Tsitsi Dangarembga
Encyclopedia
Tsitsi Dangarembga is a Zimbabwe
an author and filmmaker.
, Zimbabwe
(then Rhodesia
), in 1959 but spent part of her childhood in England
. She began her education there, but concluded her A-levels in a missionary school back home, in the town of Mutare
. She later studied medicine at Cambridge University, but became homesick and returned home as Zimbabwe's black-majority rule began in 1980.
She took up psychology at the University of Zimbabwe
, of whose drama group she was a member. She also held down a two-year job as a copywriter at a marketing agency. This early writing experience gave her an avenue for expression: she wrote numerous plays, such as The Lost of the Soil, and then joined the theatre group Zambuko, and participated in the production of two plays, Katshaa and Mavambo.
In 1985, Dangarembga published a short story in Sweden called "The Letter". In 1987, she also published the play She Does Not Weep in Harare
. At the age of twenty-five, she had her first taste of success with her novel Nervous Conditions
. The first in English ever written by a black Zimbabwean woman, it won the African section of the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1989 and is considered one of the twelve best African novels ever written . Asked about her subsequent prose drought, she explained, "There have been two major reasons for my not having worked on prose since Nervous Conditions: firstly, the novel was published only after I had turned to film as a medium; secondly, Virginia Woolf
's shrewd observation that a woman needs £500 and a room of her own in order to write is entirely valid. Incidentally, I am moving and hope that, for the first time since Nervous Conditions, I shall have a room of my own. I'll try to ignore the bit about £500."
Dangarembga continued her education later in Berlin
at the Deutsche Film und Fernseh Akademie, where she studied film direction and produced several film productions, including a documentary for German television. She also made the film Everyone's Child
, shown worldwide including at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival
.
, a partially autobiographical work which appeared in Great Britain in 1988 and the next year in the United States. A sequel, The Book of Not
, was published in 2006.
Dangarembga wrote the story for the film Neria
(1993), which became the highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history. The protagonist is a widowed woman, whose brother-in-law abuses traditional customs to control her assets for his own benefit. Neria loses her material possessions and her child, but gets then help from her female friend (played by Kubi Indi
) against her late husband's family. The title song is by Oliver Mtukudzi, who also appears in the film.
In 1996, she directed the film Everyone's Child
. It was the first feature film directed by a black Zimbabwean woman. The story followed the tragic fates of four siblings, after their parents die of AIDS
. The soundtrack featured songs by Zimbabwe's most popular musicians, including Thomas Mapfumo
, Leonard Zhakata
and Andy Brown
.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an author and filmmaker.
Biography
Dangarembga was born in MutokoMutoko
Mutoko is a small town in Mashonaland East province, Zimbabwe. It was established as an administrative station in 1911. It lies 143 km from Harare. It is named after the local Chief Mutoko....
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
(then Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
), in 1959 but spent part of her childhood in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She began her education there, but concluded her A-levels in a missionary school back home, in the town of Mutare
Mutare
Mutare is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of around 170,000. It is the capital of Manicaland province.-History:...
. She later studied medicine at Cambridge University, but became homesick and returned home as Zimbabwe's black-majority rule began in 1980.
She took up psychology at the University of Zimbabwe
University of Zimbabwe
The University of Zimbabwe in Harare, is the oldest and largest university in Zimbabwe. It was founded through a special relationship with the University of London and it opened its doors to its first students in 1952. The university has ten faculties offering a wide variety of degree programmes...
, of whose drama group she was a member. She also held down a two-year job as a copywriter at a marketing agency. This early writing experience gave her an avenue for expression: she wrote numerous plays, such as The Lost of the Soil, and then joined the theatre group Zambuko, and participated in the production of two plays, Katshaa and Mavambo.
In 1985, Dangarembga published a short story in Sweden called "The Letter". In 1987, she also published the play She Does Not Weep in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. At the age of twenty-five, she had her first taste of success with her novel Nervous Conditions
Nervous Conditions
Nervous Conditions is a novel by Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. Semi-autobiographical, it is set in the post-colonial Rhodesia of the 1960s...
