Mozambican writer Ungulani Ba Ka Khosa and illustrator Adérito Wetela (Barch) celebrated the launch of a graphic novel adaptation of Ualalapi on December 10 at Livroteca in Marracuene, Mozambique.

The event marked a historic moment for the rural municipality, which welcomed its first bookstore and first literary gathering through this debut. Editora Trinta Zero Nove (ETZN) published both Portuguese and English versions of the graphic novel, with translation by Richard Bartlett and Sandra Tamele, opening Ba Ka Khosa’s landmark 1987 novel to international readers for the first time.

Ualalapi, which won the Grande Prémio de Ficção Narrativa Moçambicana and was listed among the 100 Best African Books of the 20th Century in 2002, tells the story of the warrior Ualalapi, who is ordered to assassinate hosi Mafename to secure Ngungunhane’s rise as the last Emperor of Gaza. Set in the late 19th century, the novel explores loyalty, violence, and power as the Gaza empire fractures under Portuguese colonial pressure. Wetela’s black-and-white illustrations reimagine the narrative in graphic form, closing with a haunting sequence of Ualalapi fleeing the assassination, accompanied by the cries of a woman and child.

The launch at Livroteca brought together local community members, students, teachers, and cultural leaders in Marracuene, a town founded in 1940 with an estimated population of 262,000 that had never hosted a bookstore until ETZN opened this community hub for readers across all ages. The graphic novel represents ETZN’s commitment to making Mozambican literature accessible to diverse audiences through innovative formats and translation.

ETZN, founded by Sandra Tamele, is Mozambique’s first publishing house dedicated to literary translation and audiobooks, and the first to produce audiobooks in the country. As a Black woman-owned independent micro publisher, ETZN prioritizes publishing in local languages, accessibility for readers with disabilities, and affordability. Livroteca serves as the publisher’s retail and community space, providing access to books in Portuguese and Mozambican languages while centering its mission on democratizing literature in rural Mozambique through inclusion and literary education.

The graphic novel adaptation of Ualalapi continues ETZN’s work in expanding access to Mozambican literature, following other recent projects including the English translation of Bento Baloi’s Beneath the Scar, winner of the inaugural Mia Couto Literary Award. The dual-language release positions Ba Ka Khosa’s work for international readership and academic study while honoring its place in Mozambican literary history.

Images from the Launch below: