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Mayowe seeks to enlighten the world on African literature

Life & Style
Mayowe, who considers herself a “modern traditional healer or svikiro”, said she decided to create a trilogy based on people who look like her while highlighting some of her favourite myths and legends.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

FEMALE author, poet and spoken word artist Chengeto Mayowe has said her trilogy titled Daughters of Fate launched today combined Japanese and Zimbabwean cultures as well as traditions through fiction to create a magical world.

Mayowe, who considers herself a “modern traditional healer or svikiro”, said she decided to create a trilogy based on people who look like her while highlighting some of her favourite myths and legends.

“Call it a five-year plan if you must, but through my writing I want people to know about African gods and goddesses, myths and legends, but I am starting close to home first. My next project, which I am already working on, will feature two countries (Japan and Zimbabwe) and their respective myths,” she said.

“My heroines in the trilogy are strong, funny women who have faced different challenges while learning to accept the spiritual gifts thrust on them. Men in my novels serve as a supporting role, merely serving to highlight and complement the women.”

Through Daughters of Fate, Mayowe said she had created a magical world solely from her imagination while incorporating issues many face in their day-to-day lives.

“The trilogy was inspired by a poem in my second book Souls Of Forgotten Queens. I created characters that were relatable to people of colour while exploring popular myths and legends, and moulding them to suit the cultures of both Japan and Zimbabwe,” she said.

Mayowe’s writing journey began years ago with her late father, John being the source of inspiration.

“I used to write with my late father, John Mayowe, and he would encourage me every chance he got. My father’s love for culture, tradition and his children sparked the idea of me writing fiction stories with hints of reality thrown in and the country’s history, myths and legends,” she said.

“Besides my father, my motivation comes in the form of my nieces and nephew. I write so that one day they may see themselves in different types of fiction novels.”

Mayowe said her mission was to heal with her words, inspire with her stories, enlighten the world about African literature and Zimbabwe as well as make people fall in love with poetry again.

She is passionate about African literature and mental health which is evident in her work.

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