(Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
“Mukana” is the Shona translation for “opportunity”, and the mission of Mukana Press is to provide the opportunity for writers in underrepresented areas to show their work to a world audience. So, what is the result of this specific compilation? Twelve diverse stories selected out of 512 entries from twenty-three countries. Half are from debut authors. And these stories are exceptional!
In fact, I can’t pick a favorite as so many are brilliant. There isn’t a bad one in the bunch. “The Newlywed’s Window” by Husnah Mad-hy is just one story in this collection; a story where appearances usually don’t tell the truth and love is transitory. We start out with “Gasping For Air” by Ogechukwu Emmanuel Samuel, in which we get in the sordid mind of a serial killer. From then on, I was hooked.
In “Our Girl Bimpe” by Olakunle Ologunro, we meet a young woman who discovers herself and others through social media, but with a twist. “Mareba’s Tavern” by Gladwell Pamba takes a cynical look at human relationships. We realize how old friends change in “Rain” by Muuka Gwaba. Hannah Onoguwe tells us a relevant but eerie tale of family in the speculative piece, “Old Photographs”. Still, most of these stories are quite relatable.
The above examples are very brief descriptions of just some of my favorites. I really can’t do them justice as there are so many layers and so much depth to each.
The Newlyweds’ Window: The 2022 Mukana Press Anthology of African Writing is a must-read collection, and I hope to read more from these writers.
