Actor, playwright and writer Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera says he plans to collect more folktales as part of efforts to promote and preserve culture.
This follows the launch of his second children’s book titled Chuchu and Other Stories at Kweza Arts in Lilongwe on Saturday.
He said there was a genuine concern out there over the loss of oral traditions, saying this had led to loss of knowledge.
“I am extremely encouraged and inspired to continue this mission. The plan is to write 10 books of folktales, each one with 10 stories. By the end of the 10 books, we would have collected 100 folktales,” Nkhonjera said.
He said this would mean preserving the country’s culture, traditional practices, rituals, traditional knowledge and ways of the people.
“I come up with these stories through extensive research in all the districts of Malawi, engaging with children to learn about what stories they know, engaging with grandparents to ask them what stories they heard as children and what stories they remember in their old age,” Nkhonjera said.
He further said he researches on stories pertaining to a subject he would like to discuss with others.
“For instance, Chuchu talks of novel practices like permaculture, showing how our culture is dynamic and changing as well as embracing new concepts against age-old beliefs,” Nkhonjera said.
He said the launch achieved its purpose, which was to confluence like-minded people into synergies and networks for the growth of literature and storytelling in Malawi.
Chuchu and Other Stories is Nkhonjera’s second book, a fitting sequel to He Helide and Other Stories, his debut book.
“Folklore is the beacon that has stood the test of time to maintain the story of us, as a people. In Chuchu and Other Stories, I have employed folklore to discuss modern issues and common, everyday contemporary life. This is a deliberate bid to make the folktales be of this day and age, not an age where people walked around with spears and clubs,” he said.
He said in these stories, people discuss medicine, money, deforestation, biomedical advancements, agriculture, video games, biodiversity and other modern concepts.
In his first book, He Helide, Nkhonjera said most of the stories were about life among people, how people treat each other and their relationships with each other.
Special Adviser to President Lazarus Chakwera, who was the guest of honour, Q Malewezi, has since said
children can learn a lot from Nkhonjera in storytelling.
Malewezi, who is also the founder of Kweza Arts, announced a partnership between Kweza and Dikamawoko Arts, where Nkhonjera will be working with kids in storytelling, creative writing and folklore.
During the launch, there was a performance of the story of Towera, a proud and naughty princess who ends up marrying a hyena and talks about body shaming.
From Lilongwe, Nkhonjera will launch the book in Blantyre and Mzuzu.
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