EDITORIAL
Congratulations! Author Elias Machemedze greeting President Mnangagwa at the recent official launch of his book Herbert Chitepo: The Life and Legacy of Zimbabwe’s First Black Advocate and Patriotic Fighter, a biography, in Harare.
WELCOME! WELCOME! We hope you are all good and safe. We bring you yet another informative, educative newsletter, the best we can offer from our office! Thankful always to you all for the support, indeed you are our stars. Scroll down to read for yourself the news, poetry, reviews, and our exciting regular columns. Be blessed.
IBBY LAUNCHES CHILDREN’S STORIES CDs
By Beaven Tapureta - Winzim Online
Not-for-sale children’s stories CDs which were launched on April 30 at the Harare City Library by the Zimbabwe section of International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) will add momentum to the fight to win children back to the pleasures of learning through listening to stories.
The
IBBY CDs launch was in solidarity with this year’s worldwide celebration of
International Children’s Book Day held annually to ‘inspire a love of reading and
to call attention to children's books’. The 2021 celebration ran under the
theme ‘The Music of Words’.
During the official hand-over
of the CDs to the library, project manager Mr Greenfield K Chilongo said gone
are the days when we used to have grandmothers telling stories to children.
With the coming of new technology, the traditional storyteller has been
replaced by the television, radio, phones and the social media. He said this
flood of information challenges us to instil in the children the spirit of
critical or evaluative reading and the CDs are crucial in that respect. He said
the stories are taken from various sources.
With
the supportive presence of authors such as Dr Samuel Makore, Memory Chirere,
Tinashe Muchuri, Edwin Msipa, illustrator Hennings Masikati, poet and broadcaster
Khumbulani Muleya, librarians, teachers and parents, the children from a few
invited schools owned the day with exciting storytelling and poetry
performances.
Jordan
Matamisa (15) and Nicholas Russell (10) of Borrowdale Brooke Academy displayed
amazing talent as they did their pieces titled ‘Minutes of Glory’ and ‘Your
Best’ respectively. The lesson that one should just be what God made us was
reflected in Jordan’s story about a girl named Beatrice who thought that she
would win admiration if she changed her natural appearance. It was an expensive
dream; she decided to steal money to get the materials needed to transform
herself. Unfortunately, she is disappointed because after the transformation she
gets the opposite of admiration!
Zoe
Matikiti (12) who is also the Head Girl at St Marcellin School recited ‘I am A
Folk Tale’ while Chloc Chapuredima from the same school put up a good show with
a short poem. Munerudo Mazarura (9) who is in Grade 5 at Nettleton Primary
School also highlighted the importance of folk tales in her poem ‘Folk Tales’.
Organizations
like the ZIBF, Youth Initiative Zimbabwe, Writers International Network
Zimbabwe and Jairos Jiri were also represented while Heart & Soul
Broadcasting Services was the event media partner.
The CDs
come in three volumes with different stories told in English and Shona
languages by writer Virginia Phiri aka
Gogo Vee, Dr Josephine Muganiwa, Greenfield and Joylene Chilongo. Each story
has a moral or some lessons which children are expected to critically figure
out through the questions that come afterwards. Among the children’s stories
there are factual and informative presentations. For instance, Greenfield Chilongo
tells the story of Jairos Jiri, a well-known Zimbabwean philanthropist, and
provides guidelines for interacting with other children living with
disabilities. He also gives an exercise in effective communication which is
helpful to students in debating clubs. Some stories told by Dr Muganiwa are in
English and others are in Ndau language spoken in Chimanimani and Chipinge
districts of Manicaland, thus bringing diversity to the whole project.
Before
she presented her official International Children’s Book Day message, Virginia
Phiri, Chairperson of IBBY Zimbabwe Section, asked guests to observe a minute
of silence in memory of children who died of COVID-19 the world over.
She
said the low attendance of school children at this year’s commemoration was
actually because of the need to also protect the children as called for by the
COVID-19 regulations.
Gogo
Vee said the Children’s Stories CDs came about as a response to the pandemic
which has made it difficult to tell stories in person.
“As a
result of COVID-19, it became necessary to find a safer way to get stories to
children since it was no longer practical to tell stories in person,” she said.
In his
keynote address Harare City Library Board chairperson, Dr Joe Muzurura, gave a
brief background of the HCL with particular emphasis on the Petina Gappah
Children’s Library which has exciting resources and a good reading environment
for the kids.
The
Children Library, he said, is naturally bonded with IBBY vision to cultivate
reading habits in children so that they learn to absorb information critically
and also keep them away from bad influences.
He
commented IBBY Zimbabwe for its courage and innovative project to record
children’s stories on CDs as this will also help teachers and parents/guardians
nurture the kids’ creativity at school and home.
However,
Dr Muzurura expressed his worries about the reduced number of young library
users at the HCL despite it having plenty of books for them. He implored
parents and teachers to subscribe to the library on behalf of their
children.
Dr
Muzurura invited organizations from the literary fraternity to use the library
space at a reasonable fee for their events. He extended the invitation to
authors who would want to read their stories to children.
