Despite being an underdog wordsmith or a fairly known mushroomer in the world of literature, Wadzanai Tadhuvana wins. Her literature empowers, liberates and changes the stereotype norms that have been written, published and given to society to change the way society thinks and acts.
An unpublished author with tones of literary work shelved in a dark corner cruelly guarded by gatekeepers who are yet to realise her brilliance and what she stands for, her persistence as a creative is seen through the number of rejections she has received from the infinite submissions she has made to many writing competitions.
In April 2019, Wadzanai was a runner-up in a spoken word contest by the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), one of Africa’s largest international arts festivals.
In October of the same year, she landed first in the poetry category of the International Labour Organization’s Fast Forward Competition for the Arts, an initiative aimed at boosting the creative economy in Zimbabwe and spark conversations with artists about new forces that are transforming the world of work.
Wadzanai’s poem, “A New Day, New Possibilities” was on exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Harare, a showcase that was attended by hundreds of people.
#SheCreatesMarch| Chidochemoyo Gutu, Arts Guru & LET THEM Trust Founder
As well, her short story, “The Ransom Wife” was amongst the 14 shortlisted stories for the Intwasa Short Story Competition. The novelette depicts the double-edged struggle women in a male-dominated patriarchal society face, and how traditional religious customs infringe not only the liberal rights of women but any human being. The fictional tale is built around the character of Shuviro, a 12-year aged girl destined to be married off to appease avenging spirits. While her mother is against the idea but has no say in the matter because she is a woman, she convinced her daughter to run away to escape the marriage. The story ends with Shuviro running off in the middle of the night. Juxtaposed to today’s society, one can’t help but notice how the novelette highlights the ubiquitous plight of women which has since seen the need to have International Women’s Day, Women Empowerment and evoked the rise of movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp.
A littérateur called to write for her generation, Wadzanai is slowly building her profile beyond Zimbabwe. Her poetry has been published in print and electronic journals continental publications such as The Eyes of African Women. In 2019, her poem “A Letter To My Son” was shortlisted by Akina Mama Wa Africa in Uganda towards the publishing of the Beijing Dispatch, a journal to commemorate the Beijing Platform that had turned 25.
#SheCreatesMarch| Jordan Chanetsa, Queer Rights Activist, Podcaster & Model
Outside of her creative life, she is a professional Accountant.
Wadzanai’s work is available on wadzietads.com.
Editorial: This month, #enthuse, through our #SheCreatesMarch feature series, celebrates the work of thirty-one Zimbabwean women creatives, the contributions and achievements they have made throughout history, culture, and society. The idea is to elevate visibility for commercial projects and commissions. Discover the work of avant-garde creatives who embody the spirit of the month by uplifting and empowering women. Representing diverse backgrounds and disciplines, these women share one thing in common: their dedication to supporting women and sharing their stories through art and creativity. We are thrilled to share their work. And this month is about them. #ChooseToChallenge
