Most people complain about not having enough time to do what they must do -yet if they are given more hours, they use up all that too. We waste, ignore and do not mind the value of time but it is in the day that we should achieve our goals. We have always been considering time as a relentless and cruel force, a robber, and a killer but time is a valuable resource that each of us has, and we can use it at our own discretion and for our benefit. Living is reality and so is time, if you ignore it, you will fall prey to your reality and lose everything.
REALIZE
To become aware of time. Are you aware of how you spend your time?
Make it a special day today to realize how valuable time is and make time our own in apprehension of it. Time is valuable, time cannot be reversed or reused. Be open minded enough to see how time flies, how it can be wasted and use the most of it.
“A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.”
Charles Darwin
Discover your Godly purpose and live for the moment today. We kill time and get robbed of time. Though we have lost some of our time we can still make the most out of this moment we possess.
No one is powerful enough to stop the march of time or slow it down. It is something far beyond our control but we can choose to achieve our deepest desire. Your day, just like everyone else’s, is only 24 hours. Yet somehow certain people seem to be able to squeeze more from that time than others.
SEIZE
To have a sudden and powerful effect upon time. Do you really possess your time?
As the day starts have the ambition to become a better person than you were yesterday, attack the day’s efforts with vigor and purpose. With a purpose driven mind you get to take hold of your time. Guarding it, valuing it, owning it, making it yours and never to let anybody help you to waste your time. Seize the day, live for the moment, make the most of it today so that you get to celebrate the fruits of your achievements tomorrow.
“He who every morning plans the transactions of that day and follows that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life.”
Victor Hugo
Television channels have got programs that you are aware about and shows time slots, you also have to plan for your day with elements aligned with your purpose. Take advantage of the morning to make a plan for your day and the night to examine the results obtained. If the results obtained are not impressive that’s the mandate of the following day to do your best.
UTILIZE
To make the best use of time. Are you utilising your everyday wisely?
Today is the beginning of the best of your life make the most of by achieving fulfilment in a philosophical or spiritual sense. Utilize your time wisely and purposefully, manage it, align it with your Godly purpose. You will never change your life if you don’t change what you do everyday. You will never value time if you don’t have a goal.
I like the saying , ‘If you wake up without a plan go back to sleep.’ Its better for you to go back to sleep rather than abusing your body doing nothing. Waking up is a sign that God still loves you and be grateful to that by doing something productive in your life today.
Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week so enjoy the present and not worry about the future for the future is in today’s reap, so be productive today. Live today as your last, attack the day’s effort with vigour and purpose.
“Change your attitude on how you spend your time to achieve what you mostly desire.”
Donnalbain T Mupinyuri
Time is universal principle of keeping things from happening at once. It may take long for you to achieve what you have been longing for but life is all about timing. Be patient, bold, disciplined and courageous. The pain of discipline is far much less than the pain of regrets, make a good choice today.
Donnalbain Thandi Mupinyuri
Writer | Youth Life coach | Transformation Speaker
‘Changing lives through arts and cultural initiatives’
‘PUNISH THE DEVIL’
Mai Respina Patai’s third album: profoundly exhilarating
Reviewed by Uncle Sipet
04/09/20
ALBUM: ‘Punish the Devil’
ARTIST: Mai Respina Patai And The Voice of Prophecy
GENRE: Gospel
PRODUCER: Jabulani Ndlovu, True Tone
YEAR: 2018 Production(Zimbabwe)
MPCD002
From the danceable tune, ‘Mazambara’, off the album, ‘Rumbidzwai’ in 2002 to ‘Makanaka’ (Album, 2008) and ‘Samulena’ (2010, Mai Respina Patai has never looked back.
In 2018 she released an electric eight track examplary gospel album entitled, ‘Punish The Devil’. This stunning masterpiece could be her finest album to date although most of her fans can go to the betting house with the song ‘Mazambara’, as one of her greatest and fine-tuned pieces.
In reminiscent of the great heroics by the departed and living sons and daughters of Zimbabwe who paid heed to the calls of the first and second Chimurenga/ Liberation wars, the first hit’s fast ‘Toi Toi’ beat reminds all that when sent on a tour of duty one has to be up to the task. There is no reason for backpedalling, developing cold feet or lackadaisical walks. Just like the Biblical’s first Christians, the disciple of Jesus Christ who were asked to go and preach in every nation so that whoever believeth in Him would not perish but have an everlasting life, Like the great Prophet Isaiah who heard the voice from the Lord and said, ‘Here am I, send me!'(Isaiah 6 vs 8). And the great Prophet of Doom, Jeremiah(1 vs 7) of Anathoth, who saw the Lord in his youth, aged twelve, In this beautiful song which requires one’s highest energy level to dance to it, ‘Ndinodavira’, Mai Patai sings:
Mukandituma handirambi/hehahe/
Ndinomhanya sekatsuro /a, here/
Baba nditumei Tenzi kunoparidza vhangeri…..
Her text is plain and vibing with the thematic album title. She is peacefully asking God to send her on any mission, be it healing, preaching and ministering through music. Once armed, she is ready to paste the devil on the walls with her Godly fighting weapon: The word! And this sizzler has all what it takes to arouse all to pay heed to God’s calls and groove into action.
