Benedicto Wokomaatani Malunga (born in 1962), also known as Ben Malunga, is a Malawian poet, writing in the
Chichewa
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambique and Zambia. The noun class prefix ''chi-'' is used for la ...
language. He is also a short-story writer, an essayist, a music composer, public speaker, and translator who has translated
Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe (; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as the dominant figure of modern African literature. His first novel and ''magnum opus'', ''Things Fall Apart'' (1958), occupies ...
's ''Things Fall Apart'' into Chichewa under the title ''Chipasupasu''. Malunga holds a bachelor's degree from Chancellor College of the University of Malawi (1986) and an MA from Manchester University (1996) in the UK. He is currently working as Registrar for the
University of Malawi
The University of Malawi (UNIMA) is a public university established in 1965 and until 4 May 2021, when the university underwent a delinking, was composed of four constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the four colleges, ...
and Secretary of the University of Malawi Council.
Although born in
Chikwawa
Chikwawa is a town with a population of 6,114 according to the 2018 census located in the Southern Region of Malawi on the west bank of the Shire River. It is the administrative capital of the Chikwawa District. Chikwawa lies almost south of Bla ...
in the south of Malawi, he was brought up from a young age in the village of Chabwera in
Machinga District
Machinga is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Machinga. The district covers an area of 3,771 km.² and has a population of 369,614.
Demographics
At the time of the 2018 Census of Malawi, the distribution of the ...
.Malunga, ''Ndidzakutengera ku Nyanja'', author information. He attended Malosa Secondary School near Zomba.
Malunga is the author of three collections of poems (see Bibliography). In 2002 the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) honoured him with an award for his creativity. As the University of Malawi turned 50 in 2015, he composed its first ever anthem. Some of his poems, including ''Ndine yemwe uja'', have also been turned into songs by Billy Kaunda.
In an interview in 2010, the poet Stanley Onjezani Kenani referred to Malunga as "Malawi's most famous poet". He added: "
Gospel Kazako
Gospel Kazako (born 29 December 1968) is a Malawian entrepreneur who in 2005 founded the Zodiak Broadcasting Station, the most popular radio station in Malawi. He is also known as a poet.
In July 2020 Gospel Kazako was appointed as Minister of Inf ...
, Malunga recorded the first Malawian cassette of poetry called ''Taimbani Alakatuli'' which was later followed by ''Ndidzakutengera Kunyanja Ligineti Ndi Ndakatulo Zina''. His compact disc titled ''Siananso Awa'' is regularly aired by various radio stations in Malawi. Some of his short stories have appeared in the African Studies journal ''
Ufahamu
''Ufahamu: A Journal of African Studies'' is a graduate-student run, peer-reviewed academic journal published at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It was established by the UCLA African Activist Association in 1970 and named after ...
'' published by the University of California.
One of Malunga's poems, ''Misozi ya Chumba'' ('The Tears of the Barren Woman'), which puts into words the feelings of a woman unable to have children, was set for comment in the 2010 Chichewa International Baccalaureate exam. This is an example of the social issues which Malunga's poetry tackles.
Bibliography
* ''Ndidzakutengera kunyanja Ligineti: ndi ndakatulo zina'' ('I shall take you to the Lake, Ligineti and other poems') (2001). (Chancellor College Publications, 2001).
* ''Kuimba Kwa Mlakatuli'' ('The Singing of the Poet') (1990) (revised edition, CLAIM Malawi, 2003).
* ''Chipasupasu'' (a translation of Chinua Achebe's ''Things Fall Apart''), Chancellor College Publications, Zomba (2004). .
* ''Mawu Koma Awa ndi ndakatulo zina'' ('These Are The Words and other poems'), Chancellor College Publications, Zomba (2011). .