19 June 2009

Moon of Memories by Emmanuel Sigauke

When my brother Ranga and his wife arrived on Sunday, they roused the village with their car, which bounced as it entered the compound and came to a dignified stop in the shade of our Muzeze tree. A car in our home! Mai and I would have embraced and patted it, but, as the villagers began to arrive, we rushed to greet its owners first. Ranga walked hesitantly as if he was lost, grinning and staring at everyone stolidly, mumbling his greetings. I had expected him to act differently, but not to mumble like exile had stolen his Karanga...




This story has been selected for the StoryTime anthology African Roar, please go to the African Roar site for more info on the book.



Moon of Memories was written by Emmanuel Sigauke.

Copyright Emmanuel Sigauke 2009.



Emmanuel Sigauke grew up in Zimbabwe, where he studied English and Linguistics at the University of Zimbabwe.

He helped found the Zimbabwe Budding Writers Association, for which he served as National Secretary from 1992 to 1995.

He moved to California in 1996 and studied English at Sacramento State University. He teaches composition and writing at Cosumnes River College and is one of the editors of Cosumnes River Journal.

His poetry has appeared in various journals in Zimbabwe, Finland, United States and Ireland, and he is the editor of Munyori Poetry Journal. He is also a member of the Sacramento Poetry Board and a book reviewer for Poetry Now, a publication of the Sacramento Poetry Center.



4 comments:

Sarudzai Mubvakure said...

The best Emmanuel Sigauke story i've read yet.

Moon of Memories is interlaced with passion and light humour. Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable.

Masimba Musodza said...

Now this is what I call Zimbabwean literature! Mr Siguake, you have outdone yourself! What a movie this would make!

Nigel Jack said...

Unozodeyi? (what else would you ask for) this is it. My brother- this is a masterpiece. Believe you me- its rare that in a short piece one manages to capture the idiocy of brainwashed snobish diasporans, and at the same time paints a picture of a foolish successful man. the irony is too vast to be harnessed this way. the aspect of secondary identity crisis is hilarious, the power of the weaker vessels (women), issues of marriage, the role of tete in the shona family. Moyo wekurera- as depicted in the mother. Materialism versus morals. Gees, i'll preach about this piece to passionate readers i know. true wisdom is nature to advantage dressed, what often was thought but never so well expressed. Shine Manu Shine

Dami Ajayi said...

i like this story a lot. the dialogue is fluid; the setting is also well placed such that the characters fit into their roles adequately. Good story!

 
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