Benedicto Wokomaatani Malunga
Benedicto Wokomaatani[lower-alpha 1] Malunga born in 1962 in Chikwawa and ,[1] also known as Ben Malunga, is a Malawian poet, writing in the Chichewa language. He is also a proven short story writer, an essayist, a music composer, a much sought after compere and an accomplished translator who turned late Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart into CHIPASUPASU. A Bachelor's and a Master's degree holder from Chancellor College of the University of Malawi (1986) and Manchester University (1996) in the UK respectively, Malunga is a qualified teacher and a professional higher education manager presently working as Registrar for the University of Malawi and Secretary of the University of Malawi Council.[2] He is the author of three collections of poems (see Bibliography). In 2002 the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) honored him with an award for his creativity. He has also ever been rewarded for being the best selling poet to date in Malawi. As the University of Malawi turned 50 in 2015, he composed its first ever anthem. Some of his poems have also been turned into songs by Billy Kaunda. A typical example is the song called NDINE YEMWE UJA among others. Because of his versatility as a public speaker, Malunga is now and again called upon to be compere at big public functions.
In an interview in 2010, the poet Stanley Onjezani Kenani referred to Malunga as "Malawi's most famous poet". He added: "Jack Mapanje is the most famous poet internationally. But when you talk of poetry in Malawi, in the villages, everywhere, the household name is Benedicto Malunga."[3] With his colleague Gospel Kazako, Malunga recorded the first Malawian cassette of poetry called Taimbani Alakatuli which was later followed by Ndidzakutengera Kunyanja Ligineti Ndi Ndakatulo Zina which was once upon a time used for teaching Chinyanja Literature at O level'.
Currently, his compact disc titled SIANANSO AWA is regularly aired by various radio stations which have poetry programs in Malawi. Additionally, local newspapers have been publishing Malunga's Valentine and Mothers' day essays. Furthermore, an American Journal called UFAHAMU which has published his prose and poetry in English since the 1990s, asked him if it could publish a special edition of his stories on account that they are brilliantly written. He has agreed to this arrangement while his four short stories which were accepted at once in 2014 by UFAHAMU, continue to appear in instalments in various issues of this journal on African Studies published by the University of California.
One of Malunga's poems, Misozi ya Chumba ('The Tears of the Barren Woman'), which puts into words the feelings of a woman unable to have children, was set for comment in the 2010 Chichewa International Baccalaureate exam.[4] This is an example of topical social issues Malunga's poetry tackles.
Bibliography
- Kuimba Kwa Mlakatuli ('The Singing of the Poet') (1990)[1] (revised edition, CLAIM Malawi, 2003).
- Ndidzakutengera kunyanja Ligineti: ndi ndakatulo zina (' "I shall take you to the Lake, Ligineti" and other poems') (2001). (Chancellor College Publications, 2001).[1]
- Mawu Koma Awa Ndi Ndakatulo Zina (These Are The Words and Other Poems) (2011). Chancellor College Publications, 2011).
Notes
- ↑ The name is sometimes spelled 'Okomaatani' in newspaper articles. It comes from a proverb (W)okoma atani onga fumbwe? 'What have good people done like the civet?', words of protest spoken by harmless civet who was annoyed to see a criminal leopard being given greater honours than himself (as retold in the Indiana University Chichewa Recorded Materials Archive).
References
- 1 2 3 WorldCat Identities
- ↑ http://www.nyasatimes.com 24 April 2011; Galilee International Management Institute website 12 July 2015
- ↑ Interview with Stanley Kenani
- ↑ See External links.