. The first in English ever written by a black Zimbabwean woman, it won the African section of the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 1989 and is considered one of the twelve best African novels ever written . Asked about her subsequent prose drought, she explained, "There have been two major reasons for my not having worked on prose since Nervous Conditions: firstly, the novel was published only after I had turned to film as a medium; secondly, Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
's shrewd observation that a woman needs £500 and a room of her own in order to write is entirely valid. Incidentally, I am moving and hope that, for the first time since Nervous Conditions, I shall have a room of my own. I'll try to ignore the bit about £500."
Dangarembga continued her education later in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
at the Deutsche Film und Fernseh Akademie, where she studied film direction and produced several film productions, including a documentary for German television. She also made the film Everyone's Child
Everyone's Child
Everyone's Child is a 1995 film directed by the author Tsitsi Dangarembga, who was the first black Zimbabwean woman to direct a feature film....
, shown worldwide including at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival
Jameson Dublin International Film Festival
The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival is a film festival that is held annually in February over the course of ten days in Dublin, Republic of Ireland-History:The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival was established in 2003...
.
Works
As a novelist Dangarembga made her debut with Nervous ConditionsNervous Conditions
Nervous Conditions is a novel by Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. Semi-autobiographical, it is set in the post-colonial Rhodesia of the 1960s...
, a partially autobiographical work which appeared in Great Britain in 1988 and the next year in the United States. A sequel, The Book of Not
The Book of Not
The Book of Not is a novel by Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga. The novel is semi-autobiographical, set in colonial Rhodesia. The story is told from the perspective of Tambudzai, a young black girl living in Rhodesia. In The Book of Not, Tambu's story continues from when it previously left off...
, was published in 2006.
Dangarembga wrote the story for the film Neria
Neria
Neria is a Zimbabwean film made in 1993, written by the novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga. It is directed by Goodwin Mawuru and the screenplay was written by Louise Riber....
(1993), which became the highest-grossing film in Zimbabwean history. The protagonist is a widowed woman, whose brother-in-law abuses traditional customs to control her assets for his own benefit. Neria loses her material possessions and her child, but gets then help from her female friend (played by Kubi Indi
Kubi Indi
Kubi Chaza Indi is a Zimbabwean development activist and businesswoman. Under her maiden name, Kubi Chaza, she was an actress in the UK, appearing in Live and Let Die in 1973 as a saleswoman picking up James Bond. After returning to Zimbabwe, she and actor husband John Indi started a company...
) against her late husband's family. The title song is by Oliver Mtukudzi, who also appears in the film.
In 1996, she directed the film Everyone's Child
Everyone's Child
Everyone's Child is a 1995 film directed by the author Tsitsi Dangarembga, who was the first black Zimbabwean woman to direct a feature film....
. It was the first feature film directed by a black Zimbabwean woman. The story followed the tragic fates of four siblings, after their parents die of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The soundtrack featured songs by Zimbabwe's most popular musicians, including Thomas Mapfumo
Thomas Mapfumo
Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo is a Zimbabwean musician known as "The Lion of Zimbabwe" and "Mukanya" for his immense popularity and for the political influence he wields through his music, including his sharp criticism of the government of President Robert Mugabe...
, Leonard Zhakata
Leonard Zhakata
Leonard Karikoga Zhakata is a Zimbabwean musician and singer. He writes and performs songs mainly in his native Shona tongue....
and Andy Brown
Andy Brown
Andy Brown may refer to:*Andy Brown , former ice hockey player in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association*Andy Brown , Indy Racing League winning chief engineer* Andy Brown , UK football player...
.
External links
- A recording of Dangarembga's reading of her "Electing Zimbabwe"
- http://www.postcolonialweb.org/zimbabwe/td/dangarembgaov.html
- http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/tsitsi.htm