From the question & answer session issues
emerged such as Dr Makore’s concern over the HCL’s ‘exorbitant’ subscription
and parking fees and the dysfunctional suburban libraries. The fees, the HCL
replied, are pegged high as such so as to cushion the library which hardly receives
grants from the education ministry or the Harare City Council. The Council is a
Trustee of the library. However, it was
noted that the fees will be revisited.
About
suburban libraries, the HCL said it is surprised the libraries are in that sad
state because it hoped for proficiency when the City Council took over these
libraries under a Memorandum of Understanding.
PRESIDENT LAUNCHES MACHEMEDZE’S LATEST BOOK
And a
big thank you to President E. D Mnangagwa, for finding it worthwhile to endorse
such tremendous work at the official launch in Harare on May 7, 2021.
In the evening of April 24, 2021, multi-award winning screenwriter, director and playwright Thoko Zulu was the 6th guest lecturer for a WIN online session which dealt with basic script writing skills. She is one of the winners in the Script Writing Contest run few months ago by JAC Film School in partnership with WIN. Despite some hiccups the lecture progressed very well, with Zulu giving a simplified explanation of some intrinsic elements of script writing. The session also touched on story types and formats. Below is a snippet of wisdom from the lecture:
Are
you a Zimbabwean budding writer? Do you wish to be part of the Winzim Superclassic
WhatsApp Group? Learn more from your peers and senior writers. Feel free to
register with us.
Contact:
+263 774548466
JAC FILM
SCHOOL CASTING CALL
Shooting in June in Harare
For more details email writers@jacfilmschool.com
Cast Requirements!
Cruz (Playing age: 19-23) Beau’s
cousin, popular, confident, and outgoing.
Beau’s mother
(Playing age: 40-50) Friendly and caring woman.
Gogo (Playing age: 65-80) Caring and
intuitive grandmother.
Attendant
(Playing
age: 25-30) Receptionist at FastJet. Coloured or black
Nadine (Playing
age: 30-36) Faculty administrator. Loving, concerned and caring
Danny (Playing
age: 21-23) Beau’s brother. Inconsiderate and immature
Prof. H (Playing
age: 40-50) Course Convener. Stern, forthright, slightly concerned
2 MIS-FORTUNATE
Shooting in June in Harare
For more details, email writers@jacfilmschool.com
Cast Requirements!
Pam (Playing age: 19-25)
Fortunate’s friend.
Tarisai
(Playing age: 26-30) Fortunate’s cousin.
Dennis
(Playing age: 25-30) Boyfriend to Fortunate.
Kelly (Playing
age: 19-25) A girl from the neighbourhood, with access to a green item of
clothing
Saidi (Playing age: 38-45) An Arab
businessman.
3. SUICIDE NOTEBOOK
Must be available Saturday 29th May 2021.
Shooting in June in Mutare.
For more details email writers@jacfilmschool.com
“Suicide Notebook” is a short film based on a story by Tinashe Muchuri about a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage and a mother determined to save her daughter at any cost.
Cast Requirements!
Magogo (Playing age 50-60 years) Suzanna and Latifah’s charismatic mother’s life revolves around her family and church. She expects to be viewed as the cement that holds her family relationship with her two daughters.
Munyaradzi
(Playing age 30-35 years) Good for
nothing - dull school teacher. His life revolves around his family and work. A
lot of pressure is put on him by his mother to turn a blind eye on his wife.
Rudo
(Playing age 18-21 years) Rudo is
Munya’s niece/daughter to Munya’s sister.
She’s jittery and nerdy, she has deep-seated
psychological issues and emotional issues which make her to become a serious
threat to Munya and Suzanna’s marriage.
Soko Wafawanaka (Playing age 60-65)
A no nonsense mother to Munya.
Heartless! The brains behind the demise of Munya’s marriage.
Suzanna (Playing age 26-28 years) She is strong and courageous. Suzanna
believes in her marriage although there are destructing obstacles in her way,
Soko and Rudo to be particular.
Latifah (Playing age 25-28 years) A
drug addict with an I-don’t-give-a-damn ghetto attitude. Latifah has got her
mother and sister at heart, although she seems to be living a perfectly well
life from the other side of the world of drug addicts.
Like JAC Film School Facebook Page and Follow us on Twitter for acting roles. Thank you.
GO WELL TENDO: TRIBUTES TO RUTENDO CHIGUDU
“The news on May 6, 2021 that talented poet, actress Rutendo Chigudu collapsed and died in South Africa plunged the literary circle into deep sadness. Everyone who knew her silently asked, “Why go too soon, R-Tendo?” It was difficult to believe that she was gone. In our grief, we are but comforted by the ‘heart-prints’ she left as she pursued her path of life with brilliance and cheerfulness. It was the Botswana novelist Unity Dow who once said, ‘I urge you to: Trudge not through life leaving ugly gashes, Tiptoe not through life leaving half-formed impressions, But tread gently, lovingly and purposefully, leaving graceful heart-prints.’ Truly, we will miss you. - Winzim
“Not only did we share the energy on stage, we also did share many hours growing each other, encouraging each other to seek knowledge and to advance our careers. I was just nothing talking to a graduate when we first met; but you were a different person. You respected talent and wanted people to learn from each interface. You guarded each interface jealously to extract as many lessons as can be found. R-Tendo, you were an editor whose nose for dialogue was a notch up there. I know what I am saying. We shared time at your Fife Avenue apartment going through the Chimurenga Chemhuka, a Shona translation of Animal Farm. We had a share of space again in Dzinonyandura Svinga Renduri (2014).” – Tinashe Muchuri
Rutendo congratulating author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma at the launch of Shadows in 2012
With renowned writer Musaemura Zimunya at Shadows launch
With writers Shimmer Chinodya (centre) and Memory Chirere
REST IN
ETERNAL PEACE TENDO.
