Dr. Ignatius T. Mabasa

Publishing an essay in Shona is a first for us, and one we are incredibly excited about. The title of the essay in English is When the Tall Eat for the Short: Tongue-in-cheek Marechera and Language’s Lost Baggage. It examines Dambudzo Marechera’s controversial relationship to Shona literature. For context on this decades-long debate, see Onai Mushava’s essay “When Dambudzo Marechera Met Aaron Chiundura Moyo: A Brief History of Zimbabwe’s Language Wars.” Dr. Ignatius T. Mabasa is a prominent Shona intellectual, known for writing the first ever PhD thesis in Shona. Mabasa has continued writing extensively in Shona out of conviction in the need to “intellectualize African languages.” For those who are not literate in Shona, Mabasa has graciously provided a summary of the essay in English. Scroll all the way down to see it.

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Handina kumbobvira ndafarira kukakavadzana nevanhu pamusoro paDambudzo Marechera, nekuti ndinoona sekuti kupinda muhurukuro dzaMarechera kubvuma kupusiswa. Kana nazvino Marechera anoramba achitamba nepfungwa dzedu, asi iye akaenda zvake karekare. Kuita hurukuro pamusoro paMarechera kunondifungisa ngano yevawanikwa vekuAmerica inotaura zveGava rakati kumakunguwo bvisai maziso enyu ini ndibvisewo angu tiite makwikwi ekupotsera maziso edu, tione kuti maziso aani anoenda kure kudarika evamwe.

Ndiri kunyora nyaya ino neChiShona nekuti ndiri munyori weChiShona, uye nyaya ino inyaya inobva pakushorwa kweChiShona nevanyori veChiShona kwakaitwa naDambudzo Marechera paakanyadzisa Aaron Chiunduramoyo achiti “Aaron munyori, he is not a writer.” Chimwewo zvakare, ndiri kuda kutarisa hunhu hwaMarechera hwekushandisa jee kana kuti chisekedzani, asi mukuseka imomo iye achitowana mukana wekududza zvaari kuda. Vazhinji vanoti Marechera aipenga, saka zvaakanga achiita nekutaura hazvisi zvekuitira shura, asi ini ndinoti ipapo ndipo pane huchenjeri hwaMarechera. Marechera anoshandisa hunhubu kukudubura poto dzepfungwa achichachura nekudya achichururuka rute. Neimwe nzira anondifungidzisa Sekuru Ticha vari mubhuku raMabasa rinonzi Mapenzi (1999). Hakuna anganzwisise kuti Sekuru Ticha vanonyatsopenga chaizvo here kana kuti vanoshandisa kuita sevanopenga kuti vaburitse hupenzi huri matiri.

Chimwe chaita kuti ndinyore neChiShona inyaya yekuti nyaya dzine chekuita naDambudzo Marechera dzinongotaurwa mururimi rweEnglish, zvekuti vanhu vedu havakwanise kuziva kana kunyatsonzwisisa kuti sei iye Dambudzo Marechera uyu akanga akaoma semhodzi yehacha. Ndiri kunyora ndichishandisa husarungano. Husarungano,

…maitiro ekufungisisa nekurondedzera zvehupenyu hwako, zvawakasangana nazvo maringe nehukama hwazvo netsika dzerudzi rwako, zvematongerwo enyika nezvinoreva zvinhu izvozvo muhupenyu. Ndiyo otoetinogirafi. Husarungano mavhiyiro anoitwa nyaya kana pachiitwa tsvakurudzo. Husarungano hunoshandisa rondedzero nengano kuti zvinhu zvinosanganisira hukama nezvakasanganikwa nazvo nevanhu zvinzwisisike.

Inyaya dzakawanda dzakataurwa pamusoro paDambudzo Marechera, asi ini ndiri kutaura pamusoro paMarechera semumwe wevanhu verudzi rwake, uye ndichishandisa mutauro waMarechera kuti Marechera abve kuchirungu, adzoke kumba. Marechera anofanira kuti ataurwe nezvake nevanhu vake nerurimi rwake. Memory Chirere (2012) anoti mumwe murume aimugera musoro akatomboti, “Munozviziva here mukoma kuti Dambudzo paakazofa akanga achinyora bhuku reMaths.” Handifunge kuti kune munyori wemuZimbabwe ane mabhuku nezvinyorwa zvekuedza kumunzwisisa zvinokunda zvaMarechera.

