Storytelling gathering momentum

The art of storytelling has been downplayed, it has been denied a platform, has not been given prominence with fewer writers willing to stake their claim in the field.

Owing to the status quo, Malawian writers have been denied the chance to grow and   showcase their writing skills to attract the attention of both local and foreign publishers for possible deals.

But slowly the art is on its way up, thanks to the storytelling sessions that have been facilitated and organised by writers Ekari Mbvundula and Wonawaka Gondwe with three sessions so far held in Blantyre and the fourth one scheduled for Saturday, March 17 in Lilongwe.

Mbvundula said she has been encouraged by the response that their efforts have received so far that has seen some writers who were dormant but have now been inspired to dust their pens off  because they have a platform to present their fiction.

“We started strongly with 30 patrons coming to attend but in our last session the number rose to 45. The vibe coming through says a lot with more appreciating the new intellectual entertainment that sparks meaningful debates,” she said.

Mbvundula says there is need to do more for fiction to fully reclaim its former glory having been hit hard with the economic downturn a couple of decades ago which saw the art industry taking a nose dive.

“Literature was not spared from the effects of this economic weather, bookstores were closing instead of opening, publishers moved to textbooks instead of fiction as their top sellers. The industry has been crawling back to life slowly, but it is not there yet,” she said.

Dingani Mithi is one of the writers who has benefitted from the sessions, having taken part in the Blantyre session in January. He has described the sessions as powerful and the best platform for budding writers.

“Malawi has writers have the potential to put the country on the literary map only that for a long time, many writers had no platform to showcase their talent,” said Mithi.

Meanwhile, well-travelled writer Shadreck Chikoti has lauded the efforts being invested by Mbvundula and Gondwe, saying the sessions are helping in bringing awareness to the readers of the possibilities of Malawian art and artists.

“Storytelling is the base of every form of art and it is closer to our inheritance. There is so much that these sessions will achieve apart from entertaining the people. The writers will sharpen their skills and the readers will appreciate our literature,” said Chikoti.

The session in Lilongwe will be held at the Story Club in Area 47 and some of the writers billed to perform on the evening are Andrew Dakalira, Shivani Shetty, Marcel Mtambo, Yolanda Ng’oma and the returning Victoria Machilika.