EVENT: Msengezi reads poetry and short fiction at Richard Hugo House (1634 11th Ave, 322-7030) on Thurs March 29, 7:30 pm.
Why writing? Why not something more stable or "honest," as my parents would put it. "I don't know anything else but writing. And I think writing is very honest. Of course, it is not considered honest by others, but it is honest to me."
I recall Tsitsi Dangarembga had great difficulties publishing her novel Nervous Conditions because of its strong feminist theme. ("I was not sorry when my brother died," is its opening line.) Do you think the situation has improved for women writers in Zimbabwe since the great success of her book? "I think the situation has improved somewhat. Publishers are aware enough to have a gender balance. Nevertheless, they don't think that our work is up to scratch; they always seem to imply that women are not up to standard. But to publish fiction of any kind in Zimbabwe is a very risky business. Anyone who puts money into a book of fiction or poetry is not likely to get a return. Manuals on how to raise chickens or corn can make money, but not fiction. So I understand the publishers' situation."
Stranger Personals
We want to see you read, we are going to be there, but what should we anticipate? What concerns will you address? "Women's concerns! Women whom you cannot separate from their children. In Zimbabwe, a woman is always with a baby on her back, so when we talk about women, we inevitably talk about their children. That is what I write about--the current situation of the Zimbabwean woman."
What do you think of Seattle? "The day after I arrived, the earthquake happened. I'm so used to firm ground, so I was really shaken. I have never felt anything like it; the ground was actually shaking."
Do you have a proverb you can share with us? "'Chitsza chiri murutsoka garo harina charo,' which means, 'New things are always in your feet; as for your buttocks, you can only use it to sit down.'"
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