‘Moyo munyoro’ weighs in with a great message of kindly asking God for the spirit of forgiveness to dwell in one’s heart. She reminds all, like Prophet Isaiah’s message that, ” Come now let us reason…though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow..” Isaiah 1vs 18. The Lord’s prayer(Matthew 6 vs 9) speaks volumes about forgiveness so that one could enter the Heaven and defeat the Devil.
Mai Patai reasons:
…Ndinokumbira moyo wekukanganwira/
Ho, baba/
Ndinokumbira moyo wekuregerera/
Ho baba…..
The other songs are:
°’Usatye'(7.07)
This is a call for everyone to leave bad ways or sinning and turn to the Lord so as to enter the Heaven. She ministers the word of the Prophets through song and dance.
°’Shoko rine simba'(5.35)
She says God’s word is more powerful than a two sided sword. And it can untie and unturn the troubles in our hearts. It frees any one who speaks it, preaches and believes it. In that way the Devil is punished.
°’Anokomborera'(6.05)
God blesses those who pray and believe in Him regardless of one’s stature and beauty.
°’Dai asiri Jesu'(7.09)
Jesus brings hope at a time many would have lost it. Mai Patai exalts The Lord’s unending love and power.
°’Ruvengo'(6.06)
People sometimes hate others, crush others, kill or mock others for no apparent reasons. The freeing message from Mai Patai is to accept the all-powerful Jesus who died on the cross without sinning.
°’Denga RaShe'(6.11)
Mai Patai questions:
Denga munoriona seiko zvamuchiri kuroya…
Often times believing and doing seems to be an insurmountable task. To many it is just believing which ‘works’. The ‘doing’ part is an action fir true His true sons and daughters. To many the adage, ‘Zvakaoma sekunamata'(Being a believer is difficult to achieve) is a scapegoat. Mai Patai is asking all to check on their activities so as to see The Lord. People sometimes hate others, crush others, kill or mock others for no apparent reasons. The freeing message from Mai Patai is to accept the all-powerful Jesus who died on the cross without sinning.
And so right is Mai Patai! To the Biblical word she is spot on! The Bible points out that, ”… the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimestone…….. and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.(Rev 20vs 10)
This sums up the main thrust of the theme in question: ‘Punishing the Devil’.
Musician Mai Patai’s knack for spreading the word through melodious music remains powerful and intact. The accompaniment of instruments and vocals is balanced and the sky is the limit for her music.
A down to earth mother, Mai Patai started singing in 1999. She got inspired by several artists but the word of God did play the trick in giving the urge to go for gospel music. As a Devout Christian, she also embraces and appreciates other artists.
About the writer:
EDWIN ‘UNCLE SIPET aka BLACK MAMPARA’ is a freelance writer, arts reveiwer, poet, storyteller, traditional dance teacher and adjudicator, comedian, playwright, novelist, SAFA’s Artistic Director, an arts Festivals director and a Primary School online teacher.
Affectionately known as OCTAgon the garage poet, Mennaseh Patrick Chisvo comes from the rustic and dusty soils of Mazvihwa. Now currently enrolled as a final year student at Anderson Adventist High School , Gweru Zimbabwe . As the name might strike as alien to many but it is the source of his inspiration , Literally the Octagon is a house for martial arts and with a pen in his stride the young lad takes it upon himself to fight life’s battles as they say,”the pen is mightier than the sword”. Only 18 years of age he is passionate to be established as the writer who repairs the broken norms of society and recollects hope many have destroyed to fragments . To date he has achieved to write his first book Hocus Pocus(the wars and woes of high school) and hopefully it will be published soon. His first poetry anthology is also on the cards as it is nearing completion. “My wish is to continue as the voice in the shadows , Giving echo to gagged voices “, he says.
He can be contacted on the details below
Contact @ http./wa.me//263785856923?text
Call :+263 714047934
mennasehart@gmail.com
EDITOR
Emmanuel Hove Mhike
THE POEMS
1. Of oxymorons and morons
Then i looked under the moon and i saw:
Wise man with foolish sons
Educated farmers with empty barns
Demons with wedding bans
Dying generals with loaded guns
Fire fighters wailing with water burns
Gigolos with inflated bums
Virginity lost for beans and buns
It was sad!
Then i looked again under the sun and i saw:
Slain slay queens
Blind prophets
Sunny days and no sanity
Long days and short lives
Then i knew doom is upon us!
By OCTAgon
#26..m.p.c
Mennaseh Patrick
+263 785856923
mennasehart@gmail.com
2. Title : -1+1
-1+1
Are we even adding?
How come I add and get nothing?
It can’t! This is disturbing .
All but life’s undoing .
Planted seeds I found in my inner sanctum
Irrigated with blood , sweat and tears ;
The reservoir of anguish is running late
It never rains , only hope reigns
I never built a barn , What for ?
Its always a bumper harvest of thorns
Ordained a master in the Game of thorns .
Perhaps my life is a parable
So explicit it need not be explained
A pedagogy of the oppressed
Observed , undressed but never redressed
Battle scared but undaunted
Another season another plan
This time i’m intercropping hope and faith
My schizophrenia feeds my monomania
AGAIN ,”A sower went out to sow “.
