BOOK REVIEW
by Namwanja
Margaret Chikwabi
This epic book,
Seminarist, tells the story of Buumba, enrolled at Mukasa Seminary Secondary
School in Choma. It weaves back and forth in time, from days as a journalist,
to high school and his experience there, to even him remembering as an infant
'strange' things happening around him. There are historical, philosophical,
cultural, religious and mythical threads throughout.
A thought-provoking
book with regards to the absolute truth most people take Christianity to be and
the often times absolute skepticism with which we view our African, our Zambian
traditional religious and mythical beliefs. There are engaging philosophical
debates in this novel about freedom within a love/romantic relationship,
commercial verses community radio stations and the journalists found in each
realm, what it means to be a human being, and even about Jesus taught and how
we interpret it to suit our own viewpoints.
Mukamuntu emerges early on as a strong, female character. She's a great counter to Buumba and to the patriarchal society she lives in. And she has a wit and an intelligence that is a constant thorn to the church, and her fellow villagers. Yet she is optimistic about life. Look out for Lubuto and bina Joojo
as great supporting characters.
Reading the
Seminarist, one gets a sense of the author having an expected intelligence of
the reader. Mazuba Mwiinga writes an unapologetically elegant Zambian story for
the Zambian reader, yet a universal story too.
The book is
beautifully descriptive of scenarios and places, mysterious in parts; an epic
yet grounded story-telling, with fully realised and relatable characters. It is
a thought-provoking piece of literature. I found myself many a time wanting to
re-read a chapter I'd just finished.
When I was in
secondary school, Things Fall Apart and Cry the Beloved Country were required
reading for literature class. I strongly believe The Seminarist should be
required reading for that very class, all over the country. There is so much to
unpack in this worthwhile read.
