A WEEK ago on Friday, 6 February the Poets, Essayists and Novelists (PEN) Zambia chapter held a successful creative writing workshop for school PEN clubs at the Alliance de Francaise in Lusaka.
On the Copperbelt in Chingola too, at the Chingola Arts Society (CAS), a week earlier on Saturday, January 31 the club conducted a theatrical workshop primarily for members and school teachers.
The workshop in Lusaka brought together 85 passionate, eager and enthusiastic young pupils from four schools;Rufunsa Girls Technical, Libala, Lusaka GRZ and Chilanga’s Parklands Secondary Schools.
With the National Arts Council (NAC) chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe and her NAC director Adrian Chipindi the event could not have been any better for young people in school.
Mulenga, a seasonal writer herself thrilled the budding writers when she said, “Writers live forever, and an example of William Shakespeare, 300 years ago and we are still reading and talking about his works.”
“Writing depicts culture,” Mulenga went on, “as Zambian writers aim to mirror and reflect the Zambian culture in your writings; in the way you tell your stories and in your way of writing poetry. So many things inspire us to write, therefore to be a good writer, be observant and capture all interesting and exciting elements of life and document them by writing.”
Mulenga encouraged the youthful writers to be authentic, and original as these bore as the basis and foundation upon which every writer depended. Writers like all human beings, are unique she stressed.
Mulenga bemoaned, and condemned the evil of plagiarism saying it was downright theft. She advised writers to learn from other writers, and pick up their styles, and that they should learn the new words in other peoples’ write-ups, forcefully reprimanding the gathering which largely consisted of the girl-child, “but don’t lift other people’s works.”
And PEN Zambia president Nicholas Kawinga, a fervent and ardent poet said the workshop was resoundingly impressive, predominantly at seeing the babbling energy in the young people, and their desire to learn new skills.
Justine Delefortrie, the new Director at Alliance de Francaise feels the Zambian PEN Centre is doing a great job giving literary skills to young people. She said this in her brief speech to the participants, and called upon PEN to strive conducting more of such workshops in more schools.
At the close of the workshop, a competition in short story and poetry writing was announced, but the awards event will be held in the last week of March during which the first prize for both categories are laptop computers to be followed by 2nd & 3rd prizes of dictionaries of various sizes and other items.
In total, the Zambian PEN Centre is working in nine schools conducting an outreach mentorship programme in creative writing skills. Other schools are Kabulonga, Munali, Matero Girls’ Secondary, Chudleigh House and Chongwe secondary schools.
Indeed committing a story to paper is enviably long lasting, and history attests to this with various written stories we always read about by writers who are no longer living.
Noting what one old hand writer Samuel Kasankha told me during the last NATAAZ festival, some scripts were so weak; he said there was need to dissect the manner in which our playwrights arrange their stories, and that they should aim to reflect Zambian life and other related themes even though we are aware the world is presently a global village today.
Therefore, institutions such as the Zambia Women Writers Association (ZAWWA), the National School Arts Association of Zambia (NASAAZ) and PEN should work hard and hand in hand and support such workshops – believably school events such as this are less costly as the young learners are easily found in one place – you only need to move in facilitators to the location.
For theatre to hugely advance as an inndustry in Zambia, a cliché Ackson Tembo always talks about we need to kick ourselves in the ass, and with good writers, good scripts will come out, then we should be able to produce good themes, good plays, ultimately, and good audiences.
At CAS one of the teachers Mervis Maseka Mbewe described the workshop as enriching as she learnt a lot and would transfer the knowledge to her drama club in school.
In a brief statement CAS chairman Bwalya Chikwanda, a veteran actor and producer stated that his club had drawn up a year planner, and workshops were part of the itinerary. He said with the increased youthful membership, and for purposes of attracting more members the theatrical workshop was intended to entice the public and equip them with necessary theatrical rudiments in drama.
On hand to take through the participants were Moses Chabinga and Clement Muyasani whose experiences in various areas of theatre spans over the years.
Moses, formerly NATAAZ general secretary, is a committed actor and administrator who handled script writing, directing, acting skills and technical stage management.
Clement Muyasani, formerly CAS chairman spoke on marketing techniques, and how theatre should be integrated as a serious business.
Both workshops to do with creative writings in schools, and generally in the community in theatre houses cannot be underestimated; they are the very best our skilled and experienced writers can ever do; so well done Mulenga Kapwepwe, Nicholas Kawinga, Moses Chabinga and Clement Muyasani for all the efforts.
There is no better workshop particularly those hosted in schools for the young school learners as then we are building a future in this area.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for Cephas Sinyangwe, the Mopani Copper Mines Public Relations Manager to organise for me as discussed to meet with his boss, the Chief Executive Officer over the breathtaking, superb and amazing program ‘Safe Mining,’ an in-house theatrical activity using local drama to sensitise miners on safe mining in their work areas on the mines.
Performances which kicked off in Kitwe at Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society lasting over a month, now have shifted to Mufulira Little Theatre with an expected audience turn-out of over 20 000 miners in all by the end of the program.
The program has seen the rehabilitation of NKAS, and an overhaul of Mufulira Little Theatre. Well done Mopani, but let’s talk for me to do a far-reaching story.
John.kapesa818@yahoo.com – 0955-0967-710975