Staffrider Vol.3 No.4 Dec-Jan 1980 - DISA

Staff rider ProfileCharles MungoshiZimbabwe WritersTwo interviews by Jaki SerokeArmed struggle in Zimbabwe began in 1966. The climate of repressionduring the next fourteen years did not encourage the growth of theliterary arts. In that period some writers succumbed to censorship,others took the road of direct political involvement. There were alsothose who persevered and continued to write.On a recent trip to Zimbabwe we discussed the writers' struggle with twoZimbabweans, and also with research workers at the National Universitywho are concentrating on the history and continuity of Southern Africanwriting. Throughout our discussions the emphasis was on the solidarityof writers working in the Southern cone of the continent.^We were brought up inA Literary Desert"We grew up in a literary desert. There was not much to readabout ourselves, historically speaking, and everything weclung to was from 'down south'. We read writers like ThomasMokopu Mofolo, Ezekiel Mphahlele, Alex La Guma and soon at the time when we were at high school. These were thewriters who communicated best with us. At this stage, by theway, I performed very poorly in my formal scholarlyendeavours.I took an interest in writing, putting out a few poems hereand there. Writing soon overtook my studies. Lookingaround at my school-mates, I saw that no-one was satisfiedwith conventional reading which did not really relate to ourimmediate experience.I knew little about Zimbabwean literature until I cameacross Ndabaningi Sithole's The Polygamist. He had alsowritten African Nationalism. Lawrence Vambe had writtenAn Ill-fated People. These books were factual and could notbe measured in the creative sphere. The censors banned themat first sight. I grew worried, because at that stage one couldnot single out one novel proper by a Zimbabwean which wasenjoyable.There is a tendency among many young writers to fall forpoetry. Apparently they think it is easier. Until OrdinaryLevel at school, poetry is taken very naively. The things thatcome out of this naive source are not really poetry as such.It is a bit hard to say what Zimbabwe literature will belike now that we are independent. After so much human lossand suffering, we are most probably facing the theme ofreconstruction. The damage done to human minds has to betaken care of.I think that writing, at any time and in any place, shouldlook into the problems a society is facing. It should dig downinto other people's private affairs — trying to find the meaningof our communal experiences.We have come to realise that any writing in time of war isaffected by the confusion of such a situation. Our writingscarry within themselves a certain related feeling. There is atendency to try and play down what you are putting across.Charles Mungoshi is based in Harare. His novelWaiting for the Rain (Heinemann's African WritersSeries) won the 1976 Rhodesian PEN Prize and hisShona play has recently been published in Salisbury.He is currently employed on the editorialstaff of the Literature Bureau.Most of the time you feel you haven't really come out withwhat's happening.We never had a creative magazine in which we could pourout our feelings. Most commercial magazines were terriblyretrogressive: accepting only 'love' stories. So, our workswere stifled in a way. Most of us rejected the temptation towrite such things. For honesty's sake, you had to write and'snug' your manuscript away safely somewhere.Not until towards the end of last year when ZimbabweArtists and Writers Association was formed did writers cometogether. Under the old government it was difficult to grouptogether as artists. Unfortunately ZAWA disintegrated afterit was formed. As was the norm, those who held office werenot even writers.In this country there has been a kind of complacencyamong black artists. It has been really difficult to come togetheras artists. I think this is one of the reasons why mostwriters resorted to a political platform pure and simple.In 1969 we formed a Drama Society which I chaired forthree years. The problems we faced then are still aroundtoday. We worked with frustrated school-leavers who werestarry-eyed and thought of making a big name for themselvesin the theatre. But once they had learnt that the dirt roadhas many twists and turns in store, they shied away. Weplayed to near-empty houses. Following this, our actors didnot attend rehearsals. The group would disintegrate. Lack offinance and ramshackle venues was the last straw.On the other hand, white theatre was thriving and exploitingthis situation.But we still have some playwrights who write in Shonaand isiNdebele. Thompson Tshodzo is the most prominent.Most of the productions are in the format of townshipmusicals.I was once called upon to tighten up the plot of acommercially-inclined play for an established theatre company.The problem with these musicals is that in mostcases the lyrics do not follow the pattern of the content.STAFFRIDER, DECEMBER 1980/JANUARY 1981