufamba tichitsvaka michovha yekundotisvitsa kumana rake rekwaZifunzi takakwira motokari yemukoma wake aive mukuru wechikoro cheMakonde Primary School. Mukukurukurirana Mutekwa akabva avhunza Obert kuti aive odzidzisa kupi sevanhu vakambodzidzisa vese kudunhu reGokwe uye vachigoverana zvinyorwa. Nduri dzaMutekwa dzikazobuda muna Jakwara reNhetembo, Mudengu Munei, uye muna Shoko Harivhikwi. Iye zvino novhero yake Yokwira Mutarara yakatotsikiswawo zvekare. Makumbinde haasati atsikisirwa zvinyorwa zvake. Akasara seiko? Iye anoti akaora moyo mushure mekunge vamwe vaiti vanoziva nezvekutsikiswa kwemabhuku vatora basa rake zvikashaya shumo yazvo uye haachazivi nekwazvakazogumira nechinyorwa chacho aiti haachazivi pachiri asi kumusha kwaGutu uko anozivikanwa semushamarari wepamagungano anogonesesa uye azere nenyambo nemashoko azere mazano anovaka. Handiye ega. Kune vazhinji vanonyora vari kumamana vane pfumvu yakadai.

    Musi wa22 Chivabvu, mutapi wenhau webepanhau reNewsday achishandira ari kumamana edunhu reMashonaland East, Jairos Saunyama akanditumira mashoko paWhatsApp achindiudza kuti mumwedzi waKubvumbi ainge atenderera achipinda mumaungano akawanda ekupemberera zuva rekuwana kuzvitonga muZimbabwe uye akaona vananyanduri vane zvipo zvinoshamisa avo vekuti vakawaniswa mikana yekutsikisirwa zvinyorwa zvavo, uvaranomwe hwenyika ino hungapfuma zvikuru. Akandivhunzawo kuti zvingaitwa sei kuti zvipo zviri kumaruwa izvi zviwane mukana wekutsikisirwa zvinyorwa zvazvo kana kuti zvoitwa sei kuti vatsikisi vaonewo kuti zvinyorwa zvinoshamisa zvakadai zvione zuva.

    Zvakandisvitsa kusakiso yakaita kuti muunganidzwa wenduri weTipeiwo Dariro uzovepo. Iri raiva boka revanyori vechidiki vaishaya mukana wekuti zvinyorwa zvavo zvibuditswe vakaona zvakakodzera kuti vachemere mukana unova wavakazopiwa nekambani inotsikisa zvinyorwa zvakasiyana-siyana yeCollege Press.

    Ndakafungawo masangano evanyori aneta zvino agara pasi kuti zete pasina kana kusimuka akaita seBudding Writers Association of Zimbabwe uye Zimbabwe Women Writers ayo aienda kumamana achindovandudza zvipo zvavanyori vese uye kuvanongedzera mikana zvaiita kuti vanyori vazhinji zvisinei nekuti unobvepi vawane mikana wekuti zvinyorwa zvavo zvitsikiswe. Zvinonditondedza mumwe mudzidzisi aibva kudunhu reMudzi ainzi Cosmas Mirosi uyo ane zvinyorwa zvake zvatandira nepasi rino uye akawana mukana wekubuda mune rimwe CD renduri rakaitwa neBWAZ richidaidzwa kuti Budding Echoes umo iye nevana vaaidzidzisa vakawana mukana wekundura nduri dzavo zvokuti pasi riwane kutandara nadzo.

    Kuda Machingura kwaMarange uko anotodawo kuti nyaya dzake dzione chiedza chezuva ariko ikoko. Ava vanyori vakasiyana-siyana vanomirira mazana evamwe vane zvipo mumamana asi vasina buri rekubuda naro kuti zvinyorwa zvavo zviwane kushandiswa nevaverengi. Kwayedza yakambopa vanhu mukana apo yaiita kuti vaduku vari muzvikoro vawane mukana wekudetemba apo vamwe havo vaitambisa mukana uyu sekuti vaibva vakoponora nduri dzakatsikiswa kare vodzipiringisha-piringisha vachidzitumira kuKwayedza. Asi zvakadero kune vamwe vanyori vakasimudzwa nemukana weKwayedza iwoyu nhasi uno vari mundima yekunyora iyi saShingi Manyengavana uyo akatombodomwa kuti awaniswe ruremekedzo rweOutstanding poet muchikamu cheNAMA Spoken Word. Iyo Kwayedza zvekare yaimbopa vanyori mukana wekunyora nyaya pfupi uye kunyora ngano chaidzo izvo zvakaita kuti iniwo ndiwane kukwenenzvera hunyoro hwangu ndichishandisa zvikamu izvozvi.