Dambudzo aive nematambudziko, asiwo zvakare akanga ari mugwaku unopakurira vamwe ruzivo, huchenjeri nemadzudzo. Matambudziko aDambudzo akanga ari matambudziko emumhuri yake, ehupenyu hwevanhu vatema vakabvisiswa maziso avo nechirungu kuti vaite makwikwi ekumapotsera. Dai aiwanikwa munyika yengano, Dambudzo Marechera aiwanikwa asiri mhuka imwechete, asi aiwanikwa ari Tsuro, Bere, Gava, Kamba kana Garwe. Marechera haana pake, haanzwisisike kuti ari kuuya here kana kuti ari kuenda. Chete hatingamutsvage, nekuti kufamba achingoenda chakanga chiri chipo chake. Muna House of Hunger bhuku rake rine mukurumbira rinotanga nekuti, “Ndakatora zvinhu zvangu ndikabva,” (Marechera, 1978). Kana paakazofa, Flora Veit-Wild shamwarikadzi yake inoti, “Akanga ane shungu dzekuti ambofamba (achibuda munyika) zvakare,” (Veit-Wild, 2020: 3). Marechera haanzwisisike kuti ari kurutivi rwedu here kana kuti imhandu yedu. Sekutaura kwaMabasa (2021:159), “Marechera anofunga kuti akatora zvinhu zvake, asi zvinhu zvaanoti zvake hazvisi zvake nekuti zvake zvakasara kare kumashure paakakwira chemutengure. Marechera anofunga kuti akaenda, asi akabviswa.”

Sezvandataura, ndiri kuda kusvetukira muduhwinho renyaya yekunyora mabhuku mumitauro yedu vanhu vatema yakaitika pakati paDambudzo Marechera naAaron Chiunduramoyo duhwinho racho risati razara madhaka. Ndiri kusvetukira muduhwinho rehurukuro iyi kutanga sechizvarwa cheZimbabwe, chechipiri semunyori weChiShona, uye chechitatu sasahwira waAaron Chiunduramoyo. Dambudzo Marechera ave nemakore akawanda afa, asi hurukuro pamusoro pake dziri kuramba kufa. Nyaya yakadenha yandiri kutaura nezvayo yakanyorwa naOnai Mushava ikabuda padandemutande. Nyaya yemaonero nemafungiro aDambudzo Marechera pamusoro pemitauro yevanhu vatema inyaya yandakamboti batebate zvishoma muPhD thesis yangu ya2021 yandakaita neRhodes University ine musoro wekuti: Chave chemutengure vhiri rengoro: Husarungano nerwendo rwengano dzeVaShona (The Folktale in Confrontation with a Changing World: A Shona Storyteller’s Autoethnography).

Chapfakanyika chati ndipenengurwe, uye aridza mhere ati ndinzwikwe. Kana ukaona nyoka ichipinda mumba, asi iwe woramba zvako wakanyarara – newewo unenge uri nyoka. Semunyori ndinofunga kuti munyori anofanira kunyora nerurimi rwaanoda uye rwaanonzwa kuti ndirwo rwunomubvumira kuridza mbira dzemutauro. Dambudzo Marechera akaramba mutauro weChiShona, uye handimupe mhosva nekuti ndinoziva kuti aida English, uye aigona English zvekuigocha chaizvo. Asi chinoshamisa ndechekuti iye Dambudzo semunhu akanga asingade kumbunyikidzwa kwevanhu, akazenge ave kushandisa English nekugona English kwake kumbunyikidza nekusema nekushora Aaron Chiunduramoyo munyori weChiShona.

Hapana kupokana kuti Dambudzo Marechera aive gokoshombwe rehuroyi hwekunyora nyaya, nhetembo nemitambo mururimi rweEnglish. Asi Marechera akanga akafanana neshanga renguva yechirimo rinoti kana rasimudzwa nechamupupuri rinokanganwa kuti harina mapapiro, uye harisi shiri zvekuti kana mhepo yapera rinenge rarasika. Marechera aive mwana wevhu asina nyika nemidzi – kwaari Rhodesia yaive mhandu yake, Vhengere yaive chironda chinodyiwa nenhunzi, uye Zimbabwe neHarare dzaive varoyi vehama. Kana kuEngland kwaakambogara aingokunguruka semashizha mumwedzi waChikunguru. Asi hatingati Marechera akanga asingazive kukosha kwerurimi rwamai nekuti tinonzwa kuti ainzi Charles William, ndokuzoramba mazita aya achisarudza rekuti Dambudzo paakanga ave munyori anozivikanwa (Veit-Wild 2020:9).

