Zimbabwe: Zimunyas Quest for Literature January the 29th, 2014. BY KUMBIRAYI SHONIWA Source: The Herald Musaemura Zimunya is arguably one of Zimbabwes most anthologised poets, short story writer and leading scholar of local and international literature. Zimunyas career began in the 1970s with his poems appearing in periodicals like Two Tone and Chirimo, which published literary works from African writers in the then Rhodesia. Later his works appeared in anthologies including Gwenyambira published by Mambo Press (1979), and Kizito Muchemwas Zimbabwean Poetry in English (1978). After independence poems from Zimunya were compiled in several anthologies including Thought Tracks (1982), Kingfisher, Jikinya and Other Stories (1982), Country Dawns and City Lights (1985) and Perfect Poise published in 1994. And now the Poets Speak (1981) co-written with Mudereri Khadani remains one of Zimbabwes most mentioned collection of edited poems. University of Zimbabwe English lecturer Memory Chirere has dedicated many pages highlighting the many works of Zimunya and considers him to be one of the best poets ever to emerge from the country. Zimunyas poems over the past three decades reflect on the physical beauty of his country, his peoples struggles against settler occupation and racism, the meaning of African myths and traditions and the meaning of freedom to the individual, wrote Chirere in 2010. The writer shows his unique insight into Zimbabwean literature when he ventures into literary criticism in the book Those Years of Drought and Hunger: The birth of African Fiction in Zimbabwe (1982). Zimunyas critical appreciation covers the whole spectrum of Zimbabwes lyrical landscape in English from the colonial era including writers like Dambudzo Marechera, Charles Mungoshi and Shimmer Chinodya. In 1993 Zimunya spread his artistic wings and ventured into short story writing with Nightshift and Other Stories which sought to explore reality and the world of vice and poverty, especially in urban settings. Other themes which Zimunya explores include the relationship between reality and myths, especially the Africans belief in spirituality including mermaids, supernatural vengeance, magic and sorcery. The writer is also recognised as a strong supporter of local literature especially in his role of chairperson of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair and his backing of the Zimbabwe Writers Union. In a recent interview the writer expressed his wish to see more local writers improving their welfare by becoming more successful in their careers. There is a tragedy of authors who are abandoned by both society and publishers even though their writings made enormous contributions to the education of our citizens and to the coffers of publishers. Our long term objective is to canvass widely for the recognition of writers beyond their healthy years, said Zimunya. allafrica/stories/201401290057.html
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 08:02:02 +0000
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