Reading protest and myth in Malawian literature: 1964–1990s
Literator
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Reading protest and myth in Malawian literature: 1964–1990s Protes en mite in die Malawiese literatuur: 1964–1990s | |
| Creator | Kalua, Fetson | |
| Description | Following Malawi’s attainment of independence from the British rule in 1964, its citizens endured more than three decades of highly autocratic rule under Dr Hastings Banda. Remarkably, this period also exemplified the flowering of Malawian literature, a literature in which a new generation of writers demonstrated their intense engagement with politics in their work by taking a swipe at Dr Banda’s tyrannical rule. Using postcolonial theory as a lens for cultural analysis, this article examines the work of selected Malawian writers whose main focus was to pinpoint how Malawi had found itself in the grip of the kind of political malaise that left its populace in a state of great despair and hopelessness. To that end, the article examines literary works by Malawian writers, notably Legson Kayira, Frank Chipasula, Felix Mnthali, Jack Mapanje and Steve Chimombo, in order to demonstrate the ambivalence of cultural identity rendered visible in these works through the personal fears, anxieties and frustrations of living in an era of such repressive politics and political heavyhandedness. Thus the writers of this particular generation produced the kind of texts which reflected and gave voice to the pain, unease and the malaise attendant on this postcolonial state, and the concomitant identity crises such pain brings about in a people. The argument of the article is that, for Malawi, the unfortunate state of politics engendered a cultural identity that was confusing and confused at best, and this found expression in the works being examined. Na Malawi se onafhanklikheidswording van Britse heerskappy in 1964, moes sy burgers meer as drie dekades lank die uiters outokratiese regering van Dr Hastings Banda verduur. Merkwaardig genoeg was dié tydperk ook ’n bloeitydperk in die Malawiese letterkunde, ’n letterkunde waarin ’n nuwe generasie skrywers getoon hoe intens hulle betrokke was by die politiek deur ’n paar dwarsklappe na Dr Banda se tirannieke bewind uit te deel. Deur postkoloniale teorie as ’n lens vir kultuurontleding te gebruik, ondersoek hierdie artikel die werk van geselekteerde Malawiese skrywers wie se hooffokus dit was om aan te toon dat Malawi vasgevang was in die greep van die tipe politiek wat die bevolking in die uiterste wanhoop en moedeloosheid en gedompel het. Daarom ondersoek die skrywer literêre werke deur Malawiese skrywers soos Legson Kayira, Frank Chipasula, Felix Mnthali, Jack Mapanje en Steve Chimombo ten einde die ambivalensie van kulturele identiteit te demonstreer wat sigbaar word in die betrokke werke oor die persoonlike vrese, angs en frustrasies in dié tydperk van onderdrukkende politiek en politieke hardhandigheid. Die skrywers van hierdie spesifieke generasie het dus tekste gelewer wat die pyn, ongemak en ‘malaise’ in hierdie postkoloniale staat weerspieël het, asook die dienooreenkomstige identiteitskrisis wat soveel pyn vir die mense tot gevolg gehad het. Die argument van hierdie artikel is dat die betreurenswaardige politieke toestand in Malawi ’n kulturele identiteit tot stand gebring het wat verwarrend en verward was, en dat dit uitdrukking gevind het in die werke wat ondersoek word. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2016-09-26 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/lit.v37i1.1255 | |
| Source | Literator; Vol 37, No 1 (2016); 6 pages Literator; Vol 37, No 1 (2016); 6 pages 2219-8237 0258-2279 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1255/2066
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1255/2067
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1255/2068
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1255/2062
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