Nyika yemumabhuku aMarechera ndiyo yaivewo zvakare nyika yehupenyu hwaairarama. Kushaikwa kwemutsauko pakati penyika dzemabhuku ake nehupenyu hwake kunobuda zvakajeka muzvinyorwa zvake. Vatambi vemabhuku ake vazhinji vanhu chaivo vaaiziva, vaaidya nekutaura navo. Kana nzvimbo dziri mumabhuku ake, inzvimbo chaidzo dzaakambopinda nekugara. Manyorero ake ekushandisa vanhu nenzvimbo chaidzo anonetsa kuti vaverengi vazive kuti Marechera ari mubhuku neari kufamba vakasiyana papi. Marechera akanga akawira munyika yemabhuku ake sekuwira kunoita bete mumukaka. Hupenyu hwaMarechera hwaive nemhute zhinji yaimukonzera kuona mhandu nyangwe musadza raari kudya. Muhupenyu hwake, Marechera akataura mashoko akawanda akashamisa, akasetsa neakagumbura vamwe. Nyangwe nemurufu Marechera ari kungoramba achitaura, uye mamwe mashoko ake anopesanisa nekuti ane ruvengo nechindinzindini chakanyanya.

Kusanzwisisika kwaMarechera kuri muzvinhu zvakawanda, asi ndinoona sekuti kunonyanya kuwanikwa mukuti semunyori, Marechera anofarira kushereketa nekuhwanda pachena. Marechera anovanda pachena zvekuti mumagariro edu vatema anonzi ari kuita jee kana musara. Maitiro aya anowedzerwa nekudhakwa. Marechera aiwanzodhakwa zvekuti zvaibva zvanetsa kuti vanhu vanzwisise kuti jee rake, rikasangana nemusara nekudhakwa raiburitsa munhu akaita sei. Kana munhu achida kufumura mano aMarechera, panoda kutarisa kana kushandisa kupenga ikoko nejee racho. Ndinofunga kuti semunhu akamborwara nepfungwa, Marechera akagona kuziva nzira dzekupusisa vanhu kubudikidza nekushandisa jee, musara nekudhakwa senzira yekurarama nayo pasina anomukanuka. Mararamiro aya ndiwo aimupa kuita pamuromo, asi vanhu vomusiya akadaro nekuti vazhinji vaingoti, “hamumuzive here, ndiMarechera.” Saka Marechera akanga akazviwanira mvumo yekutaura nekuita zvinhu zvisingatarisirwe asi pasina aiizviitira shura. Maitiro aya ndiwo aiita kuti Marechera ave munhu asina hunhu, asi achigashirwa nekushaya hunhu kwake ikoko.

Kana vaverengi nevanyori tikanzvengwa nenyaya iyi yekushandisa jee-musara-kudhakwa senzira yekutsvaga kurarama kwaiita Marechera, tinenge tanzvengwa nenyaya yemunhu akangwara. Anenge aita zvinhu zvake chaizvo zvekupusisa vanhu. Marechera inhunzi inonomhara pamhuno yamambo, zvekuti mambo paanoda kuidzinga anozvibaya muziso. Marechera musetsi, asi chinoda kuonekwa mukuseka kwake kuti kunosekawo naiye. Ndiyo nyaya inobuda pamashoko ake kuna Chiunduramoyo. Mashoko ake anopusisa nekuti mashoko asina musoro. Mashoko akafanana neemufambi munhetembo yaHerbert Chitepo inonzi Soko Risina Musoro (1958). Paanobvunzwa kuti ndiye ani, Mufambi anoti: “Ini here hamungandizive….” Kana tikada kuturikira mashoko aMarechera kuna Chiunduramoyo, ari kuti “Chiunduramoyo haasi munyori, munyori.” Marechera anoda kutibhijanisa pfungwa nekuti ndiwo mararamiro ake.