Ziso Rezongororo is Ignatius Mabasa’s 4th Shona novel published by Oxford University Press. In Zimbabwe, the novel is distributed by School Books 4 Africa (SB4A)
Contact: +263 772695286
DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH NOVELIST BRYONY RHEAM
BT: What were you like as a teenager?
BR: I was very shy as a teenager. I found it hard to mix in large groups. I was perhaps a bit over-sensitive and enjoyed things like reading and writing poetry. I wanted to be a writer, but also considered journalism and remedial teaching.
BT: Where
did you live at that time and which schools were you attending?
BR: Until
I was 15 we lived at How Mine, 30kms outside of Bulawayo. Then we moved into
Bulawayo. I went to Girls' College.
BT: Did
you have an idea that you have a special writing talent? How did you make the
discovery? Do you have memories of
whatever you tried to scribble during that time?
BR: I have
always wanted to write and English was the only subject I did well in at
school. Some of my teachers were very encouraging. When it came to
competitions, however, I didn't often do that well. That only came later on.
BT: How
did your parents respond to your growing writing skills?
BR: My
parents, Jon and Fay, were always very encouraging. My mum would make me
rewrite anything she thought could be better. She always used to say I could be
anything I wanted if I put my mind to it.
BT: Have
you ever tried writing poetry or plays? If not, why?
BR: I used
to write terrible poetry! It was very dramatic and usually about things I had
never experienced. My stories were much better. I liked having a twist in the
ending.
BT: Who
was the greatest influence in your life at this time?
BR: My
mother was a very strong influence on me. She never thought wanting to be a
writer was a stupid idea.
BT: Which
books were you reading or which ones did you like most?
BR: I
enjoyed reading literature at school. I liked examining novels in depth and
discussing them. Animal Farm was one
of my favourites. I also liked Virginia Woolf and Doris Lessing.
BT: What were
your favourite hobbies or sports?
BR: At
school, I enjoyed cross country, but besides that, I was never a great sports
person. I never liked team sports. I think that's why I enjoyed running: it's
just you.
BT:
Looking back, do you think your teen years played a part in modelling the
writer you are today?
BR: Yes, I
do feel those years helped shape me. I have always been a bit of an outsider
and I think all writers are outsiders. I was over-sensitive and I lacked
confidence. All that helped me feel life in a very raw way. It was that emotion
that I put into This September Sun.
Thank
you.
THE YOUTH PERSPECTIVE
Mimi Machakaire
Is 2021 The Future?
Let us not forget that we are also living in a world
pandemic, which has majority of us still indoors. So, while we are somewhat
grateful for the Coronavirus vaccine roll out plan that has begun its distributions
in several countries, it has become apparent to us that there may be no cure
for a long time before we see the end of this deadly disease. However, this
does not justify the fact that some, if not most artists including writers, are
struggling to make ends meet especially since the start of the pandemic.
Part of the idea that we
are living in futuristic times is that by now, we are all successful in one way
or another, especially for those who have been working since their young age.
Yet some youth, artists and the like, have been applying for what is called an
artist relief fund from their various governments or other supporters. What it means is that artists can apply for
any interim financial assistance (up to $15,000, standard award is
$5,000) or according to the currency of one’s country. This may be for some
unforeseen circumstances and it is a one-time assistance for a specific
emergency. This does not cover dental, chronic conditions, or art
projects.
At
times artists receive it, usually visual artists, in some cases restricted to painters, printmakers, and
sculptors who are in a mature phase of their career and/or have been working
for at least 10 years in their field. While social distancing and lockdowns are
the right moves to protect the health of our communities, the complete picture
of the financial repercussions are still unknown. With cancelled exhibitions,
classes, conferences and workshops over the span of a very short time, many
artists are feeling the stress of lost income and an uncertain future.
In the face of the
unknown, artists have unsurprisingly gotten creative about how they are
changing their artistic practice. However many are finding that they may need
additional financial resources to get through this hard time and are seeking
emergency grants available for artists.
Therefore, this means
that there are many other arts organizations right now who have compiled a list
of emergency resources for artists as well an ongoing list of crowd funding
efforts to provide financial relief for artists. While it is good news that
some governments and organizations are attempting to help their artists in
their community, we never dreamed that the future would be this way in the
first place. However, despite all odds, we must as youth and artists alike keep
pushing because this is not the end but rather just a setback.