By OCTAgon
#26…m.p.c
Mennaseh Patrick
+263 785856923
mennasehart@gmail.com
3. The Beauty Story
Tell me how it feels sister,
To be a queen whose gowns don’t fit
And l will let you know how I have felt everytime my crown has fallen.
Hands clutched,
Let’s tell the world
About verses and poems,
Where beauty and body do not make a perfect rhyme
And body positivity is just a distant metaphor.
Where does the beauty in our mirrors then come from?
Perhaps it’s all a reflection of our souls and inner beings
For when we wake up in the morning and step on the floor.
The numbers await us like paparazzi at a celebrity’s door
Body mass indicies;
Yours too high, mine too low
Flashing lights of
Diabetes, hypertension, anorexia –
This is our reality.
We are like two sides of a rusty coin
Worthless and valueless
Tossed in the trash can for fear children will swallow
These are our perfect rhymes
We are lit candles hidden under tables,
Trapped in unhealthy bodies
Grown and raised in and out of hospitals.
These are our verses
Mornings that start at the doctor’s office
And evenings that end with staring faces
Questioning whether we will make it through the night.
As if they are mesmerized by our very existence
These are our poems
Which tell stories about little girls
Who never dared to climb a see saw or join a tug of war.
Only to grow up to become us
Stains of imperfection on human body art
Underweight and overweight
Our beauty is just a metaphor.
For our sake we still feel beautiful!
By OCTAgon
#26..m.p.c
Mennaseh Patrick Chisvo
+263 785856923(whatsapp)
mennasehart@gmail.com
4. Title :The Armstice
Peace be still !
Oh ignorant man of steel .
Your battlefield is no man’s land withdraw your hand .
Your troops are confused regiments of the same army .
The clergy , the ordained and the profaned
All write letters to an unseen deity
Base conflict in the mind all seek to be unchained
They touch the sky with ritual smoke in assumed piety
Not by faith’s superiority
But by solemn heredity
Each man then dances to his ancestor’s drum
Then withdraw swords against each other from the cacophonous humdrum .
BUT
Its not a battle of you versus him
Its you and him against spiritual wickedness in high places .
Take this as an armistice .
Condemn not the anointing
But Consider the appointing
Do not ignore revelation
Be careful of its translation
Do not dismiss condemnation
Derive the correction
Frown not upon the mission
Consider the vision
Embrace those from the cesspit
Correct the men of warped wit
Abate the scriptural warfare !
Engage on spiritual welfare
For we are all clamped under a spiritual climate
The mysteries of the invisible evade or ken
Your heart is the foundation of true religion
By
OCTAgon
#26…m.p.c
Mennaseh Patrick
+263785856923
mennasehart@gmail.com
5. Title : leftovers Pick up!!
Street kid !
Answer me then is there anything like a house kid ?
We have proclaimed the demise of humanity
Ordaining circumstance over divine sensitivity
Are they people who deserve life more than others ?
Do we only call them birds because they have wings which can fly ?
Forgive our race Oh God of my fathers
Do not consider us forsaken , to change we will try .
That boy was supposed to be a wiz kid
Vulnerable in the street college he graduated a weed kid .
We saw his tears but did not hear his cry
Gagged by strife
Passed over his denizen but him no consideration
He is there frozen like any preserved chicken in a fridge .
Its just a bridge
Queen sized beds we lay to rest
King valued bridge , their “family” retires too
Its just a difference of perfect squares
Remove the divider add love and multiply
Eliminate the brackets of power and empower
“Social classes” have eliminated the sensitivity of humanity
An unfortunate soul dismissed as forsaken
Its time we stopped attending these lessons
And redeemed some persons
Smoking glue ; a strange hue
They resort to contortion because no one offers correction .
Quaffing a concoction of brewed liquids
Just to forget this earth so grey
No one ever offered a cup of coffee to warm them till the morrow ray .
We wail when us they prey
Yet for them we never pray .
What happened to true brotherhood and parenthood ?
MAI PATAI, AWARD WINNING GOSPEL ARTIST IS HERE TO STAY!
SIMUKAI ARTS FAMILY(SAFA)
(Changing lives through arts and cultural initiatives)
29/08/30
Blogger Manu Mhike(M.M) caught up with Zimbabwe’s own gospel diva, musician Mai Patai(M.P)recently on Mai Patai Group Chat Whatsapp platform. Group participants,fellow musicians, Pastors, prominent radio presenters, international women rights defenders, promoters, fans and friends later joined in and enjoyed the highly discurssive and informative session. Mai Patai was speaking from her base in Gweru in Midlands. Below is the full interview except
*M.M* is Manu Mhike and *M.P* is Mai Patai.
Read on!
M.M: Good evening Mai Patai. My first question:
M.M: Who really is Mai Patai?
M.P: Mai Patai is a God fearing person, mother, musician, student Pastor,counsellor and enterprenuer just to mention a few. I am in my early forties.
M.M: The Music Industry in Zimbabwe and largely Africa is male dominated. What inspired you as a female to venture into it?
M.P: The word of God has inspired and motivated me to venture into gospel music and brush shoulders with my male counterparts in the music and the arts industry in general.There’s nothing else besides urging myself to preach the word of through music .
