PROGRAMME JULIUS CHINGONO HOMAGE

Venue: Theatre in the Park

Date: 8^th February

Time: 6/6.30pm to 8pm

MC: Michael Kudakwashe

6.30: Welcome remarks by the MC and presentation of the Ambassador of Spain, H.E. Pilar Fuertes Ferragut

6.35: Words by the Ambassador of Spain, H.E. Pilar Fuertes Ferragut

6.40: Guest of honor: a representation of the Ministery of Education, Art and Culture, presented by the MC

6.45: Words by Murray Mc Cartney from Weaver Press, presented by the MC

6.50: Reciting of 5 poems

- Batsirai Chigama “Through the eyes of Julius”

- Tinashe Muchari “Wakatisiira iyi nhaka”

- Rumbi Katedza “For all season” (poem written by Mr. Chirikure Chirikure)

- Larry Kwirirayi “Trash-heap thoughts”

- Rumbi Katedza “Waiting for the bus” (poem written by Mr. John Eppel)

7.00: Song of Chikwata 263 (tbc)

7.05: Reciting of 6 poems

- Trust Mutekwa “Julius Chingono”

- Mbizo Chirasa “Tribute to African Writers”

- Fungai Machirori “Grief is not”

- Josiah Mawoyo “Letter to Julius”

- Murray Mc Cartney “Insanity” (poem written by Mr. Mgcini Nyoni, 30 seconds)

- Batsirai Chigama “Ode to Julius Chingono” (poem written by Mrs.Virginia Phiri)

7.15: Performance of Chingono´s diaries by Walter Muparutsa

7.25: Memories: Reciting of 2 Chingono´s poems and two anecdotes of Chingono

- First poem “Dai” recited by Lloyd Machacha

- Second poem “My uniform” recited by Keith Mushonga

- First anecdote by Comrade Fatso

- Second anecdote by Togara Muzanhenamo

7.35: Vote of thanks by Marina García, Cultural Attachée Embassy of Spain

7.37: Cocktail

Call for Submissions for the 4th FEMRITE Regional Women Writers’ Residence November 2012

Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE) calls for submissions for her 4th Regional Women Writers Residence to be held in November 2012. This is an inspiring initiative that brings together upcoming African women writers. The main objectives of the residency are:

• To bring established writers to mentor upcoming African women writers
• To give upcoming Ugandan women writers the opportunity to interact with women writers from the continent
• To give African women writers conducive space and time pursue their writing projects
• To create opportunities for inter-cultural discourse among women writers
• To strengthen collaboration among women writers’ initiatives in Africa
• To generate short stories for publication in an anthology

At the end of the residence, we expect the writers to have:

• had mentoring sessions with an established writer
• improved at least one of their writing projects
• enriched each other’s manuscripts through discussion
• submitted their improved short story for the residency anthology

How to apply

Interested women are required to submit;

• Part of a novel / short Story collection in WORD document (40 pages, typed in Times New Roman, font 12, 1.5 spacing).

• A short story for publication in the residency anthology
• A brief bio (not more than 10 lines)

This call is open to African women living on the continent. Writers already attached to writers groups in their countries are encouraged to apply.

Deadline for submissions is 30th April 2012

Please Note:

1. All applicants will receive notification by email once their manuscripts are received.
2. The Residency targets 15 writers
3. The Residency will last two weeks in November 2012
4. Successful applicants will be notified by 30th August 2012.
5. Successful published applicants will be kindly requested to donate copies of their works to the FEMRITE Resource Centre
6. Applicants should not have published more than one book.
7. FEMRITE will solicit support to meet costs of travel, accommodation, & meals.

For inquiries and submissions, please email info@femriteug.org

Just spent my morning with Watson Chidzomba, Tinashe Muchuri, Marina Sanchez & the man himself for a brief moment though…Oliver Mtukudzi.  I haven’t started to dream.  I need to go back to sleep & dream some more or maybe this time I need to day-dream so i can capture everything without losing anything in sleep.  BRB.

