Write it down!

Words by Alex Gwaze (Curator)
Questions by Alex Gwaze & Joanne Peters (Image Coach & Philanthropist)

The saying “the pen is mightier than the sword” holds a special power when it comes to healing and learning. For Zimbabwean author Tracy Masocha, the written word has become a beacon of hope and a tool for transforming herself and her community. By trade, Tracy is a graphic/ web designer, but everything changed when she bravely chose to confront the dark realities of her childhood by writing her first book, “In Defense of Children: Prevention of Child Abuse”. As a survivor of sexual abuse, she is breaking the silence around gender-based violence and paving the way for others to do the same. Currently, a staggering 1 in 3 women in Zimbabwe experience physical or sexual violence, and 1 in 5 girls suffer sexual abuse before the age of 18. Tracy’s story, aimed at children, gave a voice to the voiceless.

However, after sharing her story, she has turned the page and become more determined to tell more stories – not about GBV, but about her community’s experiences in their local languages. With only 20% of books published in Zimbabwe written in indigenous languages, despite the country having 16 official languages, Tracy is on a mission to reach those who resonate with her voice, from cities to rural areas. She has published two Shona novels – “Vanga Rerudo”, “Kugona Mbavha Huirongera” – that represent Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage and explore contemporary drama.

Tracy is currently working on a children’s book, additional Shona novels, and English short stories. But it’s her dedication to promoting healing in our local languages that is a testament to the power of literature. Even in our darkest moments, a good book can inspire hope and resilience.

JP: So, what inspired you to make the leap from graphic / web design to writing?

TM: I grew up loving reading and writing, but I never thought I could write! I also felt that I had a lot to tell the world, so I thought that by writing, I could communicate and reach many people. And so I started writing.

JP: That’s amazing! Was there a particular book that really resonated with you growing up?

TM: Yes, the book is titled “Maidei,” written by M.A. Hamutyinei. This book touched me so much that I would cry while reading it. I felt like it spoke to me; I felt like I was part of the story and that I was Maidei. The way she grew up and the problems she faced, I saw myself in her. So I read it so many times that I had the story stuck in my head. Every time I read the book, I would cry.

AG: I haven’t read “Maidei” but it sounds like a powerful book. Is that what inspired your debut novel, “In Defence of Children”? That’s a really tough subject to tackle.

TM: It was really hard because I was sexually abused when I was growing up. It’s hard because the person who abused me was a close relative, someone who was supposed to take care of me, protect me and make me feel safe. And I couldn’t do anything because I was just a child; I couldn’t tell anyone because he threatened me. He said he was going to kill me. I believed him. You know I we all know that children are being abused by close relatives, people they trust, and nobody is talking about it. Maybe because the abuser is the father, brother, uncle, or family friend, and when children try to talk, nobody listens. If they listen, they won’t report because the abuser is the breadwinner, and they can’t let him go to jail. Or they just dont think jail is the solution and they can handle things in house. In so many homes many things are happening in families, and it’s swept under the carpet. I wanted to be the voice for the voiceless and also let people know that with your kids, you must be careful; you can’t just leave your kids with just anyone. Protect them. If a father abuses his own child, what about a relative? The book for me is meant to be an eye-opener coming from someone who is a survivor of abuse. I am just one voice but there are so many of us healing from the past silently.

AG: I’m really sorry that happened to you. It takes a lot of courage to share, and yes there are so many suffering silently. That’s why your book really is powerful. As well as your decision to write your next books in Shona?

TM: Thank you. You can only tell your story according to how you are healing. The most stories that are told the more opportunities to learn other paths to recovery. And honestly, I feel like there are some stories I can only tell and explain in Shona. When I decided to write in Shona I was also trying to reach old people in rural areas who can’t understand English. I will also translate the Shona ones into English and other languages so that I can reach many people. I am still writing some English books too.

JP: You are on a mission to reshape Zimbabwean literature and promote our languages internationally.

TM: Literature is a very important aspect of our daily lives, as it increases our consciousness and awareness of the socio-economic and political state of affairs in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole. In other words, literature plays a critical role in shaping Zimbabwe’s cultural identity because, by reading stories that relate to shared qualities like birthplace, traditions, practices, beliefs, language, and so forth. There is really nothing that can beat reading a novel or story describing places or traditions that you can recognise. You start to think to yourself, “Oooooh, this author is part of my community,” or “I know this place he or she is referring to.”

JP: You live in SA now. How do you incorporate African culture and diasporic experiences into your Zimbabwean stories now?

TM: Well, South Africa is one of the countries worldwide with the largest Zimbabwean diaspora population. About 45% of foreigners living in South Africa are Zimbabweans, so you can imagine how many of them share similar experience. But, in terms of cultural authenticity in my work, I believe that culture is, in its simplest forms, a way of life; it is the peculiar and distinctive way of life for a group of people. In other words, you can take the girl out of Zimbabwe, but you definitely cannot take Zimbabwe out of the girl! Plus, we are living in a global village, so due to the internet and vast migration, it is nearly impossible to either forget or do away with our norms, values, and beliefs as Zimbabweans.

AG: Talking about the global village. Do you think Africans are represented well in popular culture?

TM:  I think black Africans are not well represented in popular culture, both in books and in the film industry. Well, I think the problem is these stereotypical characters that are associated with Africa. For instance, African corrupt dictators, poor malnutrition kids, and these other characters that speak gibberish language that even we as Africans are shocked and often ask ourselves, “What language is this now?” Mind you, I am not saying there isn’t corruption, political oppression, drought, and other stuff like that, but we (Africans) are more than that. There are so many beautiful stories out here and so many ways to represent the horrors in Africa without resorting to animals, savages, and the white Savior tropes. Africans solve African and global issues daily without handouts.

AG: Amen! How do you navigate representating Africanness in your writing?

TM: Research, research, research! (laughs) As a proud Zimbabwean author, I have always enjoyed research into the different aspects of life, and research has always inspired me to tell our struggles and victories as a people. It is so fulfilling to write or read Zimbabwean or African stories by African authors; you can actually feel the vastness and richness of our culture. This kind of literature is our heritage, I tell you!

JP: What drives your passion for storytelling, and how do you hope your work impacts readers?

TM: I have always been an advocate for the downtrodden and less privileged or, should I rather say, I strive to be the voice to the voiceless. In a way, it is my life’s purpose to bring awareness to gender-based violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, whether it’s emotional, verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. In “Defence of Children”, I poured out some of the deepest and scariest abuses that I endured and survived as a kid. I hope and pray that this book and more to come, as sad as the story may be, it can be something to refer to, to help other kids who might be in the same situation I was in or worse. My dream is that it can be used as a set book in Zimbabwe, but not for material gain, but most importantly to increase the scope in raising awareness on prevention of child abuse.

AG. We have talked about Zim a lot. You must miss home. So lastly, what are some of your favorite places in Zimbabwe that you wish more people knew about?

TM: You want me to miss home (laughs). Firstly thank you for the opportunity to talk about words and healing. And lastly, I wish more people visted Lake Kariba, Chinhoyi Caves, and Hwange National Park. Gonarezhou is also lovely and Binga Beach. Those are places I might set my next novel at who knows (laughs).

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Follow Tracy Masocha @tracymasocha