Asika, jee raMarechera ijee renyaya isingasetse nekuti ari kuseka kuti gudo rine mahobi. Kuna Marechera, vanhu vanonyora neChiShona vanyori, asi kana vakanyora neEnglish, vanenge vave maWriters kana Authors. Nyaya iyi ijee rinoburitsa mapusisiro ave kuitwa mitauro yedu neEnglish, asiwo Marechera anoishandisa kuzvisimudzira iye pachezvake nenzira imwechete inoshandiswa naSamere mubhuku raBernard Chidzero rinonzi Nzvengamutsvairo (1957). Marechera anonzwisisa kusvinyangwa nekuumburudzwa kwaakaitwa neChirungu chisati chazomumedza, asi ruzivo irworwo harwumupe hasha saNgugi waThiongo muna Decolonising the Mind. Marechera semunhu akachenjera anoziva kuti isu sevanhu vatema takanga tisingazive kunyora. Zita rekuti kunyora rakabva patsika yedu yekutemera nyora kwaiitwa nen’anga. Saka nemamwe matauriro, Marechera ari kuti Chiunduramoyo nevanyori veChiShona in’anga, musavaone sesu English writers. Asi nyangwe adaro, musamutsamwire zvenyu nekuti Marechera wejee.

Memory Chirere naTinashe Mushakavanhu vanofunga kuti Dambudzo Marechera aitamba zvake, kana kuti aiseka paakati kuna Aaron Chiunduramoyo pamusangano wevanyori, “Take him out; he is not a writer! Munyori, not an author.” Zvichireva kuti Chirere naMushakavanhu vanonzvengwawo nemano aMarechera ekuita jee kana kuti munemo. Asi kune vanonzwisisa jee, vanoziva kuti kune jee gobvu. Kana tichiti jee gobvu tinoreva kuti kumwe kutamba kana kuseka hakusekese nekuti inogona kunge itori nzira yekuburitsa chokwadi chiri mumapako emwoyo.

Mumagariro edu kune vamwe vanhu vanozivikanwa nekutaura kunenge kuwondomoka, kana kuti kudhomoka zvekuti kana iwewe ukada kutevedzera mudhomokero wavanoita unoshorwa nekutsoropodzwa zvekuti kana uri huku unosara usisina kana gushe. Dai Marechera akataura kuti Aaron “is not a writer! Munyori…,” kamwechete zvodarika, pamwe ndaibvumirana naChirere naMushakavanhu kuti raive jee. Asi kutamba kana kuita jee nenhau dzakakosha semutauro kwakafanana nekuturunura mureza wenyika wousonesa hembe dzemunhande wekudzingisa shiri kumunda. Jee ijee zvaro, dzihwa harigochwe. Hazvina hunhu kana mutsa, uye imhando yekutsvinya kwakanyanyisa kana tikange tichiita jee pamusoro pekusiyana kwevanhu – kunyanya kusema nekusarudza munhu pamusoro pezvinhu zvaasingagone, usingatarise zvaanogona. Hakusi kuseka Chiunduramoyo chete, asi kusema vanhu vese vatema vanotaura mitauro yavo. Mukundo uyu une njodzi nekuti sekutaura kwaAdichie (2016) unoita kuti zviite sekuti nyaya yevanhu vanosema vamwe ive ndiyo nyaya yakakosha. Maitiro ejee rakadai akangofanana nerusaruraganda – kana kuseka munhu kuti haana mwana nekuti iwe une mwana. Maitiro iwaya akatsanangurwa naHomi Bhabha (1983) kuti maitiro ekuona vamwe sevayevaye vasina zvatiinazvo. Chisingaonekwe nevanhu vanenge Marechera ndechekuti chirungu chacho chisati chavepo, asati ave kuchigona – naiye airarawo kunze kwedanga rechirungu semombe njeni.

Kuseka mumwe munyori nekuti anonyora nerurimi rwakasiyana naye chiratidzo chekuroyiwa kwaDambudzo Marechera nechirungu. Sekutaura kwaMushava (2021), Marechera akambopomera Stanley Nyamufukudza kuti anoshandiswa semugwaku weHurumende unoita basa rekuronda, kutsvagisisa ruzivo rwuri maererano nemararamiro evanhu. Asi tikazvitarisisa, iye Marechera ndiye aive mugwaku wevachena – muroyi wehama. Neimwe nzira, Marechera aida kuti vanhu vamuone seakadzidza, seakangwara uye semunhu akakosha zvikuru kudarika vamwe vanhu vatema vainyora nerurimi rwamai. Asi chokwadi chaicho ndechekuti Marechera aishandisa chirungu senzvimbo yekuhwanda mairi. Kugona chirungu kwakanga kwamuita kuti atize hupenyu hwake semunhu mutema. Sekutaura kwaMichael Marechera, mukoma waMarechera muhurukuro naVeit-Wild (1990), hasha dzaDambudzo dzaibva muzvinhu zvakawanda – kusanganisira mweya wengozi, kupenga kwakaita amai vavo mugore ra1969, uyewo nekuti kubva muna 1971 aiti aiona varume vaviri vaimutevera kwese kwese asi vasingaonekwe nevamwe vanhu. Muhurukuro iyoyo naVeit-Wild, Michael anoti, “Pakazoenda Dambudzo kuEngland ndakazviziva kuti pane zvaakanga achitiza.” Kutizira kwaMarechera kuchirungu kwakanga kwamubvisira kunyadziswa kwaaive nako kwaibva pahunhu husinganzwisisike nekutaura nyaya dzinenge nhema uye dzakakanyikakanyika. Munyika yevarungu hakuna mweya yengozi (Linde 2001) kana yekupenengura kudhomoka kwemunhu – kunyanya kana ari “writer,” saMarechera. Semunhu mutema Marechera akanga akundikana pamagariro anotarisirwa muvanhu vake, achibva apinda mumagariro echirungu ekurarama semugarandenga. Muchirungu hugarandega hunopembedzwa sezvinotaurwa naIbsen (1967:114) kuti, “Munhu akasimba kudarika vamwe vese munyika ndiye uye anomira ari ega.”

