THE Harare Open Book Festival returned for its second edition on October 14 under the theme ‘Telling our stories; securing our futures’.
Launched in 2022, this year’s edition attracted writers from South Africa and Zambia, who together with local authors, congregated at Ela The Garden in Newlands, Harare to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to literature such as book translation and the economics of publishing.
Curated by Brain Garusa of Book Fantastics, the event is an annual celebration of literature that is becoming a highlight on the local event calendar.
It features thought-provoking panel discussions and enticing displaysof books written by both local and African writers.
Through panel discussions, the fiesta provided a forum for writers and readers to analyse, compare, and draw comparisons between some of the most impressive literary works written by authors in the continent and beyond. In one of the sessions moderated by Tawanda Zanamwe, Zambian writer Sumili Kipenda and Bongani Luthuli from South Africa took turns to delve into Zimbabwean literature while also reflecting on the works of authors from their own countries.
The issue of translation took centre stage and raised interest among writers regarding the translation of Western literature into local interpretations and vice versa.
Memory Chirere who recently released his 92-page offering titled Shamhu Yezera Renyu published by Carnelian Heart Publishing Ltd, led a panel that had Ignatius Mabasa, novelists Petina Gappah, and Tinashe Muchuri.
The panelists highlighted among other issues, the importance of translation in nurturing humanity’s tolerance for other cultures.
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They also noted how translating one language to another encouraged cooperation, unity, peace, and interaction among races.
Gappah shared her enthusiasm for the discussions in an interview with Standard Style. “I loved that there was a lot of talk about what translation means, why we translate, and why it's important to read, teach, and write in local languages,” Gappah said.
“I found the discussion of both Shona and Ndebele writing and translation to be very interesting and I hope that more attention will also go to other smaller languages whether it's ChiTonga, ChiNdau, or TjiKalanga, but I found the festival absolutely amazing.
“Books speak across borders. We learnt that the books that we read and write in our own country have influences beyond our political borders,” Chirere said, adding that he also noticed that there were many young people who were taking to the pen."
The festival showcased the development of local languages through translation efforts. For instance,Dr Mabasa read a manuscript from his upcoming translation of Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Conditions from English to the Shona language demonstratingthe potential for language growth through translation.
"I may not have understood the language as he was translating, however, the very exercise of translating such an important native indigenous work from a Zimbabwean point of view to the Shona language was quite revolutionary and powerful for me because most work by our writers is not accessible to us in terms of the language with which they are packaged. We lose our languages because we do not promote them, we do not develop them and that for me was laudable,” said Luthuli.
The political fable, Animal Farm written by English novelist and essayist George Orwell was recently translated into Shona and published as ‘Chimurenga Chemhuka’ (Animal Revolution). The project was led for many years by Gappah and Muchuri.
“You could discern the development of language, that the language was being expanded, the innovation, the creation of new words that do not exist in the Shona language, and that for me was an act of developing our language and making them modern,” added Luthuli.
‘Writing in IsiNdebele; challenges and opportunities saw author and book reviewer, Rutendo Chichaya having a conversation with Tsitsi Nomsa Ngwenya the author of Portrait of Emlanjeni. Other participants who contributed valuable insights included, Grace Zichawo, Thembe Khumalo, Vuso Mhlanga, Ruvimbo Jeche, Cynthia Marangwanda, Tonderai Mudambo as well as Tanaka Chidora, Batsirai Chigama, and Tariro Ndoro.
Eleni Athitaki, the director at Ela The Garden and the convener of the festival, hinted at further expansion of the vision and the dream through future collaborations. The restaurant facility offers free and open platforms for local artists, creatives, writers, and poets to express their creativity.
