an interview with Oscar Gwiriri

Tell us about yourself.
I am Oscar Gwiriri born on 15 June 1975 at Honde Valley, Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe. I am a published writer featured in 4 anthologies; Shaurai Nduri Dzazuro Nedzanhasi, Gwatakwata reNhetembo, Hodzeko Yenduri, Mupakwa werwendo, and three English anthologies;  A tribute to Penny; Africa, UK, and Ireland: Writing Politics and Knowledge Production Vol 1; and Best “New” African Poets 2017 Anthology (BNAP). I have also published nine vernacular Children readers, and co-authored  A Practical Approach to Agriculture Form 1 book. Three (03) of my short stories were published in magazines too.
Professionally, I am a Certified Forensic Investigation Professional, who holds a Master of Science in Strategic Management Degree, Bachelor of Business Administration, Associate Bachelor of Business Administration Degree, Diploma in Logistics and Transport, Diploma in Workplace Safety and Health, and eleven (11) United Nations Peacekeeping Certificates. I prefer writing much more in the vernacular (Shona) language to promote the Zimbabwean indigenous heritage.

Tell us about the poetry scene in your country.
The majority of Zimbabweans are writers by nature, and poetry seems to be the genre which dominates the writing scene. There are both established and upcoming poets who mingle and exchange ideas on poetry writing. Taking advantage of the social media frenzy, most writers have formed up online groups strictly for writers. I belong to various Whatsapp groups such as the Writing Issues Only group formulated by a well celebrated writer, Memory Chirere; Writing for Children group, WinZim SuperClass group which won a NAMA award in 2016, Indigenous African Languages group, Writepreneurs group, ZimWriters & Poets group, Writing Short Stories group, and the Poetry, Writers & Critics group. The poetry scene is very active, with performance poets also dishing out their talent at various functions and social clubs. Of late, I have witnessed much poetry, motivational books, and novels book launches in Harare. Whilst many poets bemoan lack of swift publishing, there is entrepreneurial book publishing mushrooming throughout the country, and some writers have successfully taken the self-publishing route.
You have described yourself as a new generation writer, what do you think sets you most apart from the old generation?
This question is a little bit tricky to me in that I still do not understand when a writer should be considered new or old. Is it old by virtue of age or having written a long time ago, or old by a number of publications? If it is by a number of publications, then I am amongst the elders, but if it is by generation, I can say the old generation is our mentors and we must give due respect to them for having set a foundation for us. I have heard new writers crying foul over the elders’ dominance in the publishing sector. I consider that as mere ignorance of what publishers look for. Publishers are business minded, and they go for an already marketed brand name. It is upon the new generation to compete actively by presenting deep thought manuscripts which are worthy publishing, than to be jealousy of the established (old) writers. A good writer should come up with something new in the market, something that fills up a literal gap.

How do you get around with life and your creativity, how do you achieve a balance between these, living and creativity?
Time is never on my side. There are too many things to write about, and I am afraid of dying before I complete my draft short stories and novels. I am always short of time to read both the old and new books, since I can never be a good writer without being a wide reader. I spend a third of my day at work, and allocate the remaining two thirds to the family, reading and writing. Most of the times, I sleep for less than six hours, due to night time reading and writing. There is a time when I was captivated in writing a novel throughout the night to an extend that I was shocked to hear the cock roosting. I try to balance between work, family time and creative writing. Sometimes I wish I could hold the clock.

What do you think is lacking in writing, or poetry making in the continent and how do you think we can solve this?
I think writers are writing as much as they can, but without feedback from readers, a writer may get discouraged. I had been off creative writing for almost a decade, and I was motivated to write again when our house-maid stated that she did a literature set book by someone with the same surname as ours, not knowing that I was the actual author.
Knowing that when you write, someone is going to read motivates the writer. I give thanks to Tendai. R. Mwanaka for linking the world writers through his witful publishing projects and social media initiatives. There should be online co-ordination which cuts off the distance barriers amongst us, and bring up inter-continental writers together. Marketing initiatives and publishing seem to be minimal across continents, and more effort is required from every book stakeholder. Writers should preserve the dynamic indigenous writing styles or capture indigenous activities such as songs in their stories as a marketing and preservative measure of their heritage. All my novels have poetry and songs incorporated, just to reflect the nature of my people in a happy or somberly mood. I appeal to those who have a translating talent to assist in converting good books into other languages.

What type of sports are you in.
During my spare time, I watch WWE (Wrestling). My time is too limited to concentrate on outdoor sports. I usually go out when I need to research or observe something to write about. However, I grew up practicing the Bruce Lee Martial Arts style, Jeet Kune Do. I believe Martial Arts somehow correlate with writing.

Tell us about your recently published book, what it is about; what do you want to achieve, and where those interested in buying a copy can do so.
My most recently published book is an indigenous old world novel called Hatiponi. The main character, Hatiponi discovered infidelity between his mother and nephew (cum-father) in a bush. Hatiponi force marched the two to the village, but mysteriously disappeared to another village before they arrived the Chief’s court. Whilst he was at another village, he competed for a princess in a wrestling match whereby the wrestling ring was suspended above a crocodile infested pool. The starved crocodiles mauled all fighters who fell in the pool.  Hatiponi won the match against his rival nephew who fell in the pool, and everybody believed the alligators mauled him. Hatiponi then married the princess.
Back home, his mother later died of hypertension, and her aggrieved spirit tormented him to go back home. A witch doctor was consulted, and it was advised that Hatiponi should go begging for corn for an appeasement ceremony (Kutanda botso). The condition of the ritual was that he should never engage with a woman, but a poverty-stricken granny who needed some grains unfortunately lured him. The ceremony was abandoned when the witch doctor’s spirit picked it up. Hatiponi went back to his throng, but only discovered that his rival nephew had impregnated his wife. The nephew captured him as a prisoner. All the sufferings Hatiponi went through were because of aggrieving his mother.
The novel is in the Shona language, and may be translated into other languages as time goes by. It is available at Progressive Publishers (email: progressivepublishers@gmail.com). My intention is to keep the old world literature alive and preserving the ways of our ancestors through incorporating their indigenous knowledge systems in my creative writing. However, my latest English short story (translate) is in a Zimbolicious 3 anthology published by Mwanaka Media and Publishing Pvt Ltd.

Do you have any upcoming projects ready for publication? Tell us about them?
I have a children reader Chitima nditakure going for printing, and have been recently commissioned for a secondary textbook, A Practical Approach to Commerce Book 4. I have shelved a Shona novel manuscript entitled Chenzira. It is my wish to have it published posthumously, unless if I change my mind.

If you have read the BNAP 2017 book already (or part of it), which pieces stuck out of you and why?
I enjoyed African Haiku (pg 391) by Babajide Michael Olusegun. The first poem reminds me of the unique South Sudanese tribal marks, “shorthand of our ancestors.” I see brilliant thoughts in this Haiku. Tumelo Mogotsi’s poem Women like me (pg 47) reflects the real African girls’ upbringing. Daisy May’s Bleed (pg 300) mesmerises me, as well as Raoul Djimeli’s Poem 111 (pg 302) which takes me right to the seashore. What a reality written by Amara Sesay, Farting (pg 388). I am still reading, though randomly.