While some are struggling
and some are not, it is hard to determine how one’s future will eventually turn
out but what we must do is have hope and live in the present and even more so,
take it a day at a time. This is because if we continue living in the fear of
the unknown then we will forever drown working just to pay the bills. As one
once said, to
live a creative life we must first lose the fear of being wrong.
With so much pressure to
succeed, to win and to be permanently right, it is an invigorating and
refreshing thing not to fear failure. There is nothing wrong with being wrong,
except being frightened of it. We fail so that we learn. This knowledge and
understanding develops us as creatives (and our writing) so that with every
mistake we become more experienced and more adept.
Our lives depend on these mistakes. They humble us so that we do not overreach ourselves. They teach us so that we become wiser. They show us that when things go wrong, we need only pick ourselves up and write about it or re-create it into any form in order to carry on. Therefore, the year 2021 may not necessarily mean that the future is here but rather a continuation of one’s life journey.
NGATINYOREYI
Zvakanaka
zvinotendwa. Zvakanaka zvinopururudzirwa, zvinoroverwa maoko pamwe nokuridzirwa
miridzo. Varongi veNational Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) mugore rapfuura vakati
nokuda kwekuti vadavadi vakati wandei vakange vavharidzirwa nekuda kwechirwere
cherudzibwamupengo cheCOVID-19, hazvaibvira kuti varongedze ruremekedzo
rwevadadi rweNAMA rwuya rwunotarisa mabasa avadavadi vachiri kudavadika mundima
dzohudavadi dzakasiyana siyana. Nokudaro vakasarudza kuremekedza hwereshenga,
shangwiti, zvidza zvevadavadi vakasimudzira ndima yehudavadi pamwe
nekuvakurudza nekusimbaradza vamwe vadavadi avo vanodaidzwa kuti Legends
paChiRumbi.
Panoitwa
mutambo wekusarudzwa, panosara mavende mazhinji mukuvona kwevaya vasingasarudzi
vachitendeka kuti apo neapo sei pamira kuti kana kuti uyo nouyo sei apinda
pahwereshenga iye ano mukaka pamhuno kana kuti sei ngana nangana azovapo iye
asi mudzidzisi wake akaita ave nomukurumbira asipo. Ndizvo zvinoita chero pane
makwikwi chaiwo, unohwa porehwa nyaya yekuti paitwa tsvete kana kuti pane
vavhara ziso pakusarudza ndokuita sevasingaoni akakodzera vachikanda
asingakodzeri.
Nyaya
hombe yakasimuka yaiva yokuti zvino zvakwamisikidzwa hwereshenga makumi mana
mhenyu dzinotakanyika, ko idzo hwereshenga dzakatisiya dzicharemekedzwawo
riini? Ko, ihwo huwandu uhu zvawaiswa pamakumi mana bedzi, ko dzimwe
hwereshenga dzinokodzera dzichaitwa sei? Hazvisi zvaita kuti basa rakanaka rive
musiyapaduku here? Mazita akawanda akapotserwa zvikuru, kumi,hanzi mazita
akaita seana Jeys Marabhini, Leonard Zhakata, Jonah Moyo, Machanic Manyeruke,
Charles Charamba navamwe vakawandawanda vakadomwa kunzi vasiirwei; kuvatambi
vekuedzesera upenyu mudariro kukabudawo mazita akaita seana Robert MaClaren,
Ben Sibenke, Daniel Maposa, Kubi Chaza –Indi nevamwe vazhinji; kuvanyori
kwakanzi kwasara mazita akaita seNaison Tfwala, Thompson Kumbirai Tsodzo, Giles
Kuimba navamwe vavo. Hakuna bazi rehudavadi risina kuchemachema kusanganisira revadavadi
vezvinoonekwa avo vaitiwo hwereshenga inenge Bester Kanyama mutori
wemufananidzo wembiri akanyorwa nezvake mubhuku raPetina Gappah rinonzi Book of
Memory sei asina kupindawo.
Zvose
izvi zvataurwa zvikapera, mhepo yebopoto yaterama, mavhungwa adzikama
panoonekwa kuti donzvo rename idonzvo rakanaka chose. Hwereshenga dzavadavadi
dzinofanira kuremekedzwa dziri mhenyu. Asi hadzifaniri kungoremekedzwa nokupiwa
ruremekedzo rweNAMA basi. Kune nzira zhinji idzo dzingaita kuti vadavadi
vaonekwe vachiremekedzwa vachiri vapenyu zvichiita kuti hupenyu hwavo huendeke
uye hufambire mberi zvakanaka. Nzira yekutanga ndeyekuita kuti kuderedzwe
mabasa enhusvuri dzaparadza raramo yevadavadi nenzira yekukoponora mabasa
evadavadi dzichizviunganidzira upfumi husingawanikwi nevaridzi vakakodzera.
