Ruzvidzo Stanley Mupfudza
"We began to take writing more seriously. We joined the writing class conducted by Chenjerai Hove the writer- in- residence then. There were many of us in there: Nhamo Mhiripiri, Ignatius Mabasa, Joyce Mutiti, Emmanuel Sigauke, Zvisinei Sandi, Thabisani Ndlovu, Eresina Hwede and others. Our mentor had just won the Noma Award but behaved like he had just simply sold a goat. Hove listened as we read out our stories. Then he would close his eyes, hold his chest and say: ‘Vapfanha, writing comes from here’. We laughed at that but up until your death; we slowly awakened to the message behind that riddle," writes Memory Chirere in his memory-jogging obituary on Ruzvidzo Mupfudza.
What I remember of Ruzvidzo is how he somehow made writing look cool; the way he seemed to live the writer's life, and how in appearance and attitude he was a link to Dambudzo (and most of us aspiring writers then could not afford not to look at Marechera as our model). I can't claim to have had personal interactions with Ruzvidzo, but his name was everywhere (especially in the magazines and the papers), and, of course, I saw him at conferences and workshops.
Now about the writer's group Chirere mentions: When I joined the whole lot of them (Mabasa, Mhiripiri, Mupfudza, Chirere, Mutiti and others) at the Chenjerai Hove meetings,they were an intimidating bunch. Here I was, only in my first year at UZ, and some of them were already in the special honors programmes or in their final year.I did not know if I would fit in or if they would accept me, but Chenjerai Hove was a great mentor; I remember on the first night I read my Shona poem "Yauya Shanduko" and the praise the group gave me was a clear indication of their immediate acceptance and recognition(Hove even requested a copy!). Another thing that gave me confidence working with them was that, as the then National Secretary of BWAZ, I felt I was a local resource--their resource ("Talk to me/Here's how we do.../Come to this or that workshop...your manuscripit...manuscript...manuscript"). They became the group with which I belonged on campus.
Even after they graduated, I would continue to network with them through BWAZ workshops, as they became the organization's link wherever they went (most became teachers). Chirere, for instance, became instrumental in coordinating workshops in the Bindura, Mt Darwin, Mvurwi areas. Then we would all meet in August at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair in Harare, or we would meet at a Dambudzo Marechera event somewhere. At such events I would always spot Stanley Mupfudza.
I didn't know much about him at a personal level, but reading Chirere's obituary confirms what I always knew, that he cared about writing and wanted to take it to great heights. And he was writing and publishing stories, reviews, essays. We stayed in touch that way--all of us (publishing a thing here, another there). Then I left the country, and for more than 7 years I did wasn't in touch with most of them, except Mabasa, Chirere,and Nhengu.
The internet reconnected us again. I started reading Mupfudza's works on various websites, and he had embraced the medium of blogging. This was evident in his writing at the Zimbablog, where I had a column too. I remember in the blog's early days (2008), I would make an entry because Mupfudza had already made one. Perhaps it was a search for his audience, figuring that since I read his entries, he probably read mine, and that meant a lot.
Stanley Ruzvidzo Mupfudza was also an advocate for all kinds of writers, working with aspiring writers at BWAZ, supporting writing intitiatives like StoryTime, WIN Zimbabwe, and Munyori Literary Journal. And just recently, he had submitted his short story to the India-Zimbabwe fiction anthology, which I am going to co-edit with a team of Indian writers. His submission was a form of approval for this initiative.
Nhamo Mhiripiri has suggested putting together a collection of his stories. I too believe that it would be a great gesture in honor of a writer who cared for the art. His works, now scattered in different online and print publications, would have a stronger impact collected in one publication, and finally, most would have access the strong voice and inspiring vision of this author.
What I remember of Ruzvidzo is how he somehow made writing look cool; the way he seemed to live the writer's life, and how in appearance and attitude he was a link to Dambudzo (and most of us aspiring writers then could not afford not to look at Marechera as our model). I can't claim to have had personal interactions with Ruzvidzo, but his name was everywhere (especially in the magazines and the papers), and, of course, I saw him at conferences and workshops.
Now about the writer's group Chirere mentions: When I joined the whole lot of them (Mabasa, Mhiripiri, Mupfudza, Chirere, Mutiti and others) at the Chenjerai Hove meetings,they were an intimidating bunch. Here I was, only in my first year at UZ, and some of them were already in the special honors programmes or in their final year.I did not know if I would fit in or if they would accept me, but Chenjerai Hove was a great mentor; I remember on the first night I read my Shona poem "Yauya Shanduko" and the praise the group gave me was a clear indication of their immediate acceptance and recognition(Hove even requested a copy!). Another thing that gave me confidence working with them was that, as the then National Secretary of BWAZ, I felt I was a local resource--their resource ("Talk to me/Here's how we do.../Come to this or that workshop...your manuscripit...manuscript...manuscript"). They became the group with which I belonged on campus.
Even after they graduated, I would continue to network with them through BWAZ workshops, as they became the organization's link wherever they went (most became teachers). Chirere, for instance, became instrumental in coordinating workshops in the Bindura, Mt Darwin, Mvurwi areas. Then we would all meet in August at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair in Harare, or we would meet at a Dambudzo Marechera event somewhere. At such events I would always spot Stanley Mupfudza.
I didn't know much about him at a personal level, but reading Chirere's obituary confirms what I always knew, that he cared about writing and wanted to take it to great heights. And he was writing and publishing stories, reviews, essays. We stayed in touch that way--all of us (publishing a thing here, another there). Then I left the country, and for more than 7 years I did wasn't in touch with most of them, except Mabasa, Chirere,and Nhengu.
The internet reconnected us again. I started reading Mupfudza's works on various websites, and he had embraced the medium of blogging. This was evident in his writing at the Zimbablog, where I had a column too. I remember in the blog's early days (2008), I would make an entry because Mupfudza had already made one. Perhaps it was a search for his audience, figuring that since I read his entries, he probably read mine, and that meant a lot.
Stanley Ruzvidzo Mupfudza was also an advocate for all kinds of writers, working with aspiring writers at BWAZ, supporting writing intitiatives like StoryTime, WIN Zimbabwe, and Munyori Literary Journal. And just recently, he had submitted his short story to the India-Zimbabwe fiction anthology, which I am going to co-edit with a team of Indian writers. His submission was a form of approval for this initiative.
Nhamo Mhiripiri has suggested putting together a collection of his stories. I too believe that it would be a great gesture in honor of a writer who cared for the art. His works, now scattered in different online and print publications, would have a stronger impact collected in one publication, and finally, most would have access the strong voice and inspiring vision of this author.
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