The journey of life is never like a perfectly constructed sentence with intonation, rhyme all the works in the right place yet even the crooked of sentences has a full stop.  Some things in life just have to end for others to begin. By Batsirai E Chigama

Poetry is the tears that purge my bitterness/

The smile that brightens a cloudy day/

the laughter of the children playing marbles in the dirt/

Poetry is vice that anchors me

holding me from teetering on the edge of desperation/

Poetry is Life.

If they don’t understand your silence they are likely not to understand a single word you say and if they can’t feel the pain behind the tears you shed they are likely never to offer you joy that surpasses that pain. By Batsirai E Chigama

There are people who will call you by name yet not know who you are & they will be plenty,’ Batsirai E Chigama

Canadian based poet, musician and sculptor, Keisha Monique Simpson was visiting Zimbabwe for a week in August and I managed to catch up with her when she made a special appearance in the at Sistaz Open Mic at the Book Café. Keisha’s poetry has been featured on radio, television and film, she is also a two-time member of Toronto’s Up From The Roots Slam Team and two-time feature at North America’s largest spoken word event, ‘When Sisters Speak’.

Her words reflect the harsh reality of everyday struggles fused with the courage to face them. It was when she took to stage and performed two poems that she had the audience wowed.  One of her poems touched on good personal relationships as a means of creating a bigger and better society. She seemed to be saying one cannot expect to build a better community moreso a society if one has not dealt with the smaller issues even at family level.

Q

I understand this is your first time to Zimbabwe, what was your first impression?

KMS

Yes, this is was my first time to Zimbabwe and I love it here! I called my family back in Toronto to tell them how much Zimbabwe reminds me of Jamaica. The warmness of the people, the rich culture, the lush landscape. There is a very strong spirit here. Having the opportunity to connect with so many artists and people along with performing, has been an absolute blessing. This is a beautiful place and it is definitely not my last time coming.

Q

A brief on your workshops & performances in South Africa

KMS

While in South Afrika, I will be co-facilitating a writing workshop with other artists at Cape Town University. This workshop will include all of us sharing our various writing techniques and then fuse what we have learned from each other. Also, I will be mentored by Elders who used their art in the struggle against apartheid. In Soweto, I will be facilitating a writing workshop at Rosa Parks Library for Young Women in the community, which will pull from their own personal experiences with an emphasis on ancestry and spirituality. We will also do visioning at the end of the workshop, which is a process of identifying and acknowledging one’s purpose, accepting it and using visual aids to support us in realizing it.

Q

Our poetry movements are starting to emerge with initiatives from different perspectives what would you say about poetry in Canada.

KMS

There is a huge poetry community in Canada. With the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, When Brothers Speak, When Sisters Speak, monthly open mics, slams and sessions, etc; from coast to coast, there are spoken word poets, dub poets, page poets, etc from all walks of life speaking/writing/reciting on various issues. From the abstract to politics to the personal, there is usually a wide variety of topics at each show. There are also poets and other lovers of poetry who are working hard at creating safer spaces for those us who have had our experiences appropriated, silenced and/or spoken for. Not every community is given the same amount of access to platforms of expression and the struggle for equal foot …On the flip side of this, solidarity is formed    between various communities and individuals as a result.
Q             Musician, Poet, Sculptor:  is this interrelated?
KMS       Yes, it is! I have fused my poetry with music (I play the djembe, keyboard and do light producing). I have found that expressing self through various mediums usually aid in the other art forms and as a lover of art, I am therefore continuously learning that everything is interwoven. It’s important to explore new and various avenues of ourselves and allowing
that to flow freely through our creations.

Q             How do you view performance poetry as compared to poetry readings (I’ve always felt performance poetry spoke more to the audience than poetry reading does)

KMS       I love and have respect for all poetry forms. There is, however, an element of performance poetry that strikes a cord with me. To bear witness to someone standing in their truth, performing with passion is beyond just poetry for me, it is an experience. I have only expressed myself through performance poetry, thus far, mainly for this reason as I feel more connected with the audience. But, this may change depending on what the moment calls for.

