IN DEPTH INTERVIEWS SERIES: Week 8 February 2016

This week I’ve had conversations with two Zimbabwean poets who are not only writers but are, in different ways, custodians of African literature. Veteran poet John Eppel preserves literature by teaching the next generation whilst Hosea Tokwe is not only a librarian but also involved heavily in initiatives such as the Writer’s International Network (WIN).

Words from Zimbabwe’s Veteran Poet (John Eppel)

As a poet who’s been writing for decades, what sort of changes have you seen in the African literary community over the years?

I have seen a movement away from themes dominated by nationalism (e.g. Wilson Katiyo) to more nuanced themes involving poverty, corruption, and identity. The genre of the epic is being replaced by something closer to satire (e.g. Petina Gappah).

What kind of poetry/ storytelling tradition exist in your culture/country and has this had any bearing on your writing?

I was brought up on English nursery rhymes, English children's stories and verses, English novelists, poets, and playwrights. My primary school teachers in colonial Zimbabwe were all British expats who transferred their nostalgia to their all-white pupils.

As a white man living in Africa, has your identity been a bone of contention in any way and has this influenced your poetry in any way?

It's been a huge bone of contention and has dominated my writing, resulting in a satirical voice in my prose and a close-to confessional voice in my poetry.

What would you say is unique about the BNAP anthology and what sort of impact do you think BNAP will have on the next generation of African writing?

Its Pan-African scope certainly is unique, and I believe its impact will be entirely positive.

As a teacher of English, what sort of impact do you think a Pan African anthology such as this one will have on students (if it were to be taken up as a set book)?

Its structure, hundreds of African poets, each providing only a few poems, will help reverse the global trend towards the cult of the ego.

 

Hosea Tokwe speaks about the influence of Shona folklore on his writing

 ‘I’ve been writing for four years now,’ says the Gweru based librarian, Hosea Tokwe.  ‘I remember presenting my first poem  “Dusk” at a Poetry Slam event hosted by  Pamberi Trust during the WIN-Zimbabwe Launch, with the likes of Tatenda Muchuri, Ticha Muzavazi, Mbizvo and others.’  Inspired by Shona folklore and legends taught to him by his grandmother, Tokwe learnt to pen his own short stories and poems that have allowed him to reflect on his traditional upbringing. African writers such as Kamara Laye, William Conton and Legson Kayira have formed an integral part of his writing education, ‘My styles are varied as they are influenced by variety of authors that I read. I love to read books from African Writers Series, as they dwell on traditional and social background. They inspire me to also write about experiences I encounter.’

But what is his take on this beautiful project he has been a part of? ‘It is the diversity of poems available in the anthology (Best New African Poets) touching on different subjects that is so unique. It will provoke next generation to dwell more on subjects that affect their society thus share them with a wider audience.’

get your won copy here http://www.amazon.com/Best-African-Poets-2015-Anthology/dp/9956763489