M.M: What were your fears at first?
M.P: Nice question hey!
Mostly to be a female person in the midst of male musicians.Fears of lack of academic qualifications too, haunted me. l wasn’t aware that music is a talent and it can be explored without any academic qualifications. But l thank God for His Grace.
M.M: Quite Interesting. So who supported to do your piece and fulfill your dream? I mean, the first song/album and how was the response by the public?
M.P: I want to thank my lovely husband Ephraim Patai because he is the one who discovered the talent singing in me and urged me to join him in the music journey. Later, he allowed me to record my own projects as a stand alone female artist. So he is the great man behind my success in this music journey. MP: I did cut my teeth with the song, ‘Tinokutendai’, which l sang under my husband Ephraim. We were new but that song managed to qualify on Radio Zimbabwe’s Coca Cola Top 20 Music Competition.That was during the hay days of Erick Knite,(The General Nite Rider) and John Phiri(Muzala). It did not stay for long because the fan base was not broad. The album’s name was ‘Shoko seshoko’. I wrote and led the vocals with my husband guiding.
M.M: Oh so it was not ‘Mazambara?’ (a song) ‘Mazambara’ was an instant hit! Your breakthrough in my view. What motivated the Song?
Mai Patai: ‘Mazambara’ was the third album and it is under Ephraim, Mai Patai And The Voice of Prophecy.
I do agree with you that ‘Mazambara’ was an instant hit and it was the ‘National Anthem’ of that time. I thank God for the revelation of that song to me. I believe that the song spoke and still speaks to the people. It was a prayer of everyone that God must intervene in Zimbabwe. I think the hardships of that period motivated the penning and subsequent singing of that song.
I felt so much honoured because that’s the time people came to know about Baba naMai Patai.
M.M: Your Discography?
Mai Patai: I recorded many songs under Ephraim including ‘Mazambara’. From there on, I started to release solo projects backed by V.O.P. We did the following albums:
‘Makanaka’ (2008),
‘Samulena’ (2010)
and ‘Punish the devil’ which I released in 2018.
I have three albums as a solo artist. I don’t believe in releasing too many projects without marketing them. I make sure that the projects must be well cooked, then I put effort in marketing too! It annoys to hear a person saying, “Kubva pana ‘Mazambara’ makabva manyarara!”(Eversince you released the song ‘Mazambara’ you went quiet) Meaning to say there are some previous projects which are not known by the fans, so why should I release other projects if my fans are not aware that there are more albums after it(Makanaka,Samulena & Punish the devil. So marketing my previous albums is the way to go because I believe in myself ‘kuti tobika zvinoibva'(We produce well baked cakes)
M.M: Woow! That is interesting. Your favourite song or album?
M.P: My songs are like my children. I love all of them.
M.M: 😄 I like that! I believe you are now a role model to many budding female artists. How do you treat this status of yours?
M.P: This is one is too much because I am a free spirited woman . As a role model, I love people and helping others in whatever capacity, being in the arts or business sector. I also work with the youths in sharing and urging them to make use of their talents for them to survive. I do not encourage those talented artists to emulate others but to be themselves. As a role model to others, I do not live a fake life, pretending as if I am too special than others. That one is a big No! I love people, sharing with them ,chatting with them and so on.
M.M: Candid! Tell me, What is the current status of Gospel Music in Zimbabwe?
M.P: Gospel music in Zimbabwe is now growing .What I like most is that many people now accept it as music for everyone not for the church goers only, however, there’s a hidden competition in gospel as compared to Sungura and Dancehall music. Gospel musicians are in a competition rather than spreading the gospel through music. Pride itself has started with the gospel artists. They do not appreciate each other. Everyone likes to be at the top position which contributes competition. Even on live shows before the COVID 19 pandemic wrecked havoc, no one would like to curtain raise at any of our live shows. Everyone would say, ‘I am better than so and so artist, so better for me to close the show.’ The time I won the Zimbabwe National Arts Merit Awards(NAMA), only few gospel artists celebrated together with me because they were hurt. To my surprise, secular music artists from Sungura and Dance Hall quarters celebrated together with us. Most of them were defending me saying that I deserved to win the award. Musicans like Stunner defended me when I was bullied on Social Media platforms. Nevertheless, that is art! It happens but folks, let us learn to appreciate each other and help others in any area which you might be knowledgeable.
M.M: True gospel music should be sung in the spirit of spreading the word of God and not to be taken as serious competition.
M.M: As a female artist what kind of challenges are you facing?
M.P: I faced so many challenges but l thank God for my husband because he used to support me in any way. Female artist are underrated, that is why they bullied me on social media because of the NAMA Award. Some think female artists are prostitutes. As celebrities, normally one has to be presentable but some think the other way round. Also gender inequality affects most female artists.M.M: You won the People’s Choice NAMA Award in 2018, What was the feeling especially after a lot was said about you winning the accolade, on social media?
M.P: A lot was said but I thank God, my fans and all those who voted me to win the coveted award. I was also surprised you know but at the same time felt honoured. I know I was bullied but that does not affect me anyway. l was called names on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram but I remained steadfast .I was not there at the function because I was not expecting it but because of my fans who voted I scooped it with no doubt. The award has opened some connections at the same time it has created enemity with others who think that they are better than I. I also encourage upcoming artists to stand firm and overcome challenges. They must perfect their work before releasing it to the listeners. Female artists,forward ever! Backwards never!
