By Farayi Mungoshi

WHEN I received my first National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) last year for my book, Behind the Wall Everywhere, I experienced an indescribable moment.
The congratulatory messages, the pats on the back, the friend requests and ‘man of the moment’ phrase on the lips of everyone I met made the writing of the book a worthwhile experience.
I was inspired to keep at it and I am positive those who won their first NAMA this year received a massive boost to continue in our frequently unkind arts industry.
But a year down the line, watching the awards on TV, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth.
I feel the decision not to give out an award in the children’s book category was not the best of decisions.
The decision made me understand people who say: “Ndosaka ini ndisingaendese zvinhu zvangu kuNAMA.”
As much as the NAMAs are a huge positive in the arts industry, I cannot help but feel that the organisation erred.
I am responding and writing about it weeks later because I have been debating the issue and still I see no merit in that decision.
What is the use for someone to submit his/her work and get nominated for an award, only to be told on the big day that there is no winner in that category as happened in the Children’s Books Category at this year’s NAMAs?
While I can understand where the adjudicators are coming from by making such a decision, I still strongly feel an award had to be given to encourage others.
Alternatively, an announcementcould have been made during the adjudication process that submissions were inferior and a call made for some more.
It is true that some books being produced, especially the self-published ones, are indeed bad and an affront to publishing; starting with the cover, the typos and the editing. One is left wondering if they were ever edited at all.
But while we should be hard on ourselves and demand absolutely the best, we must remember that nearly every industry in Zimbabwe is in its infancy.
More writers now resort to self-publishing because the big publishing houses have treated writers unfairly and short-changed them.
Some have closed shop, with the remaining preferring to do text books now because there is more money there compared to fiction or children’s books.
If an award cannot be given, then, maybe, a mention can substitute the award so that we continue to build each other’s self-confidence rather than dash it.
The other issue that set many tongues wagging across the film-making world was in the film category where Shem Zemura’s movie Kushata Kwemoyo won awards which included the best film production.
Many were left questioning how a movie that has not yet been premiered could win.
“We are all in agreement that Jah Prayzah’s ‘Kutonga Kwaro’ won because we all heard it and agreed it was good; now imagine if ‘Kutonga Kwaro’ had been submitted from the studio and went on to win, with no one having heard it. Wouldn’t there have been an outcry? Maybe because it’s film and no one really takes notice (sic),” said one film-maker.
Zemura, director of Kushata Kwemoyo, was quoted in the media saying: “…there was a debate about the film being nominated and winning an award before being released. One thing people need to understand is that when a film, movie or song is already nominated, it definitely means that it meets the criteria of the judges”.
Indeed, the young and promising director is right to say that it meets the criteria of the judges; maybe it is NAMA that needs to change its approach and deal with products that have actually been confirmed by the public.
NAMA has come a long way and should up its game; they are the pacesetters.