    Matambudziko aiwanikwa aya kare achitishaisa mikana yekutsikiswa iye zvino anofanira kupera. WhatsApp idariro rakanaka rekuti vanhu vapote vachikanda fungwa dzavo. Usatya kubirwa fungwa. Fungwa kana ichiri mumusoro mako haisi yako, inogona kunge iri mumisoro mizhinji. Pfungwa kana waikanda pajekerere ikaonekwa haichabiki nekuti une umbowo hwekupupura uridzi uye yatoreva mutupo wako. Peji yepaFesibhuku ndeimwe nzira inoita kuti iwe munyori uonekwe kunze uko upenye, ugosimudzirwa nevamwe vatsikisi vanenge vachiita miunganidzwa yenduri, kana nyaya pfupi kana ngano kana vanenge vachida manovhero. Kupota uchikanda ndiko kuti uzivikanwe mhando yemanyorere ako zvinoita kuti kana kwaita mukana unodaidzwawo mudariro kuti utsikewo pako panopwipwitika huruva risakuzora usina chawaita asi ufare uchiriona richikwira mudenga uchiti neniwo ndazviita. Dandemutande rizere nemikana mizhinji chose nekuti iwo uno mukana wandatowaniswawo pano wekuti neniwo ndiburitse zvinyorwa pamusoro pevanyori, varavi nezvinyorwa zvavo. Saka musacheme neyekushaya mukana nekuti uno utori mukana mukuru unoita kuti nerimwe zuva tese tigozotaura tichiti takadarika nepagwarodandetande reWINZIM rikatiita kuti tive vanyori vanozivikanwa pasi rese. Tudikidiki muunganidzwa wenyaya pfupi wakanyorwa naMemory Chirere wakabva mutunyaya twaainyora tuchitsikiswa muchikamu cheKwayedza chaidaidzwa kuti TAMBA MWANA TAMBA.  Somewhere in This Country rakabudawo zvakare munyaya pfupi dzaiye Memory Chirere dzaibuda mumapepanhau nemagwaronhau akasiyana-siyana. Kudai akafunga nyaya yekuti angabirwa kudai nhasi uno tisina kana chinyorwa chake chimwe. Live Like An Artist raDavid Mungoshi rakatangirawo zvakare pagwarodandetande renduri dzeChiRumbi. Ngatinyorei vadikanwi, tiriyo kumamana ikoko, ngatinyorei pafoni dzedu, tinosvika. Hakuna chinotimisa. Varavi vakamirira kurava zvinyorwa zvedu.

Muve nenguva yakanaka dzamara tasangana muchikamu chinotevera.

THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE

With

 

Mimi Machakaire

Perfectionism: A Writer’s Biggest Challenge

At times, we all wonder what method each writer uses to perfect his or her craft and the age-old question is: What does it take to become the perfect writer? Does it take natural talent, age, experience or knowledge, to write a great story? However, I think that the answer to that is, “There is no right answer.”

Each writer’s skill set is different. One may stare at a blank page for hours and no inspiration will come to mind until they find it within themselves to write the perfect story. Others may learn from writer’s workshops or years of schooling from various intuitions to try to understand where the art that is literature comes from. On the other hand, some may learn from simply talking to their peers who are already experienced writers. The fact is that students of the craft all have one thing in common, and that is, the struggle for perfectionism.

One of the biggest challenges most writers have faced in the past, and still face today, is that desire to always do better - the feeling that while what you write may be good, there must be some way to make it better. Yet there is the self-doubt that usually creeps in over time.

But I say, stop feeling sorry for yourself. You may think that your problems are special, unique, or impossible for anyone else to understand but you know what, as writers we are all struggling with the same basic problems. You are not the only one who does not know what kind of writer one wants to become. You are not the only one who spends hours tinkering with sentences – and even still hates them by the end. So to all the writers out there, I have this too say to you: Do not be afraid and just write! 

Almost every writer, including the successful ones, faces problems like procrastination, perfectionism, and self-doubt at one time or another. Remember you are not alone in this world and if it scares you, it only means you want to be that unique writer much more than you realize.

So write with your gut, your fear, your knowledge, age, experience and talent, all at once and your story will come out better than you could have ever imagined it could be.