M.M: … And to the World?
M.P: To the world, l love those who love me and I do not care about those who hurt my talent.
M.M: Candid! Future Projects! When can we expect a single track or Album from Mai Patai?
M.P: Future projects are coming soon. I have recorded a single track entitled ‘Musatisiye’, with Chill Spot Records. That one is a digital but watch out! it will be something else. I am also about to finish a single track which is a result of a collaboration with an Australian based artist,Cosy Kozile. The track belongs to Kozile. I’m also looking forward to work with international artists and we have planned to record a single track with a Kenyan gospel artist and nominee in the 2019 Mombasa Musical Gospel Awards Nominee,Graceillar Joshua.
Manu Mhike: Wow! Mai Patai at Chillspot! Can’t wait! Any interesting story to share?
Mai Patai: It was in 2004, I was invited at ‘Nguva Yakwana Explosion which was led by now Pastor Ivy Kasi. Our pic was a very small as it was pasted on the corner of the poster. We were one of the groups that opened the show but guess what! We did an extremely well by giving a five star performance. At the end of the day, ended up having almost all print media newspapers’ headlines screaming with our name and splendid performances. One newspaper’s headline screamed, “The Pataiz stole the limelight at Nguva Yakwana show “.
Lesson, folks ‘musarambe kutangiswa but take advantage of that. Build your brand and music pakutanga. Ipapo rova basa zvekuti anotevera anonzwa kutya. Next time havakutangise coz vanenge voziva kuti unovaremera kwete kuzvipa mbiri. Pihwa mbiri iwe wakanyarara kupfurikidza nemabasa ako.
M.M: What a lesson! Finally Girl child rights and empowerment dominate local and international fora today. Word of advice to the girl child of today ( Mwanasikana wanhasi).
M.P: I love the girl child because I grew up in a pitiful environment where I was physically and emotionally abused. My father and my step mom could fight because of my educational endeavours until I finally dropped school not because of financial difficulties but my step mom hurted me. I really understand the difficulties which might be faced by the girl child but asina wekuudza.(With no one to tell. Zvisinei(Nonetheless) God is for us all! He is the One who created the girl child. I stand for the girl child and female artists. I know what they face especially being a wife, and musician, but there’s God in Heaven.
M.M: Thank you for your time Mai Patai!
Our NACZ Midlands Provincial Arts Manager, Ms Kupfavira the floor is yours before I open it for everyone.
[8/26, 8:35 PM] Mai Patai: Thank you too! Mr Manu Mhike for taking my brand to the world, God bless you!
ABOUT MANU MHIKE
Popularly known as ‘The Prince of Mazvihwa’ Emmanuel Hove Mhike is an experienced Arts and Culture Practioner whose work revolves around Writing and supporting grassroots Arts and Culture initiatives at the margins. He is also responsible for coordinating community based Artists and festivals. Emmanuel, has attended a number of local and international indabas, workshops and festivals organized by Muonde Trust, Campus Africa Network, African Learning Institute (ALI), the Ministry and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe. Emmanuel is also a filmmaker whose creative documentaries are available on Muonde Trust YouTube account. He is also an International Writer whose works featured in international journals like Munyori journal, California Poetry now, Sacramento and in 2018 among 53 Writers he was the only African featured in Tule Review, an American publication.Working at Muonde Trust as a proponent of Endogenous Development ( Community led or Development from within communities) Emmanuel to date attended key International Resilience workshops and festivals. His fantastic creative works can also be found on his award wining blog: https://manumhike.home.blog/
He can be contacted on :
Princeemmanuel1987@yahoo.com
+263775948581
Compiled and edited by Edwin Msipa aka Uncle Sipet/Black Mampara, The poet. Msipa is a comedian, educationist,arts and sports freelance writer, storyteller and a prolific writer poet.
Bingo! A picture perfect sad story – Snapped by the devil’s incarnate, Unbeggotten son of a forgotten father A vulture lands and poses for the photo, maintaining a social distance The two vultures watch the target decompose
Head down the prey listens to the silent whispers of the ancestors; Their voices fade – they can’t protect him anymore. Both worlds are dry and hopeless, none is desirable common denominators. Only heavens bear solutions, the will of the creators is eternal.
The photographer well geared and camera fully charged, but humanity unplugged. The scorecard’s breath ending, he yearns for an extra dose. Camera focus and flashlight The target discolouring to match the dust… He salutes the photographer with an eternal bow. The camera zooms in fingers crossed, Hoping to capture the soul escape.
He spits on the ground as he turns away Perhaps to moisten the ground for mourners to dig a grave. The picture wins awards But it boggles the mind; What is being celebrated? The beauty of death or beauty’s death?
What happened to humanity?
