IN its third year, the Harare Open Book Festival continues to grow in patronage and impact on the literary community.
This year’s edition, themed Necessary Conversations, will be held today at The Garden in Newlands, Harare.
NewsDay Life & Style reporter Khumbulani Muleya (KM) spoke with the festival co-founder Brain Garusa (BG) and below are excerpts from the interview.
KM: Congratulations on coming up with yet another edition of the Harare Open Book Festival. What inspired you and your co-founders to start the festival?
BG: The desire to have a safe space for authors, readers, publishers and other interested people including organisations to participate in celebrating our literary richness.
We wanted to have a space to complement those that are already in existence and try to face head-on the challenges that our sector is facing.
A space to say we have challenges, but we have books to read and write.
KM: Can you elaborate on this year’s theme, Necessary Conversations?
- Open Book festival a literary extravaganza
- ‘Harare Open Book Festival the go-to space for every Zim writer, reader’
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BG: It is a theme that still speaks to our desire to confront the problems we are facing in our communities: the literary community and the world we live in, inspired by the verse that “in the beginning, there was the word”, we thought of thinking deeply about our issues through literature.
KM: What makes this year’s line-up of literary figures such as Aaron Chiundura Moyo, Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Togara Muzanenhamo, Clive Mono Mukundu and Sukoluhle Nyathi particularly significant and how do you envision these renowned authors and artists contributing to the Necessary Conversations theme?
BG: This year’s line-up signifies growth in the sense that we managed to bring more authors of high stature.
We always did in the previous two additions. Now we have widened the horizons in terms of where they are coming from and stretched our reach to include one who graced the space before independence.
This ensures synergies between writers from across generations and the globe. It brings different experiences together.
By bringing the Legends Hour, which Aaron Chiundura Moyo is going to feature, we are guarding ourselves against forgetting those who came before us.
I hope young writers like me will learn from those who have achieved more than us.
KM: Are there any innovative or experimental elements integrated into this year’s festival format? Would you like to shed more light on the inspirational author retreat in Eastern Highlands?
BG: We are going to have spoken word poets for the first time. Ariphileng, who volunteered her songs last year, will be present.
We understand the power of collaboration between art platforms. The Eastern Highlands retreat shows the potential that lies in partnerships with the corporate world.
KM: What inspired the decision to include the retreat in this year’s festival programme?
BG: Resources permitting, we desire to see artists enjoying, resting and relaxing after their artistic labours.
We want to believe this retreat though with a few selected writers for now, is the seed for other appreciative initiatives for our writers
KM: Can you highlight any notable partnerships or collaborations this year, how will these enhance the festival experience?
BG: When organising a festival, the most important services are transport and accommodation of guests.
We managed to have a corporate partnership with fastjet, who are flying some of our writers, and Cresta Lodges, who will be accommodating some of our guests, as well as giving the retreat services in Nyanga.
We also managed to maintain our old partnership with The Garden, who continue giving us space to host our festival.
Various friends are giving us the needed support in different ways. They love to see the success of the festival.
KM: Besides an author’s retreat, the festival will also feature panel discussions, readings, workshops, music and poetry performances. Can you elaborate on each of these components?
BG: The Necessary Conversations summit involves discussions on the business side of writing, writing residences, life writings, literature and city-making, literature and desire as well as the Legends Hour, which will be a permanent segment of the festival going forward.
There is also the Kidz Corner, a new initiative to cater to young one. If you check the curation it is intended to discuss issues affecting writers as well as some of the issues literature raises about humanity.
KM: How does Book Fantastics’ mission align with the festival’s goals, do you see the festival as an extension of Book Fantastics’ work?
BG: It is an organisation complementing what has been and what is being done by different organisations in the Zimbabwean literary scape.
These are but not limited to Litfest Harare, Carnelian Heart Publishing, The Book Club, Harare Book Club, Gourd of Consciousness Poetry, and the Zimbabwe International Book Fair, among others.
KM: What role do you see the Harare Open Book Festival playing in Zimbabwe’s literary landscape and what legacy does it aim to leave?
BG: We desire to see Zimbabwean literature and those making it thrive and converse with other literary communities regionally and globally. It should be a go-to space for every Zimbabwean writer and reader.