Chisingaone Marechera pakudzinga Chiunduramoyo ndechekuti iye akanga achitozvidzingawo. Marechera akanga ave kuitira Chiunduramoyo zvinhu zvaigara zvichiitika muhupenyu hwake iye. Hupenyu hwaMarechera hwaive hwekudzingwa – kudzingwa kuchikoro, kudzingwa kuyunivhesiti, kudzingwa kuOxford, kudzingwa mumabhawa nemudzimba dzeshamwari. Hatifanire kukanganwa kuti Marechera pachezvake akanga asina musha, achigara mumigwagwa, mabhawa nemumabhenji emapaki. Flora Veit-Wild (2020: 4) anoti, “Ndakasiya maketeni andakanga ndakusonera mumba iyi payakazoita yako mushure memakore akawanda ekunge wakanga usina pekugara.”

Neimwe nzira, mabhuku aMarechera ndiwo aive imba yake, vanhu vake nasabhuku wake zvekuti kana kuri kunzi paive nemagungano evanyori nenyaya dzezvemabhuku, Marechera aizviona sekuti iye chete ndiye nevanji, vamwe vese ndivanamubvandiripo. Marechera aiwanikwa achida kuti vamwe vakaita saAaron vange vasina nzvimbo muzvinhu zvababa vake English.

Marechera muna 1987 akaudza Kirsten Holst Petersen kuti, “Ndinorarama hupenyu hwemugarandega hwakanyanyisa, zvekuti nguva zhinji ndinenge ndichiverenga mabhuku ndiri muno mumba kana panze,” (Marechera, 1978:5). Asi sekutaura kwaMabasa (2021:157), hakuna munhu mutema asina hama. Nyangwe parufu rwemunhu mutema, panotaurwa nevanhu vakamiririra baba, amai, mukoma, munin’ina, hanzvadzi, muzukuru, muroora, mukuwasha, tete, mwana zvichienda zvakadaro. Nyangwe zvazvo Lewis Nkosi akanga achitaura pamusoro pezvefirimu rakagadzirwa richitarisa imwe nguva yakadzoka Marechera kuZimbabwe, mashoko ake ekuti, “tinoona mamaranzurwa akasiiwa nehutongi hwevachena” (Marechera, 1978) – mashoko anotaura kukanganiswa kwakaitwa Marechera nechirungu nenzira yakadzama inoda kufanana nemunhu akambotsvira mumba akazosara ave nemaronda ekumurangaridza tsaona yekutsva ikoko. Asika, musatsamwe zvenyu nekuti Marechera munhu wejee nemusara nekudhakwa kunomuita kuti adhomoke!