By OCTAgon Manasseh Patrick Chisvo +263 785 856 923 octagonrhythm@gmail.com
Kalanga language Kumangombe By Loice. L. Siwela +26774549393 Woje ngwedzi wagala pana Duntule duntule akati kamangombe Kumangombe kuna phulutjatja Phulutjatja intamba tamba tamba tamba nezwanana zwayo
Kalanga language Kumangombe By Loice. L. Siwela +26774549393 Woje ngwedzi wagala pana Duntule duntule akati kamangombe Kumangombe kuna phulutjatja Phulutjatja intamba tamba tamba tamba nezwanana zwayo
Setwana language Corona Loice L Siwela 0026774549393 Galase ya maloba e ile yo ya ilere tlhasetswa tlhase! Segajaja se e e itirile go kgona le gorata ! Botshelo letlepu boile ,Re opela pina engwe lehutshe ka bophara e bong lthapa diatla Sanitizer o be ikalhapha no lapeng
Tonga Language Yoobulwazi BwaCorona *Caleb Jambo Sibanda *+263784184562/+263712479203* calebjambosibanda@gmail.com
Twayoowa tobantu! Twakaambanzi? Nkulichilenga na kana nkubantu? Bapati bakati nyota nkali itolwa aachikala. Nzezyo kabi zilimumaanza aabapati kale Tulazityeni.
The ‘Book Boom’ period of the 1980-90s ushered in a new era as a lot of new black Zimbabwean writers were born. The industry grew from strength to strength in this country and it’s impact led to the publication of great quality works. The likes of,Barbra Nkala(nee Makhalisa), Kristina Rungano, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Ndabezinhle Sigogo,Norbert Mafumhe Mutasa, Pathisa Nyathi, Yvonne Vera, Chiedza Msengezi, Njabulo Ndebele, Albert Nyathi, Memory Chirere, Mbongeni Z. Malaba, Zvisinei Sandi, Vivienne Ndlovu,Tawona Mtshiya, Gugu Ndlovu,Virginia Phiri, Cont Mhlanga, Freedom Nyamubaya and many others are no exception to this sudden rise.
Players in the book industry included Zimbabwe International Book Fair(ZIBF) which played a pivotal role in the marketing of books by Zimbabwean writers as well as creating a platform for writers, publishers, book printers, book sellers, readers, tertiary institutions, academics and schools to meet and share ideas annually during the monthend of July and a couple of days into the month of August. Even today, this important week-long book festival runs under selected themes each year at the Harare Gardens in the capital city. Mini fairs are also held in Mutare, Masvingo and Bulawayo. The National Book Week activities are no longer in sight and could have been useful in the country’s quest to not only maintain the pole position on the literacy rate ladder in Africa but also to serve as a tool for instilling and inculcating a strong reading culture among today’s children and young people for an informed better Zimbabwe.
Established in 1990, Zimbabwe Women Writers(ZWW) made the woman’s voice heard. A rapid increase in publication of books by women became visible. There had been no evidence of the visibility of female writers in the pre-independence era except for Doris Lessing whose first publication saw the light of day in 1950. Nkala broke the jinx as the first woman to make her voice be heard in the post independence period with her collection of stories, ‘The Underdogs and other stories’,(1984).
Another serious player in the development of the upcoming writer was the Budding Writers Association(BWAZ) which was founded in the ’90s with the view of identifying, developing and nurturing talent among the rising young writers. They would benefit by rubbing shoulders with already established writers who gave counsel. A lot of established writers of today went through this grilling furnace. Albert Nyathi is credited for founding this great association with publisher Irene Staunton having a hand too.
Commenting on the quality of work by today’s writers, a rising publisher with Essential Book Pulishers, which has in recent times assisted and or edited books by award winning authors at the recently held National Merit Awards(NAMA) Ceremony, Aleck Kaposa remarked, “In my view, young writers of today are not producing quality work as compared to the ’80s.” Kaposa, the writer of a children’s book, ‘The big yellow train’, is known for his stance on the need for writers to thoroughly edit their manuscript before sending them to publishers.
In his 2019 ZIBF INDABA presentation, the young and vibrant University of Zimbabwe lecturer and writer Tanaka Chidora urged writers to invest a lot in the publishing process and not to make shortcuts.
Newspaper columnist and poet, Lazarus Sauti expressed the need to follow through the proper publishing process without making shortcuts. “Writers should engage good editors and proofreaders. This will improve the quality of their works. They need to read widely and wildly too. In publishing, patience is an important ingridient.” Sauti added that many young writers of today rush to launch half-baked books.
Commenting on whether self publications are worth the salt, Sauti never minced his words. He said, “Self publishing is producing good and bad books. Some authors are rushing to print their drafts and the end product is ‘sadza mbodza’, (half-baked).Writers must invest in quality professional editors, proofreaders and designers for the end product to be perfect.”
Today piracy, a bug that never threatened the ‘Book boom’ years- is eroding the gains of the literary works’ creator of today.
The effects of piracy are felt by almost every writer in Zimbabwe. Outspoken Shona poet Joseph Matonga, says, “The writer must get his share. The responsibility lies with the government in terms of reducing this piracy disease.”
Award winning Journalist, poet, films actor and the writer of ‘Chibarabada’, a Shona novel on the lives of today’s city people, Tinashe Bob Muchuri, reiterated that besides economically impoverishing a writer, piracy is causing intellectual poverty. He noted that piracy steals the writer’s motivation to do best thereby impoverishing the nation’s critical thinking.