Nhusvuri imbavha dzinobira vadavadi pfuma yavo izvo zvinoita kuti vadavadi
vagare vachichema pfuma yavo ichibiwa nenhusvuri idzi. Pose panofamba vadavadi
mumigwagwa vanoona nziyo dzavo, mafirimu avo pamwe nemabhuku zvakawaridzwa mumigwagwa
zvichitengeserwa vanhu nembavha idzi. Hazvina kushata kupa vadavadi ava
ruremekedzo rweNAMA vari vapenyu, asi ruremekedzo urwu ngaruuye kavanhu vane
kudya kwavo kunovaringana. Hwereshenga zhinji dzakaremekedzwa paNAMA iyi
dzinoratidza kuti zvino dzava kubatwa nezvikotamo, zvinova zvirwere zvinouya
nokukura kwavanhu muupenyu. Munhu kana akura kudai, anosangana nourwere hwakati
wandei uhwo hunenge huchida mari, zvino mabasa avadavadi zvaasingachapi mari
kudai, achibiwa nenhusvuri, idzo hwereshenga dzoudavadi idzi dzingaitirweivo
kuitira kuti hutano hwadzo huenderere mberi zvakanaka? Iyi imwe nyaya
inoburitsawo kuremekedzwa kwehwereshenga dzavadavadi idzi. Nguva zhinji
zvinoonekwa kuti panoshaya vadavadi, hama neshamwari dzinotanga kuita mudeme
mudeme kuti basa rokuradzikwa kwavo rifambe zvakanaka, vamwe vachivatuka kuti
havana kurongeka, vamwe vachiti vapfachura mari, asi ukanyatsotarira mamirire
ehupfumi munyika pamwe nokubirwa kwavadavadi nenhusvuri idzo dzinoita kunge
gwatakwata ramhara mumunda hwezviyo risina anodzinga kwaita kuti vadavadi
vashungurudzike pamuraramiro wavo. Zvikazoti nekuuya kwaita chirwere
cherudzibwamupengo cheCOVID-19, matambudziko acho atonyanyisa. Zvichida,
Katsekere anogonawo kupa nzvimbo dzokuti vadavadi vaitewo misika yekutengesera
zvigadzirwa zvavo kuitira kuti nhusvuri dzishayewo mukana wekubira vadavadi
ava.
Zvakanakawo
zvakare tadzoka panhau yekuremekedzwa kwehwereshenga neNAMA kuti paya
pavaimboremekedza uyo anenge abata basa zvinoshamisa kwehupenyu hwese
neruremekedzo rweLifetime Achievement vanofanirawo kuwedzera chimwe chikamu
cheLiving Legends muchikamu chimwe nechimwe chezvikamu zveruremekedzo rweNAMA.
Izvi zvinopa mukana vaya vamwe vakasara paruremekedzo rwevanhu makumi mana
akaitwa gore rino zvakonzerwa nechigwere cherudzibwamupengo cheCOVID-19.
Zvinofadza
pahwereshenga dzakadomwa idzi ndezvekuti pane vanyori vakati wandei izvo
zvinoita kuti sevanyori tihwe kufara chose. Vanyori vanhu vane zvipo
zvehudavadi hunobatanidza ndima dzakawanda. Unogona kuwana munyori achinyora,
achitamba mitambo yekuedzesera, ari zvakare mugadziri wemafirimu uku ari muimbi
zvakare. Munyori akaita saAaron Chiundura Moyo, Albert Nyathi, Chirikure
Chirikure, Barbra Makhalisa- Nkala, Tsitsi Dangarembwa, Shimmer Chinodya,
Musaemura Zimunya namwe vanowanikwa vachibata mabasa ehudavadi akawanda izvo
zvinovapa kushanda nokubatsira vadavadi vakawandisa. Zvinofadza kuona vamwe
vevanhu vakativeza uye vanoramba vachiveza vamwe vanyori vatsva vachipiwa
ruremekedzo rwakadai. Izvi zvinoratidza kuti varongi veruremekedzo
rwehwereshenga rweNAMA havana kungonongeredza vadavadi asi kuti vakaita
tsvangurudzo yakasimba ndokuona hwereshenga dzakasimba pahudavadi hwadzo.
Ngatinyorei
hama dzinodikanwa. Kunyora kwakanaka. Kunyora kunopa upenyu kuvanyori
nevanosangana nebasa ravanyori. Zvakanakawo zvakare kuverenga muchinyora
muchiverenga. Musazoregazve kupinda mumakwikwi ekunyora akasiyana siyana. Gourd
of Consciousness National Poetry Competition anobatsira kutesvera vanyori uye
anowanisa vanyori zvokuverenga sezvo mubairo wacho uri wemabhuku maviri kubva
kuvanyori vemuZimbabwe. Izvi zviri kukurudzirawo vanyori kuverenga zvinyorwa
zvevanyori vemunyika ino. Nyorai, muverenge muverengwe.
Zvakadero
hazvo, musakanganwa kuti chirwere cherudzibwamupengo cheCOVID-19 chichiri
kushungurudza vanhu munyika naizvozvo ngatitevedzerei zviga zvakatemwa senzira
yekudzivirira kuparadzirwa kwacho. Donongodzo izere yevakaremekedzwa iyo pazasi
apo.
BOOK
REVIEW
By
Memory Chirere
Bindura
Zvakare
achibva aburitsa dhora ndisina kumupa.
Abva awonekwa ipapo nevana vandakaticha.
Hondo iyo! Hondo iyo! Hondo iyo! Hondo!
Vaisa ndiro dzezvavanotengesa pasi ndokuti naye!