Q  Any general comments on your experience in Zimbabwe?
KMS       Zimbabwe is such as magical place. I was and still am so humbled by  the balance of the compassion, genuineness, and resistance of Zimbabwean people. I have testimony upon testimony of wonderful experiences and relationships formed.  From the artists to the market women to the business owners to the school children, it has been nothing short of a blessing to connect and share.

The afternoon which was filled with surprises saw the introduction of  Milopi, and all female band who had the crowd leap to their feet in no time.  Rumbi Tapfuma and the Percussionists held their own.  It was an afternoon of  powerful spoken word, music and dance and Keisha Monique sure gave an unforgetable performance for the full-house audience at Sistaz Open Mic

Tambo Tambulani Tambo, Pemba Mozambique  – Batsi’s Diary 11-16 July 2011

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”  Mark Twain

Day 1, Monday 11 July 2011

I arrive at Pemba airport and realize my luggage is missing my heart misses a beat…my luggage carries just one valuable…my poetry, the poetry that I have travelled all the way from Zimbabwe to share with the people of Pemba…Comforting thing is I realize Rumbidzai Tapfuma and Eunice Tava from Zimbabwe where on the same flight and I don’t feel so alone anymore.  It’s almost three in the morning when we finally arrive at Tambo Tambulani…for several reasons sleep does not come easy.

Day 2, 3,4 Tuesday 12-14 July 2011

The art camp begins with several workshops; theatre, gender and music workshops are held at Tambo while the literature workshop was held at the plush Pemba Beach Hotel.  I am amazed at how the community of Tambo is so involved especially the women – catering for the festival as well as performing the Inkissa dance to the delight of the festival goers.  Now Inkissa is not a dance for two-left footed beings like myself so I don’t even try to lift my feet…the vigour with which it is performed would leave me breathless.  Spontaneity lives here.  I witnessed the most interesting jam session ever when Yasu held the music workshop on the 15^th.  The percussion improvised instruments: empty bottles, spoons and sticks then add Warila’s traditional Khanakari guitar, pure magic.

An informal general discussion on gender issues initiated by Angela and moderated by Eunice Tava highlighted universal issues I realized, not only peculiar to the women of Tambo but issues that are a concern even in Zimbabwe.  There are no opportunities for the women to expose their talent, many of them with hopes to travel the world and share their culture with the world.
If the world can come to us why can’t we also go to the world?  Even though culture is what these women are trying to preserve it is the same culture that is a barrier standing between them and their full potential.  The women are limited to playing ngoma and cannot play any other instrument as it is mostly done by men.  It was encouraging however to hear some of the men at Tambo encourage the women to be bold and follow their dreams.

DAY 4,15-16 July 2011

The festival begins.
On the afternoon of the 15^th participants of the festival are taken to the oldest part of town, the baixa, centred around the port and adjacent to Paquitequete.  I’ts however sad to note the state on this historic place in such neglect.   It’s a Friday so like any other Friday people are looking for the place where the party is at, Tambo Tambulani Tambo.  Opening the show were the admirable women of Nanhimbe, leaving behind their daily chores they took to the stage with such overwhelming presence – Inkissa, the signature dance.  Moticomo(Maputo), Warila(Nampula), Motlepele ‘Mo’ Morule & Eze-lap(South Africa), Rumba group(Pemba), Yasu(Pemba) were some of the groups that took part in the festival.   I was the only poet representing at the whole festival, a challenge to compete with music but I must say the translation by my new found friend Lithos resulted in an amazing response from the audience.

How we view the world and what we choose to see is determined by the kind of lens we lend to our eyes, I chose to see that little
ray.

Thanks to Carl Joshua Ncube, Clare Nyakujara, Inkanyezi & Wocalling for the t-shirts & music prizes that I gave away at the festival.