Writers International Network Zimbabwe: WIN LITERARY NEWSLETTER, VOL 2, ISSUE NO 22

EDITORIAL

Memory Chirere (left) and Dr T K Tsodzo

Greetings and welcome to our newsletter after long silence. We really appreciate your patience.

Meanwhile, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe, the main organizer of the National Arts Merit Awards, continues to recognize our elders for their great work in the writing industry. We have Dr T K Tsodzo in mind, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award this year. To him we say, your wisdom is our inspiration.

We hope to return soon with the next Issue. Enjoy!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2024 NAMA AWARDS WINNERS (LITERARY CATEGORY)

The National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) were held in Bulawayo on Saturday evening, Feb 24, 2024, under the theme #KWAN22. Our interest is in the literary arts, and we say congratulations to the following winners in the said category:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr Thompson Kumbirai Tsodzo

Outstanding First Creative Published Work

The Train House on Lobengula Street by Fatima Kara

Fatima Kara

Outstanding Children’s Book

The Haunted Pumpkin by Mai Sarungano Folktales

Outstanding Fiction Book

UKhethiwe by Zibusiso Mabonisa

Zibusiso C Mabonisa

Outstanding Poetry Book

Shamhu Yezera Renyu by Memory Chirere

Memory Chirere

Outstanding Poet

Ngonidzashe Paradza aka Mambo Guramatunhu

Outstanding Online Media

Khumbulani Muleya (Heart and Soul)

THE NYANGA WRITERS RETREAT

From left: Beaven Tapureta, Dr Jonathan Brakash, Tendai Huchu, Stanley Mushava and Blessing Musariri

Some writers go on retreats with a specific structure which subtly or openly calls for participants to have a refined product at the end. There are benefits, of course, drawn from these retreats which involve working with experienced facilitators who closely follow your development for weeks or months. READ MORE

BELOW ARE A FEW PHOTOS:

Blessing Musariri and Stanley Mushava at the Froggy Farm Cafe upstairs

Dr Jonathan Brakarsh

Beaven Tapureta

Tendai Huchu with the ‘Thank You’ card he received from the retreat participants, in the background is Mr Gwagwa of Blue Haze

BHUTSU DZAMERENIYA IS A HUMOROUS KIDS' STORY

Beaven Tapureta

One of the things that will spur children to want to read Bhutsu DzaMereniya is the cover design. The cover’s portrayal of an action scene stimulates a keenness to open and read the book. The illustrated Shona children’s story was written by Mutare-based writer Simbarashe Clever Kavenga and published by Essential Books Publishing Company in 2022.

Mereniya is a young girl who earns ‘celebrity status’ at her school because of her pair of strange, black, leather shoes which her mates admire although they are puzzled by the shoes’ history as told by her.

Mereniya enjoys giving perplexing answers whenever the other kids gather around her just to listen to the story of her shoes. But because they admire her so much, they love her exaggerations and pretend it’s truth, which keeps them laughing.

At some point, for instance, Mereniya tells her school mates, “Teererai, teererai mose, handidi anozondibvunzazve mangwana. Imwe yakatengwa kwaMutare imwe ikatengwa kwaRusape! Kuti imarii handizivi ini asi baba vanoti dzakavadhurira kwazvo….” [pg. 7]

She is a star and like any other trademark costumes of real life celebrities which are kept in museums, her shoes deserve such recognition. Without them she loses fans. It becomes other children’s dream to one day be allowed to wear her shoes and when their dream remains a dream, they alienate themselves from her.

How the author shows that Mereniya, though a child, is contemplative and humble is quite gripping. Mereniya choses to hide her shoes in a forest near the school so that she walks barefoot like most of her school mates. Even when her friends alienate her, they can’t avoid the power of her heart. The author’s captivating scenes and simple language also inspire the children to understand feelings of love and kindness, as when a fire engulfs the forest where Mereniya has hidden her shoes and all school lessons come to halt.

By drawing such peculiar attention to herself, she is an important child to the school. Maybe before Mereniya appeared, the school was used to bullies. Now here is a new girl who keeps them having fun, happy together.

Simbarashe Clever Kavenga, better known as Clever Kavenga in the writing circles, is a poet, children’s fiction writer and journalist. His poems have appeared in the anthologies such as Ngoma Yokwedu, Mudengu Munei?, Visions of the Motherland: A Poetic Celebration of Cultures, Tribes and People of Africa and Defiled Sacredness. His previous published children's books are Mashiripiti eDehwe RaRungano which won the 2007/8 Best Children's Book award from Zimbabwe Publishers Association. His Shona column “Nhasi Tiri Tose” which appeared in the Mutare-based Pungwe newspaper made him be nominated for NAMA. Nyanga is his home area but he is now based in the city of Mutare where he lives with his family.

For more information, contact the author: +263 77 269 1094

THE WIN EPWORTH COMMUNITY LIBRARY UPDATE

Beaven Tapureta

While young book lovers all over the world marked World Book Day with various activities, the kids at the Epworth community library spent the afternoon reading.

The World Book Day silently passed at the WIN library, but that didn’t water down the children’s usual excitement and love for books. They daily come, except on Sundays, to do their homework or read or play.

The school holiday is fast approaching. For the kids, this is the period when the library becomes a place of learning, fun, and building lasting friendships with books.

The library is grateful to all who have supported us in many different ways.

ZIM WRITER FARAI MUDZINGWA’S AVENUES BY TRAIN

Shortlisted for ‘The Republic of Consciousness Prize’