“Every writer’s challenge is to figure out exactly what it is that they have to say specifically what only they can say,” said Ryan Holiday, American author.

MEMORIES OF 2019 ZIBF STILL FRESH

High school students enjoy a conversation with a book exhibitor

While exhibitors at the ZIBF were generally few this year, the book fair had its own bright spots which will linger in the minds of those who attended.

No doubt the Indaba Conference paved the way for serious debate on how to restore the former vibrancy of the Zimbabwean (and therefore African) book sector.

School children, teachers, and various stakeholders savored various events, including the Live Literature where WIN participated with its short ‘WIN HOUR’ program of poetry and readings. The Children’s Reading Tent was packed most of the time with school children. The librarians’ workshop was also another platform for critical discussion of the way forward for the library sector in Zimbabwe and the writers’ workshop, designed to celebrate the departed heroes of our literature through readings of their popular works, remains a memorable event. Four writers, Virginia Phiri, Tsitsi Nomsa Ngwenya, Patrick Mhizha and Felix Mutasa, read their favourite passages from works by departed writers Yvonne Vera, N Sigogo, Charles Mungoshi and Norbert Mutasa and discussed why they liked the passage respectively.

Below are some images from the Book Fair

Batsirai Chigama reading from her NAMA award winning poetry collection

A young poet performs at the Live Literature Centre

Francis Matambirofa (left) held an interview with Dr Eventhough Ndlovu (centre) and Vuso Mhlanga on the sub-topic Major Challenges and Opportunities in Zimbabwean Literary Output Since 1980

Aaron Chiundura Moyo was one of senior writers who attended the writers’ workshop

Felix Mutasa, a vehement speaker, talked about his father Nobert Mutasa’s creative process

NEW BLOGS YOU REALLY NEED TO FOLLOW

The number of WIN favourite blogs is gradually increasing and below are links to some which we have discovered.

Olivia Christian Paasche (pictured left), author of the life-changing novel The Next of Kin, now shares her thoughts and few things about her book on her new blog:

https://oliviacpaasche.blogspot.com/

AND

The Harare City Library is also reaching out to many readers via its new blog:

hararecitylibrary.blogspot.com

THANK YOU!

Congratulations Tsitsi Dangarembga!

Tsitsi Dangarembga

Tsitsi Dangarembga, a feminist and one of the greatest writers from Zimbabwe has been shortlisted for the St. Francis College Literary Prize. The price is a biennial literary award inaugurated in 2009.

Click Here

Meanwhile, the WIN Newsletter for August is coming soon with more literary news, book reviews, poetry, memories of the 2019 ZIBF, and much more!

Go Well, Uncle Steve

Uncle Steve ( standing, third from left) with some members of WIN and another arts guru Pathisa Nyati at a ZIBF Writers Workshop few years ago

STEPHEN JOEL CHIFUNYISE

"The lion of Gutu, Stephen Joel Chifunyise, Shumba Sipambi is no more. At around 18:30 hrs on Monday 5 August 2019, Stephen peacefully succumbed after a brave battle with cancer at his home, surrounded by his family. Seemingly like a great choreography, Stephen “decided to rest.” He was 70 at the time of his death."

"An educationist, an arts administrator, an actor, dancer, cultural and policy expert, playwright, sports man, father, grandfather, friend and mentor to many."

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE, UNCLE STEVE, WE WILL ALWAYS CHERISH YOUR LEGACY 

OF CHANGING FIRESIDES, THE LIBRARY AS HOSPITAL, GOVERNMENT AS PARTNER

Winzim Online

Delegates at the Indaba conference 

The aura and ideas presented at the Indaba were so overwhelming such that one could not absorb it all in one go. Like a process, so the tale unfolded, of diverging and converging experiences, at the same time the tale becoming clearer and clearer in adherence to the main theme.

   The afternoon session on the first day was a second part of the debate under the sub-theme “Creating Synergies in The Book Industry”, and had writer, Shona editor and award-winning journalist Tinashe Muchuri making his first-time Indaba presentation, senior librarian McDonald Nhakura and Sir Buma Kor, publisher and editor from Cameroon.

Muchuri’s paper was a study of the “Innovation in Storytelling and The Future of Shona Folklore in Zimbabwe” as found in selected works of Ignatius T Mabasa, a well-known writer, poet and storyteller.

  

At a certain writers’ workshop last year where Mabasa’s children stories were being debated, Muchuri said he felt inspired especially by the questioning which was accorded two of Mabasa’s innovative folktales titled Radio YaTsuro and Chipo NeChipopai.