Ruvengo rwerurimi rweChiShona rwaive naMarechera ndiwo mamaranzurwa enzara dzechirungu anosiya pfungwa dzemunhu mutema dzave kuvenga kuve munhu mutema. Maitiro aMarechera ekushevedzera kuna Aaron Chiunduramoyo kuti, “Take him out; he is not a writer! Munyori, not an author,” anoratidza kuti makorokoza ekoronaizesheni akapedza goridhe rese raive mupfungwa dzake nedzedu isu tinofunga kuti chirungu chakakosha kudarika mitauro edu. Sekufunga kwaMarechera, kana Chiunduramoyo aburitswa panze, mukati munobva masara vanhu kwavo – mamemba akaimbwa naSimon Chimbetu anotenga nekuverenga newspaper. Vanhu vatema vairambidzwa kupinda munzvimbo dzaive dzakasarudzirwa varungu zvekuti vaigona kushandisirwa chisimba, kusungwa kana kunyadziswa kana vachinge vawanikwamo. Marechera akanga achishandisira Chiunduramoyo maitiro mamwechete aishandiswa nevarungu nekuti iye Marechera nechirungu chake vakanga vasingakodzere kusanganiswa neboka (class) rakashoreka. Kana munhu mutema ave kuona vamwe vanhu vatema setsvina, chirungu chinenge chakunda. Iroro ndiro simba rekukorokozwa nekoronaizesheni zvekuti mafungiro emunhu mutema anopedzisira ave kuona zvine chekuita nevanhu vake sezvinofanira kuraswa. Asika, musatsamwe zvenyu nekuti Marechera munhu wejee nemusara nekudhakwa kunomuita kuti adhomoke!

Rimwe garudzo riri mumashoko aMarechera ekuti “take him out,” nderekuti ndiani waakanga achituma kuti aburitse Chiunduramoyo panze? Tinoona Marechera achizvipa simba rekutuma vanhu kuti vaburitse mumwe munyori nekuti iye ndiye ave murungu. Mhosva yaChiunduramoyo iri yei? Yekuti anonyora neChiShona. Tinobva taona kuti Marechera akanga ave imbwa inochengetedza chirungu kuti chive chivanze chisingasvikwe nevanyori vanonhuhwa chivanhu nekumusha. Pasina kuti Marechera anozvipa simba rekudzinga mumwe munyori, tinoona zvakare kuzvitutumadza kuye kwatambotaura. Marechera anoratidza kuti Cecil John Rhodes akaita basa rake nemazvo rekuti huBritish nemutauro weEnglish zvive ndizvo zvinoonekwa sezviri pamusorosoro kudarika mimwe mitauro kana ndudzi (Rotberg 1988).  Maonero aya anotaurwa nemumwewo muchena nenzira iyi,

Asi nyika yeRhodesia pachezvayo yakavepo nekuda kwekuti Rhodes aitenda kuti munhu muchena ane basa rekununura munhu mutema – aitenda nemwoyo wese kuti aida kuve mubatsiri kubudikidza nekuparadzira hupenyu hwechiBritish kunzvimbo zhinji nepese paaigona. Hupenyu hweChiBritish huri ihwo hupenyu hunofadza, uye hwakanakisisa kuvanhu vese…(Peck, 1965:22)

Marechera aitsvinya, uye aishandisa kugona kwake kunyora nechirungu sechinhu chinoshamisa uye chekushamisira nacho saMister Johnson vemubhuku raCarey (1989) rine musoro mumwechete wekuti Mister Johnson. Asi hunhu hwaDambudzo uhu haushamise nekuti munhu akakurira munyika yeRhodesia yakanga isingaremekedze vanhu vatema, iye ndokugamuchira kusazviremekedza ikoko. Rhodesia yaive nyika yevachena vaisema nekushora vanhu vatema (Peck) uye hazvishamise kuti mhedzisiro yevanhu vatema yaive yekutsvaga kudiwa nekugamuchirwa nevarungu. Vanhu vatema vaigona kutaura chirungu ndivo vaiwana mikana yekuve pedyo nevarungu – asiwo kuve pedyo nevarungu waibva wave mukana wekusema zvinhu zvevanhu vatema. Ndiyo nyaya inotaurwa naMabasa (2021) kuti kubva patakabvuma zita rekuti mubhoyi, zvinhu zvese zvechibhoyi zvinhu zvakashoreka nekusaririra – vhudzi rechibhoyi; huku yechibhoyi; muchato wechibhoyi; mushonga wechibhoyi; muchato wechibhoyi zvichienda zvakadaro.

