ISSUE #1

3
Letters from the Editors
Dear Family,
It is with great joy that I present the inaugural issue of Mosi oa Tunya Literary Review. It has
been an honor curating the magazine with my mum, Ellen Machingaidze, and we look forward
to many more editions to come.
Mosi oa Tunya Literary Review is a passion project born out of my experience as an aspiring
writer from Zimbabwe. Beginning in 2013, my short stories have been published by Weaver
Press Zimbabwe, Africa Book Club, The Kalahari Review, Lawino, African Roar, Munyori
Literary Journal, Open Road Review, Brittle Paper, and Down River Road. My debut novel,
"Acacia" was published by African Perspectives Publishing in 2014.
Over the years, I have reviewed countless calls for submissions from literary magazines from
around the world. Through the struggle to publish my writing, I have become acutely aware
of the paucity of platforms and opportunities available for voices from Africa, and especially
from Zimbabwe. Becoming a published author is a grueling task for anyone, but the lack of
publications that focus on, and value, writing from African perspectives, makes it that much
harder for budding storytellers from Africa to have their voices heard, even within their own
communities.
In recent years, there has been a rise in online literary platforms in Africa which is
encouraging, but there is still much work to be done. I have partnered with my mum, Ellen
Machingaidze, who is also a writer and an editor, to bring Mosi oa Tunya Review to life, in an
effort to fill the gap. We believe that African voices should tell their stories to the world, not
only in English, but in indigenous languages as well. Our unique vision is for Mosi oa Tunya
Review to be a multi-lingual, pan-African magazine that publishes writing in all of Zimbabwe's
16 official languages. Our hope is that this will inspire a renewed and sustainable effort to
develop modern Zimbabwean and African writing.
Mosi oa Tunya means "The Smoke That Thunders." It is one of the many wonderfully
descriptive local names for Victoria Falls. Why? Because you hear the falls long before you
ever see them:
A thundering roar heard from kilometers away
Mist rising high in the sky like a great cloud of smoke
Powerful. Pounding. Penetrating.
An undeniable force of nature
The mighty Zambezi and The Great Batoka Gorge
I stand in awe
Consumed and yet complete