   He said there was fear at the workshop that Mabasa was disrupting the indigenous knowledge systems by, for example, creating animal characters that are set in the city, animal characters that are users of modern technology, when animals in Africa are important totemic symbols.

   Muchuri, after presenting his paper, would face the same question from Dr. Cheela Chilala that if in African totemic systems these animals are very important, couldn’t there be a limit.

Throughout, Muchuri emphasized his idea of ‘the changing firesides’, implying innovation in storytelling, and his belief that those who misunderstood this innovation would actually be going against the dictates of their own indigenous knowledge systems, thus self-defeating. As he showed it in his paper, there are Shona proverbs which encourage innovation and in his analysis of Mabasa two texts, one could detect even the portrayal of a battle between the culturally conservative and the culturally innovative ones.

   In Radio YaTsuro, Muchuri said Mabasa creates two camps in the forest arguing if the radio brought by Tsuro (hare) is acceptable. Not only do Mabasa imbed the indigenous knowledge values in his stories but, by doing so, also enriches folklore in these modern times.

And with this analysis, Muchuri said Mabasa cannot be labeled a rebel in storytelling but a loyal servant to indigenous knowledge systems.

   “The critics have no idea about the stock of our indigenous knowledge systems in terms of ideas of innovation which Mabasa is upholding in his stories… Mabasa has managed to embrace the changing firesides which are relevant in storytelling sustainability,” said Muchuri.

   And the traditional fireside, he added, has been replaced by the modern firesides such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

   McDonald Nhakura, an expert librarian, had the Indaba delegates cracking their heads over how practical it could be that the sickness, the stress, the depression, which people experience, does not need them to spend lots of money to get healed, that only paying a little subscription to the local library or visiting a bookshop is the way to a healing.

   Bibliotherapy, Nhakura said, is a healing mechanism that needs not much money.  He explained it as a systematic use of books to help people cope with mental, physical, and emotional ailments.

   His presentation was titled “Bibliotherapy Books for National Development” and some found it a new concept and yet, according to Nhakura, Bibliotherapy has been in existent since the earliest days of the book.

   “The fact that it is not being professionally implemented here doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” he said.

   Spiritual, mystical a concept it sounded! Do books have the power to induce, for example, healing of a physical pain? In churches, Nhakura said Biblical Bibliotherapy happens often as people are healed through the Bible.

   But the Bible is not an ordinary book. It was left for delegates to weigh Nhakura’s ideas and there was open skepticism as seen during discussion and others found it worthwhile to proffer an accommodating gesture and suggested a further practical study that will look at the negative impact of Bibliotherapy.Perhaps a few understood how this concept is related to national development.

   The last presenter on the first Indaba day was Sir Buma Kor, a publisher, editor, and writer from Cameroon who talked about ‘how African governments can be made to be bona fide partners in promoting and sustaining publishing and book development activities in the African continent for the rest of this millennium’. 

   His paper put weight behind the Keynote Speech by Stanley Nyamfukudza as it echoed the same call for a partnership between government and the book industry just as it was in the past.

   Sir Buma Kor spoke about the revival of the national book development councils in some African countries.

   In Zimbabwe, the acronym ZBDC ((Zimbabwe Book Development Council) invokes memories of names such as Miriam Bamhare, Ben Hanson, Margo Beddingfield and others who contributed so much to the book industry.

   Sir Buma said what caused the death of many of these national book councils was the withdrawal of the UN initiative that used to sponsor it. Ever since, the book development in Africa has been “retarded”. Perhaps except in South Africa is the national book development council active as alluded to by a South African delegate during discussions.

     “This abandoned milestone must really come back so that we can be able to take off and do the right things which are supposed to be done,” he added.

However, be that as it may, Sir Buma saw hope in the establishment of a new partner that took place at a conference in Nairobi where international book publishers associations met their African counterparts and came up with the AU Framework for Book Development in Africa.

   The revival of these councils through ministerial lobbying to have the book development agenda back in the UNESCO agenda would help solve problems the African book sector is currently facing.

   “Involve the government in the development of policy, which policy would be promoted by national book development councils, and these councils must be autonomous, independent both administratively and financially,” he said.

   He also urged writers to be organized through their associations so that they speak with one voice and to invest in research of the book sector.

More coming about the last day of the Indaba and other activities such as the Children Tent, Live Literature and Writers Workshop.

 Thank you. Tinotenda. Siyabonga.