Marechera aive nechipo chinoshamisa chekugona kutekenyedza ndebvu dzeshumba inonzi English zvekuti yaisekerera. Ndizvo zvaimupa kuti ataure kuti akapinda mudziva rechirungu asi haana kunyuramo. Anoti akapinda mudziva rechirungu achibva ashambira muchirungu kufanana nekushambira kunoita dhadha mumvura (Veit- Wild naSchade, 1988). Zviri pachena kuti Marechera aidada nekukwanisa kugamuchirwa nechirungu. Asi chisina kuonekwa naMarechera nenjere dzese dzaanonzi aive nadzo ndechekuti kugona kwake chirungu yaive nzira yekukurirwa kwake. Marechera aifunga kuti ndiTsuro wedu wemungano, asi Marechera akanga ave katsuro kaye katinonzwa kachinzi nevana, “wanyeperwa nekatsuro kanogara musaidhibhodhi yevarungu.” Katsuro kanogara musaidhibhodhi yevarungu inhapwa yevarungu. Katsuro kanogara musaidhibhodhi yevarungu hakana nzvimbo yakatambanuka yekutamba nekuona nyika yako nekuti kakavharirwa (Mabasa 2019). Ndiro dambudziko remunhu mutema rekuti chirungu chinopedzisira chakuisa muhapwa dzacho zvekuti nyangwe hapwa idzodzo dzikatanga kudikitira iwe unenge uchisekerera uchiti kwave kunaya. Franz Fanon (1986:109) akati unopedzisira wave “chinhu chiri kurarama chiri mukati mezvimwe zvinhu.” Zvino chinhu chiri kurarama chiri mukati mezvimwe zvinhu chinhu chisingagone kumira chega nekuti chinhu chakamedzwa. Tinoziva kuti kuti chii chinoitika kana chinhu chikamedzwa – chinogayiwa chobuda chave ndove inonhuhwa. Asika, musatsamwe zvenyu nekuti Marechera munhu wejee nemusara nekudhakwa kwaimuita kuti adhomoke!

Ndichipedzisa nyaya yaMarechera yekushora nekusema ChiShona naChiunduramoyo, ndinoda kudzokera kubhuku rake House of Hunger. Pane chikamu chatinoverenga Marechera achipindura mubvunzo waakazvibvunza wekuti “Wakambofungawo here zvekunyora nerurimi rweChiShona?” anopindura achiti;

Handina kumbozvifunga. Shona yakanga iri rimwe remadhimoni emuGhetto andakanga ndichiedza kutiza. Shona yakanga iri chinhu chinowanikwa muzvinhu zvakashoreka, chinhu chinomonya nekudzura pfungwa zvekuti chakanga chiripo chete kwaive kutiza (nyika yeChiShona yakashoreka) uchipinda munyika yeChiRungu neyekudzidza mabhuku. Mutauro weChiRungu wakanga une hukama nekugarika pamwe chete nezvataiona serunako rwenzvimbo dzaigara vachena, (Marechera 1978:21).

Kune vakambonzwa vanhu vemachechi ezvemweya vachidzinga madhimoni vanoziva kuti ikoko madhimoni anorairwa nechirungu achinzi “come out.” Kana rurimi rweChiShona riri dhimoni, naiyewo Marechera semunhu mutema idhimoni nekuti Shona hausi mutauro chete, asi izita revanhu vatema veZimbabwe. Tinoona kuti nyaya iye yandambotaura yechibhoyi inobuda mumashoko aMarechera. Zviri pachena kuti Marechera aitiza mumvuri wake. Sezvandakambotaura,

Kana mutauro unofanira kunge uchikupa kutaurirana nekunzwanana nevamwe vako wave dhimoni – newe wacho unenge uri dhimoni, uye kuve munhu mutema hunenge hwave huSatani (Mabasa 2021: 156).

Asi chisiri kuonekwa naMarechera ndechekuti kutiza kwake kunowedzera kumubvisa maari semunhu agara asisazive kuti ndiye ani. Marechera anonzwisa tsitsi uye chinobuda zvakasimbisisa nekunongedza mweya wechemutengure uri maari ndechekuti (Marechera) anotsanangurwa achinzi akanga ave rombe rinongofamba risina pekugara chaipo (Marechera, 1978). Kufamba (kumbeya, kumhemhaira, kuritaira, kudzungaira) ikoko maitiro nezvibereko zvechemutengure, nekuti chemutengure hachina nzvimbo yachinoti musha, nekuti basa racho nderekutakura, nderekukohwa nekubvisa vari mumusha. (Mabasa 2021: 157).