Ndabva ndakwidza kupinda mubhazi reDharuweni.
Ndawana hangu pekugara ndokudongorera panze.
Ndamuona achangobatwa nevana vandakaticha.
Vanga vakamumbundikira vose sevanomuda.
Vachiuya naye kuhwindo rebhazi kuti ndizvionere.
Ndaona achizozvuzvurudzwa pamusika weBindura.
Anga achinzi, “Haungadaro kuna mudhara wedu!”
Ndanzwa achidavira achiti, “Maiwee kani!”
Ndichibva ndatanga hangu kumenya bhanana.
Vana vandakaticha vamutenderedza sechamupupuri.
Ndanzwa iye achiti, “Handichambozvipamhidza!”
Ndichibva ndavhura kokora inotonhorera chaizvo.
Apidigurwa sechidhori achizunzwa homwe dzake.
Atorerwa zvose nedhora raambenge anditorerawo.
Ndapfeka magirazi angu kuti ndinyatsoona zvose.
Vamwe vana vandakaticha varamba vachiungana.
Ndaisaziva kuti vawanda semawuto emasvosve kudai.
Muchinda azhamba zvanzwikwa nevanga vari mubhazi.
Ndikatoti, “Asi ave kutovhiyiwa sembudzi here?”
Aroverwa pamutumbi webhazi seumhutu kumadziro.
Anga achibvunzwa kunzi, “Unoda kufa here iwe?”
Ndamunzwa achiti, “Aiwa musandiuraye. Musauraye!
Ndanga ndichingodawo kurarama chete chete.”
Vammbomusimudza zvatinoita munhu agowesa bhora.
Vazosimudza nehope yake zvakare kuti itarise kubhazi.
Vatanga kucheka cheka mhotsi dzake nechainge chigero.
Pabva pazoitika chinhu chaisafanira kuitika, mufunge.
Nekuti ndaona ari Tendai J. Chiwanza wekwa Tembo!
Aimbenge ari hedhi bhoyi pamazuva angu ndichivaticha.
“Zvakwana!” ndakamba asi handina kana kumbozvinzwa.
Ndazongonzwa mawungira enzwi rangu kuti nderangu.
Tendai aimbenge andibatsira kuwana zvose zvinofanira
kuwanikwa nemunhu kuti ave munhu muBindura.
“Zvakwaaaaaaana!”
Ndichikamba kudaro vana vandakaticha vazomurega.
Ndaona achimuka achimhanya nemusika sedzvatsvatsva.
Mbatya dzake dzanga dzichizeya sedzechinyau chiri mudariro.
Mugumbo anga asara neshangu imwechete ine mamheya.
Atiza achiti peya peya peya achikanda nhanho achidzedzereka.
Ndaburitsa foni yangu ndokumutora pikicha achitiza kudaro.
Ndosaka ndichigaroti: kana pandinozofawo hangu inini
mweya wangu wose zvawo haungagone kubuda muBindura.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN ZIMBABWE
With
The Rhodox Day
“Guys we better
start trotting, otherwise we will get to school very, very late.” Shikrivhao
said to the four of us: Masteki, Amadu, Penjeni and myself.
“True, boys, it’s long gone past assembly time, and
lessons have already started,” said Masteki apprehensively and quickly added,
“We all know how sweet Mr Gudo Zuze’s fan belt black mamba tastes like on one’s back.”
“Oh my God, that black mamba whip…” Amadu said, as
fearful as a warrior who has lost his spear and shield in the middle of a
raging battle.
“We are in big trouble today, guys. We should not have
gone to that place,” Masteki complained.
“We are already
very late guys, whether we run or keep walking, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Penjeni declared with finality.
We should have been in class by then, had it not been for
Shikrivhao who had lured us to pass through a place near Gomo raSatani where he
said, while looking for firewood a few days ago, he stumbled upon a big beehive with enough
honey to fill three or four buckets. We had all like the biblical Adam, failed
to resist the temptation.
“I swear there was a huge beehive on the mouth of that
anthill that looks like a lion’s head over there,” was all Shikrivao could say
after an hour’s fervent search for the beehive with plenty of honey had proved
to be nowhere to be found. Now with the sun high up in the sky, we knew real
trouble awaited us at school.
Then just at that moment, as we emerged one by one from
the tall elephant grass into the dust road, we heard Amadu who was ahead of us,
suddenly scream with delight.
“Guys, look!” he shouted excitedly.
We shot into the road
and looked up into the eastern
sky, where Amadu was pointing. There, high in the blue, sunshine-bathed eastern
sky, flew a dozen or so, huge, onion-shaped things of many different colours
with square baskets suspended by short ropes under each of them.
“What are those things?” Shikrivao asked as we stared at
the flying things in wonder.
“Those are parachutes.” Amadu declared
“No, they are not,” Penjeni said, “Parachutes are open and don’t have those boxes. I once
saw parachutes at Mt Hampden Airport.”
“So what are they?” Shikrivhao continued asking.
“We don’t know what they are. Let’s just call them flying
things.” Penjeni said.
“Yes, yes,” we all agreed.