Muchuri added that there should be a multi-faceted approach to this piracy cancer, “Libraries should be financially capacitated in order to buy new books.” A visit to a local Library run by The City Fathers in Kuwadzana showed that the greatest chunk of books on the shelves were foreign donated. The few local books available are not recent publications either.
“Government should set aside an amount of money to buy a certain number of copies of new books,” Muchuri, of the ‘Ibhinya’ and ‘Zvekwedu’ performance poems’ fame said.
Today, books are scanned or photocopied Willy-nilly with noone putting check to that ‘unholy’ practice.
In 2015, this writer and his fellow compatriots tried to stop the pirating of their book, ‘Dzinonyandura-Svinga renduri’, 2015-17 A’ Level Shona Nhetembo, set book, in the CBD of Harare by moving around and trying to grab some pirated sub-standard book copies. The efforts proved fruitless. It seems, in order to burst this crime, there is need for an aggressive multi-sectoral approach with all book stakeholders’ input being taken into consideration. This should begin with the writer’s work being taken seriously up to the legislature where strong measures may be put in place for the would-be pirates to fear committing the crime. If for example, heavy penalties are put in place this may deter would-be perpetrators. The current small fines will not push out the pirates from Harare’s streets.
Sharon Chahale, a lawyer from Kenya who graced the ZIBF 2014 extravaganza shared her Kenyan experience on how their book industry is trying to navigate it’s way round and past the piracy bug. In her lively presentation, then, Chalale highlighted that Kenyan writers set up a writers association which has a full list of its members. They engaged all shops involved in the photocopying of books in Nairobi and asked them to pay a certain fee which then goes back to the writer. Two police officers move around enforcing the directive. Thus, the writer is benefiting as opposed to the Harare scenario where pirates are reaping where they sweated not.
Muchuri suggested a similar Kenyan experience, saying, ”There should be a rights collecting management organisations which collects fees from schools and all photocopying organizations.”
Muchuri also hopes that books should be sold on eplatforms with locking systems that do not allow the book to be posted more than once.
The author of two sizzling poetry anthologies, ‘Survivors Café’ (2016) and ‘Rhyme and resistance’ (2019), Stanley Mushava agrees with Muchuri, saying, ” To solve piracy, the ministry of education can use its administrative structures to monitor schools for pirated material.”
Zimbabwe is losing out on its rich material and talent. Mushava further explains that , “It(Zimbabwe) stands to lose the most from piracy because, for example, some top Zimbabwean writers are already no longer eager to write because they are getting nothing out of it. The famously literate country is going to be left with foreign books only to read when more writers want out of the naked exploitation.” Commenting on the legislative part of the book system, Mushava pointed out that, “Nobody openly sells weed on the streets for fear of arrest but many of the streets are full of ‘stolen’ books which police pass by everyday.”
“Cultural practitioner, poet , blogger, writer and one of the team members encouraging restoration of Sacred places, spaces and knowledge including ‘Rambotemwa’, a conservation area in Mazvihwa, Midlands, Emmanuel Mhike, acknowledges that ebooks are benefiting him a bit from some generous journals but all is not rosy, “Piracy is affecting me big time and surprisingly people are converting my books to pdf and other formats.”
Also sharing the same sentiments on the intensity of ebook piracy rate in Zimbabwe, NAMA award winner, Mushava said, ” While hard cocpy piracy is widespread in schools, ebook piracy is widespread in universities. It’s an even faster and totalising form of piracy because of the population of the gadgetry involved.”
Although heaping a lot of praises on the publication of ebooks, educationist, orator and poet Biggie Chiranga’s thoughts move along with his colleagues in taking a swipe at their abuse, “Ebook publication has the disadvantage of being prone or vulnerable to piracy. Many books will be downloaded and circulated on social platforms. In the end writers lose a fortune.”
Mhike who is also The Crown Prince of Mazvihwa went on to lament that protecting eBook work is complex and sometimes more expensive.
Publishers and book sellers just like music producers must revisit the pricing cost of their products so as to deter pirates. This will also make the book and music affordable and easily accessible to the consumers. These valued products must be made available in bookshops and recorbars respectively, anytime consumers’ demand rises.
Phillip Mudzimba, a College Press representative, concurred with Muchuri and Chahale’s subscriptions that it is still a long way to go in terms of putting an end to piracy, “This is a huge fight in our hands which unfortunately will not end anytime soon. Now with technology it is even worse-how do you stop people in hundreds of whatsapp groups from sharing scanned pdf.
Mushava, however, believes that publishers must acquaint themselves with existing legislation and invoke it whenever their copyrighted work is abused.” He urged the police to act proactively against this national problem.
Mudzimba cleared the air on whether traditional or big publishers are still collecting manuscripts from writers, “Yes publishers are publishing general books that is poetry, drama and novels but not at the rate and scale of yesteryear. This is due to the economic environment we find ourselves in-where business continuity and survival is key. It comes natural that more effort is put on fast moving titles such as curriculum texts.”
On the case of whether ‘Big’ publishers are acting so as to put check to piracy, Mudzimba pointed out that police are being engaged with a number of court cases being heard and some still pending. They are also engaging the ministry of education and the latter is encouraging schools to buy books from reputable dealers though it is still not helping much.
