David Mungoshi Legacy
THE death of the celebrated author, poet, and actor, David Mungoshi has been described as a blow to the arts sector in Zimbabwe.
Mungoshi died Saturday night. He was 71.
Memory Chirere, who worked closely with Mungoshi and David’s late brother, Charles told NewZimbabwe.com it was sad the two writers had passed on within a year of each other.
Charles was also a renowned author and actor.
“The passing on of Mungoshi is a big blow considering he was a prominent writer, actor, teacher, and arts mentor. You will also remember that he has written a lot,” Chirere said.
“We are going to miss him. Once upon a time, he went as far as Rushinga to teach young people how to write. I also joined him at the Chimanimani Arts Festival where we were busy trying to mentor young writers.
“He was a very powerful mentor.
“Reading his column in The Herald week in week out would make you feel Mungoshi understood the local musical scene, he was an encyclopedia of Zimbabwean music.
“It is a pity that he has gone without putting those bits and pieces together.
“As we mourn David, we also celebrate his life because he has been in our midst, he was a good friend, joyful, generous, kind, and extremely intelligent. What makes his death more painful is to those of us who know him is that it comes barely a year after the passing on of his brother Charles.
“We are deeply saddened by passing away of David Mungoshi. Mungoshi was a brilliant writer who was will to share his expertise with upcoming and established writers.
“As an editor, he help polish a great number of manuscripts that are great pieces of work today because of him.”
Mungoshi is also a former lecturer in linguistics at the University of Zimbabwe.
“He knew his values and encouraged other writers to also worth and demand it. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family. David Mungoshi will be missed in the writing community and beyond.”
His book, The Fading Son won an award at the prestigious 2010 NAMA Awards. The novel is also on the literature set book in schools. Mungoshi’s work in poetry featured many anthologies and had his own collection of poems, Live Like An Artist.
As an actor, he played the role of John Huni on the popular Studio 263. He also featured in Larry Mutasa’s short film, the postman and Ngugi Wa Mirri’s feature film, Secrets.