Slowly the flying things drew nearer and nearer but some
drifted away in different directions, towards Mashonga hills, St Marnocks,
Kenzi farm and African Distillers. As
they flew above us, they made a low droning sound and we could see that there
were people inside the square baskets, people like baas Michael Peter Belinsky, the owner of the farm where we lived. We waved at the
people and they waved back at us. Soon the strange flying things went past us
and their low purring sound gradually died like heavy rain coming to an
end. We then started trotting.
We met Mr Kubaya, one of our teachers, a short distance
from the school yard fence.
“Good morning teacher,” we threw a combined greeting at
him.
“Morning,” he
bellowed. “I know you are late for school because you went chasing after those rhodoxes”
“So that is the name of those flying things, teacher?”
Amadu dared ask.
“I think that is the name, rhodox, from Rhodesia Oxygen company.”
“Thank you teacher,” we said together and timidly
proceeded to our classroom where we met the undiluted fury of Mr Gudo Zuze who
whipped us on our backs with his black
mamba. Soon afterwards, he made each one of us dig a one-by-one metre pits
in the nature reserve area next to the orchard and then made us write a
composition entitled The day I will never
forget.
In the afternoon
when Mr Gudo Zuze’s anger had evaporated like the water we poured on the school
vegetable garden beds every three days, we asked him the name of the flying
things and he said: “Those things are called gondolas I think.”
On the following morning, we saw those rhodoxes or gondolas again. One of them
actually landed in the school yard and the headmaster permitted all of us to go
and see it at close range.
“Ali, you are the one who knows how to speak in English,”
Penjeni said to me. “Go and talk to those people.”
I went to the men in overalls written Turnpan Zimbabwe
who were busy folding the huge tent and
untying ropes and introduced myself to them.
“Yes, Ali,” one of the men said, “I am Ted, Ted Hughes.
You want the name of this flying thing, it’s is called a hot air balloon. It’s
a large airtight bag filled with hot air or a lighter-than-air gas such as
helium or hydrogen so that it will rise and float in the atmosphere. This box
here is called a wicker basket.”
Ted Hughes went on to explain more about how the hot air
balloon flies and lands and also its different parts. As he concluded his
explanation, a Turnpan Zimbabwe truck drove into the school yard to pick up the
men and the now-deflated hot air balloon.
I thanked the man
and went back to class. Soon the truck carefully drove out of the school yard
and went away.
There, high in the blue, sunshine-bathed sky, flew a dozen or so, huge, onion-shaped things of many different colours with square baskets suspended by short ropes under each of them.
MABHUKU EDU/ OUR BOOKS
Prosper Njeke
Vatsikisi vekare, vanganzi neChiRungu
“Traditional Publishers”, vari kutsanangurwa nevanyori vazhinji vemazuvano,
vachinzi havasi kugashira mabhuku enyayanyorwa kana nhetembo kubva kuvanyori,
nechikonzero chekuti vanoti mabhuku aya, haavaunziri mari nekukasika sezvo
mukana wekutengwa kwavo uri mushomasa. Vanoti kuti atengwe hunge akwanisa
kusarudzwa neveZIMSEC, asi mukana wekuti mabhuku acho asarudzwe ese ndiwo
mushoma. Naizvozvo vanoti vatsikisi ava, vave kunyanyoda mabhuku anodikanwa
muzvidzidzo nguva dzese.
Izvi
zvinova zvinodzikisira vanyori vazhinji venyayanyorwa kana nhetembo kuratidza
kudavadika kwavo sezvo kunyayanyorwa nenhetembo
kuriko kwavanogona zvikuru, kupinda dzimwe mhando dzemabhuku. Nekuda
kwekusarasa mbereko nekufirwa, vanyori, ava vakazviwanira nzira iri nyore
yekupakura zvichinyorwa zvavo vachiratidza vaverengi unyanzvi hwavo pakuruka
nyaya nenhetembo. Panzira idzi pane mbiri dzinoti:
2. Vanyori vemabhuku vanozvitsikisira. Ava ndevanoti, akapedza kunyora bhuku rake, anotsvaka mupepeti wake, mutari wemufananidzo, murongedzi wemazwi, uye nezvimwe zvese zvinodikanwa kusvika bhuku rapera, achizvibuditsira mari ega. Ava vane mhando mbiri dzinoti
i) Kuzviitira zvese ega achibhadhara mari kuvanhu vanomuitira basa iri bhuku robuda rine zita remutsiksi asina kunyoreswa kana kuti asingazivikanwi. Anonotenga ISBN yake ega. Paya panodikanwa zita remutsikisi anobva angonyora zita raanoda ega, raanenge angofunga.
ii) Kutsvaka vatsikisi vadiki (Small Publishers) vanoda kubhadharwa, pane zvese zvavachaita. Ava vanogona kukutengera ISBN kana kuti unotenga wega, asi vozongoisa logo rekambani yavo, zvoita sekuti bhuku iri ratsikiswa navo. Kazhinji munobva manyorerana pasi kuti mutsikisi uyu haana masimba ese pabhuku rako, asi kuti iwe ndiwe une simba rese, kana kuti iye anenge aine chipenga chidiki zvichienderana nebasa raaita, mumwe anototi haana kana simba racho pabhuku rako, zvichienderana nekushandidzana kwamaita naye, pabhuku rako.