“The Copyright Act is there and is under reveiw. The court process is the one that allows the pirates to continue harvesting what they have not grown.,” Muchuri added on.
Another rising publisher located at 5 Wallasey Street, Donnington, Emagumeni, the City of Kings,Bulawayo, Progressive Publishers who has, in recent years, had a couple of nominees at the NAMA Awards, also pointed out that piracy was their achilles heel. The company’s publishing Manager, Progress Nigwa believes, with enough support of literary works from all sectors, the book industry, though still small is poised to make an impact. “With piracy, I think we have three different groups. The first one has those guys in the streets who are only making a living. Secondly, we have schools that photocopy books for their students. The third group comprises of printers who are the supply chain of all these people. They are getting richer with authors’ works. Once we destroy the third group then the rest will automatically die as they will not have a supplier. We also have teachers who are scanning the whole novel and sending soft copies to their colleagues and students.”
The death of BWAZ seems to have spelt doom to the rising young writers as they now lack proper guidance to produce quality work and getting published.
The coming in of writers associations like Zimbabwe Writers Association(ZWA) which represents both male and female writers, Zimbabwe Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association(ZANA) which represents Zimbabwean writers who are into academic research and the writing of non-fiction works only, ZWW’s mandate is to further the interests of women’ writers and the Writers International Network Zimbabwe(WINZIM) is a welcome relief to writers who need represantation.
“Writers associations are very effective. They provide a unified voice to lobby for things that may be lacking in the country. For example if one of their members’ book is banned, they voice through the association. When piracy hit hard, the writers can confront the government for measures to be taken to reduce piracy,” said Muchuri.
With the government not yet fully funding the book industry and the economic meltdown, these associations’ drive to fully represent the interests of the writers are being put to check.
Hope is there for the writer to live on his/her work in Zimbabwe only if a multisectoral approach is used. The involvement of everyone concerned from the writer, editor, publisher, printer, bookseller, the government, Zimcopy and the reader- will create a better world for the book industry to survive.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Edwin Msipa aka Black Mampara is a freelance writer who writes in his own capacity. He is a novelist and has his poems featured in a number of English and Shona Anthologies.He also acts and writes short comedies. Contact him on:
To emancipate its worshippers and incorrigibles alike
From the claws of death!
Alas, the World cries
In the face of this disastrous adversity
Cure has hidden itself from the face of the Universe
The available and embraced palliatives
Are sadly overwhelmed
By the raging rapaciousness of a malady
Which has run amok!
In circumstances such as these
It’s unperceivable
That amoung citizenry of our planet
A lerthargic and fatalistic view is taken of the disastrous and rampant beast
Branded COVID 19@
Sad and inconceivable this!
To the contrary
Vast populations
Accepted they have
The harsh tentacles of reality
The presence of pestilence
Upturned their faces to the Heavens they have
Baring their souls they are
In introspection and humility they prostrate themselves
Seeking in earnest
The magnanimous hand
Of the unshaken and steadfast Physician
Of all time
The Almighty!
Death in its wake
Has levelled and evened the pedestals of man:
The rich
The poor
Have been shaken to the roots
By the gargantuan proportions of annihilation
In so much that
Classes and divisions of the human race
Have been abandoned and forgotten for a while
The perception has come to the better fore
That every human form
Is as Human as the next!
Fear
Calamity
Peril
Are no respecters of beings
Into the same stead and synonimity
They have rapidly and ponderously shepherded man…
In pain and Anguish
They all cry out loud!
The frenzied congflagration
Has no bounds!
hebert chiweshedea
Everyone off
By Chenjerai Mhondera
it bores to be on off
you never applied for
it bores too if it’s a leave
you never applied for
you carry self off
unprepared for off
as if sent off –
to reason, stress and worry about
why off, when i did not need off?
for an off like this
is like twenty-one days
in the reign and ruin
of covid 19,
when mafia 19, went on rampage;
the president and his army
holding guns and baton sticks against their people –
and no against covid.
you lie, if you say you liked this
off.
you lie, because it was offside
with nothing to eat –
everything cofeat
cofeat is an English word, discovered by Chenjerai Mhondera. The word coincided with covid 19, and it means a state of desperation caused/effected by covid 19. It also means a state of despair. It also means the state of being exhausted/defeated by corona. Such restlessness associated with desperate fight and seeming unsuccessful fight against this pandemic.
cofeat (v), cofeated (past tense) cofeating (active tense in -ing)
It’s now a pandemic my friend We were all relaxed offshore and sun bathing Suddenly, darkness shot through the sun Now the deadly night spreads before you and me Nobody knows who is holding the sun, But that’s not a necessary question to ponder now The Lion is invisibly roaring in everyone’s way Move out of the way and hide! Don’t be deceived Although the weather appears calm For the moment beware of visitors This is not the virus that let bitches thrive on visitors Chased will be the ‘braveries’ And consequently, the ditches will become graves Corona is the Lion Hide my friend hide! Stay back, stay safe, stay alive Let the equipped hunters do their job Don’t complicate the already complicated trail Just hide my friend The night might be long but definitely, The sun will rise and shine bright again!!!
Poems 