Chanco to honour Steve Chimombo
The Writers’ Workshop at Chancellor College is organising a memorial event for Professor Steve Chimombo.
The event will take place on April 23 at the college where, among other activities, third year students will stage Chimombo’s Chamdothi play.
There will also be readings from the fallen writer’s works, according to organisers
Chimombo, famed for his storytelling of rain mythology and professor of Malawian drama and literature, died on December 11 last year at the age of 70.
He is well known for his Bilimankhwe and Death Song from his Napolo and Other Poems published by Wasi Publications.
Mufunanji Magalasi, an associate professor of drama at the college, said Chimombo was an immense figure in the history of Malawi’s writing; hence, the honour.
“We are also planning to invite family members to be part of this occasion. This is important because Chimombo was a hero to us,” said Magalasi.
He said Chimombo tackled subjects that are still relevant to Malawian society today, thus his legacy still stands.
“Observing his work from that time until now, there is one major thing Steve’s creativity was about—rain, which is further splintered into two branches: Mbona and Napolo.
“In Steve’s dramatic representation of the Maravi Kingdom, especially the story of Mbona and his obsession with the landslide snake Napolo, we see a creative person who was trying to shake the Malawi nation to read its past through mysteries of rain to understand present day Malawi,” he said. n
