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There is a deep longing for some “paradise lost” in the literary sector; a yearning for those years gone by when titles of Shona and Ndebele novels were hymns for the school-going Zimbabweans, when radio book programmes and mobile libraries, facilitated by the now defunct Literature Bureau, brought people closer to the beauty of their languages and cultures.
However, recent calls to revive the Literature Bureau, perhaps re-structured to fit in the modern times, and the official recognition of a number of local languages in the Constitution, are refreshing, yet how much now is to be done remains a massive responsibility and must be spared the theories of procrastination.
With emphasis on Ndebele literature, like its counterpart Shona, it has over the years nose dived as most writers have taken to English language to reach a wider audience.
It is of course acceptable that a writer must use the language he/she is comfortable with but still the slow growth of Zimbabwean literature in Ndebele and Shona in nearly the last two decades creates a desire to go back for comfort to the times of the Literature Bureau.
Speaking in an online interview regarding Ndebele literature, writer, cultural fundi and historian Pathisa Nyathi, who also runs Amagugu Publishers which publishes in English and Ndebele, appreciated the role played by the Literature Bureau in promoting mother languages.
“The (Southern Rhodesia) Literature Bureau was instrumental in fostering writing in indigenous languages (Ndebele and Shona).Though writing was somewhat circumscribed in light of prevailing political opinion many writers cut their teeth during the days of the Literature Bureau, for example, Ndabezinhle Sigogo, Ndabaningi Sithole, Peter S Mahlangu, Isaac Mpofu, Lassie Ndondo and David Ndoda, among others,” he said.
Another Ndebele poet/writer Jerry Zondo, writing on fellow writer Memory Chirere’s blog, also said the Literature Bureau had a major influence on Ndebele writing as it sponsored manuscripts and cleared them for publication through the Longman, Mambo Press, College Press and Zimbabwe Publishing House.
History has its own part to blame for sowing seeds of mental colonisation which destroyed the cultural base of the indigenous people. In view of this, Pathisa Nyathi said colonisation led to new and sometimes retrogressive mind-sets. “The ways of the African, including their languages and culture in general were despised and denigrated. To write, it seemed was to write in the language of the master, that is English. In some way there are writers who have sought the prestige associated with writing in the more cosmopolitan and more global and more prestigious English,” said Nyathi.
The devastating impact of English language and education on some local languages during the colonial times was aptly expressed by the late renowned writer Dambudzo Marechera in a self-interview in which he asks himself, “Did you ever think of writing in Shona?” and he replies to himself, “It never occurred to me. Shona was part of the ghetto demon I was trying to escape. Shona had been placed within the context of a degraded, mind-wrenching experience from which apparently the only escape was into the English language and education.” (Dambudzo Marechera (1952-1987), published by Baobab Books, 1988).
One then asks, is the overwhelming international recognition of Zimbabwean authors (from Ndebele and Shona-speaking regions) writing in English language happening at the expense of mother languages? Have writers neglected their languages? On the other hand, translation from local languages to English has never worked as there are no tangible examples of translated books which carved or won an international niche or award. Who is to blame?
Award-winning writer Christopher Mlalazi, who comes from Bulawayo and writes mainly in English language, disagrees that some writers from Ndebele-speaking regions seem to have shunned Ndebele language and chosen to write/publish in English language in which they have done so well in terms of achieving international acclaim.
“I think it is not true to say writers (from the Ndebele-speaking region) seem to have shunned Ndebele language as the medium of creative writing. I am happy to say that there are several writers I know personally writing in Ndebele, but unfortunately for them publishing in local languages dried up when most of our local publishers closed shop because of the economic challenges of the recent years also affecting the country. Some local language writers have chosen to self-publish, but I have also noticed that of those who do that, they go on later to hit a hard rock in terms of marketing the book, as most of them lack the professionalism of the traditional publisher in that regard, but still, some are meeting with success as I have seen one or two go on to have their self-published books taken as school set books,” said Mlalazi. His Facebook page, Zimbabwe Writers Project, has thousands of followers and Mlalazi says a majority of the followers are writers in Ndebele language only that limited publishing opportunities are hindering them from reaching out to their readers.
“Currently, the local literary sector has a serious need for the re-opening of publishing companies that have gone into limbo. We have so many writers out there just waiting for a chance to have their work assessed and published, and one can imagine how frustrated they are now with this lack of publishing opportunity,” Mlalazi said.
Pathisa Nyathi echoed Mlalazi’s view that not all is gloom for the mother languages, particularly Ndebele, as self-publishing is taking on board writing in IsiNdebele and there are still some established writers working hard to preserve Ndebele literature and one of them, well-known writer Barbara Nkala, runs Radiant Publishers in Bulawayo.
With the Constitution of Zimbabwe now recognising sixteen languages as official languages, with only English being the foreign language of those sixteen, Nyathi noted that while this is step in the right direction, the problem is with implementation.
“It all sounds very good and plausible. The real test comes when application is considered. Language is a medium of communication, but also goes beyond that. To some people language carries a large measure of prestige. The language of commerce and economics will inevitably overshadow those that have limited reach in the global village. As long as the indigenous languages are associated with ethnic nostalgia and do not find use in modern technologies, trade and commerce they will receive lip service,” said Pathisa Nyathi.
The late writer Ndabezinle Sigogo, a literary guru who wrote in Ndebele language left an indelible mark on Zimbabwean literature. His name is not limited to Bulawayo but spreads beyond boundaries, thus proving that mother languages in writing are able to break through certain limitations.
Mlalazi and Nyathi said Ndebele literature surely needs more of the Sigogo’s not as replicas of him but as inspired writers like him.
“It is my hope and wish that we not only have a future Sigogo but that there be more of them. The young writers if they are to scale the lofty literary heights need to have icons who inspire and a direct their energies. Sigogo is one such icon who needs to be celebrated if only that will inspire and lead to the replication of Sigogo the man and Sigogo the writer of rare talents and dedication,” said Nyathi
Mlalazi, a new generation writer who admires Ndabezinhle Sigogo but unfortunately did not read much of him (Sigogo) to be able comment on his work, said, “Yes we must have more Ndabezinhle Sigogo’s, and judging by the energy writing in Ndebele is being tackled with these days, I can imagine there are many Sigogo’s out there just waiting to explode into the scene.”
Should real work be done regarding implementation of the sixteen languages by government and all concerned, writers from Binga, for example, would be happy to someday in the near future be able to publish their Tonga poems and stories to showcase the pride of their culture and imagination.
Online Reporter