Marechera anonzwisa tsitsi nekuti mukufunga kuti anoziva Chirungu zvakanyanya, aizvipiringisha. Chirere (2012) anoti Marechera pachezvake akazobvuma kuti akanga akapfumbatwa muchanza chehudzvanyiriri hwevapambevhu. Hazvishamise nekuti kune vaiziva Marechera, paakadzoka kubva kuEngland akange ave kutaura English ichibuda semuBritish chaiye. Asi chirungu nehurungu zvakatadza kubvisa hasha nemhirizhonga muna Marechera. Mutauro waakashandisa kuti Chiunduramoyo adzingwe wekuti, “take him out,” unoburitsa kuti Marechera aive munhu wemhirizhonga nekushandisa chisimba. Iyi inyaya inobuda zvakanyanya muzvinyorwa zvake, kunyanya “The House of Hunger.” Ibhuku rine kurwa, ropa nekukuvadzana kwakanyanya. Pamwe inyaya yegavi rinobva kumasvuuriro nekuti Flora Veit-Wild (2020) anoti baba vaDambudzo vaive munhu wemhirizhonga. Muzvinyorwa nenyaya dzaMarechera mune kupotserwa kwezvinhu nekuputswa kwemagirazi semhando yemutauro. Asika, musatsamwe zvenyu nekuti Marechera aive munhu wejee nemusara nekudhakwa kwaimuita kuti adhomoke!

Chinokuvadza hazvisi zvombo chete, asiwo mashoko anogona kukuvadza, kana kutouraya chaiko. Mashoko anogona kupaza kana kuvaka, kuwiridzira kana kukwiridzira. Mashoko aMarechera akakuvadza Chiunduramoyo, asi kunyanya akakuvadza nhaka yenyika yake. Tave nemakore anodarika makumi mana tawana rusununguko, asi mupfungwa dzedu hatisati tasununguka. Tiri kusvinyangwa nechirungu semusuva. Vazhinji vedu kufanana naMarechera tiri kubatsira chirungu kuti chive ndicho chete mutauro nemafungiro.

Zvinoshamisa kuti humhizha huzhinji hwevaShona nhasi uno hwakaita senziyo, kuveza, kutamba, kuruka hwakayamwa mukaka wezamu retsika nemagariro evaShona. Asi ruzhinji rwevanhu veChiShona rwunoita serwunorambira pakushandisa chirungu chemaBritish kana vave kutarisa manyorerwo emabhuku. … (Chirere, 2004)

Asi ichokwadi here kuti zvimwe zvese zvisiri chirungu hazvina basa? Ko inga wani Mweya Mutsvene waMwari paPendekosti wakaburuka uchitaura mitauro yakawanda, kwete English chete. Kusiyana kwemitauro, nekusiyana kwengano, tsumo, madimikira nenyaudzosingwi dzemarudzi akasiyanasiyana ndiko kuyevedza kwenyika. Bulhan (2015) anoti chirungu chakatanga chiri muhupambevhu muAfrica asi nhasi uno chapamba vanhu mumafungiro avo. Vanenge varamba kupambwa saChiunduramoyo vanosekwa nevakapambwa saMarechera. Asika, musatsamwe zvenyu nekuti Marechera munhu wejee nemusara nekudhakwa kunomuita kuti adhomoke!

Asi sango rikangove nemhando yemuti imwechete, nemhando yeshiri imwechete nemhando yehuswa imwechete harinakidze. Kana shumba, zvipembere, makudo, tsuro nemhuka dzese dzikati dzave kuda kuita nzou, nekuti nzou dziri kuti kana usiri nzou hausi chinhu – kubva panenge pave kuda chimurenga kwete chekungoti pasi nenzou chete, asi chekurwisa hunzou.

Jerero

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  16. Mabasa, I. T. (2019). Tsuro as Cultural Agent: The Hybridisation, Modification and Relocation of a Shona Folk-Hero. Journal of African Languages, Volume 1, Numbers 1, April 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31920/2633-2116/2020/1n1a8 pp 153-164. Adonis and Abbey Publishers, UK.
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Essay Summary in English

This essay is a contribution to the debate around the contempt expressed by Dambudzo Marechera for the Shona language and its writers. Marechera is alleged to have dismissed Shona author Aaron Chiundura Moyo on two separate occasions, saying, “Aaron munyori, he is not a writer.” Through the statement, Marechera was condescending and promoting the philosophy of imperialists who took English to be superior to the “native,” his being, language and culture. Marechera scholars have argued that the statement by Marechera was banter and should not be taken seriously. I argue that treating Marechera’s utterances as banter demonstrates how effective Marechera is in exploiting cultural practices such as jokes, drunkenness, “eccentric antics” and postmodern deniability as platforms for distinguishing himself from the “village” other. In Marechera’s fight for recognition and relevance, the local is inferior and the global superior. Marechera used the English language as a hegemonic tool to shut out narratives by the muted subaltern and remove their dignity and confidence, while also expecting cultural affirmation from them. There is no doubt that Marechera was a genius, but he mobilized the same qualities to become an agent for the exclusion of the Shona language and its knowledge systems.