By Chikumbutso Ndaferankhande: It was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who said that the decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation. Southern Africa pulsates with a vibrant literary tradition, one inextricably woven into the fabric of its social and political struggles. From the sun-drenched plains of Malawi to the windswept coasts of South Africa, a chorus of writers has emerged, not merely chronicling the region’s complexities but actively shaping its path towards a more open and just society.
These are not passive observers; they are architects of change, artistically weaving words to challenge the status quo and ignite the flames of resistance. This essay aims at celebrating these men and women of the pen in their efforts to use their talents to render credence in the fight against the social injustices of their times. Malawi, a nation brimming with artistic fervor, offers a compelling case study to the above.
Under the iron fist of 30-year one-party state, writers became the conscience of the nation. Jack Mapanje stands tall among them. His now-iconic Mikuyu Prison experience, And the Crocodiles Are Hungry at Night, is a potent collection of how he was incarcerated in the hellish—now closed —Mikuyu Prison for three years and seven months without trial just because of a dictatorial regime’s paranoia.
Poems like ‘This is the Hour of the Toad’ and ‘The Song of a Chicken’ paint a chilling portrait of a nation choked by fear. Mapanje’s courage in the .