Nzira
idzi dzese dziri mbiri dzarerukira vanyori vazhinji zvekuti vazhinji vanyori
vemabhuku aya ndiyo nzira yavari kushandisa. Nzira idzi hadzina mukana wekuti
bhuku rirambirwe kutsikiswa, asi bhuku rese rinotsikiswa.
Kwakabuda
mabhuku mazhinji nenzira iyi ayo akanaka chaizvo. Hongu vanyori vakazviwanira
nzira yakanaka yekuratidza unyanzvi hwavo, asi ndakaona kuti vasarirwa nechinhu
chimwe chete chinovakoshera icho chekuti vanofanira kuchiita kuti vagova
vakabudirira zvikuru mubasa ravo iri. Chinhu ichi ndechekutsvaka nzira yekuti
mabhuku avo asvike kuvaverengi zvine simba sekubudirira kwavo kune simba
pakupakura mabhuku aya. Nekuti vazhinji hongu vari kupakura mabhuku mazhinji
zviri nyore, asi pakuzoti mabhuku iwayo asvike kuvaverengi vakawanda pari
kuvanetsa. Vamwe vari kuzogumira pakungotsikisa, voratidza vamwe vanyori kana
hama dzavo zvotopera zvakadaro, mabhuku aye otogara zvavo mumba panzvimbo
paanochengeterwa pangava musaga, pasi pemubhedha, muwadhiropu kana pamwewo.
Vanyori ava vanogona kutoita makore gumi kana kuita mabhuku gumi kana
kuraudzira, asi vasingazivikanwi nevaverengi vakawanda, kana vemunharaunda
yavanogara chaiyo.
Chiri
kuita mabhuku avo atadze kusvika kuvaverengi vakawanda inyaya yekushaya mari
yekupirindisa mamwe makopi emabhuku avo. Kuti mabhuku avo asvike kuvaverengi vazhizhi
ndinoti ngavamboedza chinhu ichi:
Kuti ivo vobatana pachavo, vova
neboka rekubatsirana kutengesa mabhuku aya, pamwe vachienda nawo kuzvikoro vari
seboka ravo. Votsvakawo rubatsiro kune mapazi anoona nezvekusimudzira mapoka
anenge achitanga mabhizimusi.
Hongu
kune dzimwe nzira zhinji dzekuti mabhuku avo azivikanwe nevaverengi, asi mari
yekuti vaendese kuPrinting yemaCopy angasvike kana zana ekuti vagotengesera
kana kungopawo vaverengi vavo, haiwanikwi nevanyori vazhinji kana akazvimirira
ega. Izvi ndakazviona kune vamwewo vanyori.
Iri
ndiro donzvo rangu muchinyorwa chino, kuti vanyori zvavakawana nzira yakanaka
yekutsikisa mabhuku avo, kudai vachitsvakazve nzira yekuti mabhuku avo asvike
mumaoko evaverengi vakawanda.
VOICE FROM THE MOUNTAINS
With
The following poem was published in The Patriot, 2019
These hills silent as they are
Have seen it all
Comforted the wretched one and welcomed the
brave sons and daughters of thy land
Taking up arms for motherland's sake
To free her from the bloody yoke of colonialism
These hills silent as they are
Hold our story in awe
Yes these silent hills of Chimoio
Under their mystic timeless shadows
I saw images of yesterday
Though I couldn’t shake
The General's hand in honour
I felt his godly presence in those moments of
silence
Here commanders marching mystically in slow
motion
Inspecting the guard of honour
The comrades ready to leave for the war front
These hills silent as they are
Bear the scars of our time as prisoners of hope
These hills silent as they are
Are a story told in silence
Here the foundation of our independence
The land watered by teardrops and blood of our
liberators
Here where Nyadzonia River wails and groans
still
As it was yesterday after the treacherous acts
of cowardice
These hills silent as they are
Are like silos of a thousand dreams murmuring
still
Their songs are in the wind
Their songs Nyadzonia wails through them day and
night
And their hopes are embedded in these flowers
thy land
Yes these hills silent as they are
They are our story waiting to be told to you and
me.
In my next instalment of Voice From The Mountains I am going to feature one of the winners in the JAC/ WIN Script Writing Competition, Mutare-based author Shingirai Manyengavana (PICTURED BELOW). Continue to enjoy this space!
Shingirai Manyengavana
WANDAYI’S SECOND NOVEL
Joseph
Matonga
Writers International Network Zimbabwe would
like to ask friends for any information regarding a manuscript (unpublished)
titled Tozivepi written by Joseph
Matonga. The manuscript (two counter books with khaki and plastic covers), had
twelve chapters. If you have any information, please contact us at winzimbabwe@gmail.com.
Thank you very much.
The WIN Literary Newsletter is edited
by the WIN Editorial Team and published on the blog monthly or bi-monthly by
Writers International Network Zimbabwe (WIN). If you want to contribute or need
more information, contact us: winzimbabwe@gmail.com
THANK YOU FOR READING.
