Barbara Makhalisa (born 1949),Emmanuel Chiwome, "Makhakisa, Barbara", in Simon Gikandi (ed.), Encyclopedia of African Literature, Routledge, 2003, pp. 432–433. also known by her married name as Barbara Nkala, is a teacher, Zimbabwean writer, Ndebele translator, novelist, editor and publisher, one of the earliest female writers published in Zimbabwe."Nkala: A loved elder of literature", The Herald (Zimbabwe), 1 March 2017. She is the author of several books written in Ndebele, as well as in English,Margaret Busby (ed.), Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent (Jonathan Cape, 1992), pp. 618–21, 993. of which some have been used as school textbooks.Pamela Shumba, "President caps 2,388 at Nust", The Chronicle, 14 November 2015. Barbara is married to Shadreck Nkala. They have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Biography Barbara Clara Makhalisa was born in Zimbabwe, and studied at Gweru Teachers' College, majoring in Ndebele and English ("at a time when everything colonial was considered to be more superior")."Barbara Makhalisa" at Reading Zimbabwe.
Her writing career began when she won a national competition with her first book, Qilindini, a detective thriller written in Ndebele,Casey Kelso, "If it's written in English, is it really African literature?", Institute of Current World Affairs, 15 September 1992, p. 2. at which time she was only the second female writer in Ndebele.C. M. Sileya, "Book Reviews", Michigan State University, African e-Journals Project, p. 100. Her second book, the Ndebele novel Umendo ("Marriage Is A Gamble", 1977, Mambo Press, 1977), is considered a classic. She has said: "I feel people should write in their mother tongue.... Our whole culture is stored in language, and literature is the storehouse for culture."
Her writing in English includes The Underdog and Other Stories (Mambo Press, 1984) and Eva's Song: A Collection of Short Stories (Harper Collins, 1996). Her story "Different Values" appears in Margaret Busby's 1992 anthology Daughters of Africa.
In 1981 she became an editor for the publishers Longman Zimbabwe. In 1991 she left Longman and worked with her husband in the family company for five years before being invited to head International Bible Society Zimbabwe (IBS Zimbabwe) as a national director in Malawi and Zimbabwe. she coordinated the translation and publishing of the new IBS Shona and Ndebele Bibles, as well as Chichewa New Testament. She left IBS in 2005. She now runs a company called Radiant Publishing Company, whose vision is to publish for transformation."Thaph' uluju!", kwaChirere, 21 October 2010.
In 2015, she received an honorary degree from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo.
Nkala is an active member of the Brethren In Christ Church in Zimbabwe. As an elder in her church, she has sat in a number of humanitarian boards. Her influence in the church has mentored many young people to write their stories and many have been published in the Good Words/Amazwi Amahle in Zimbabwe. She is the Mennonite World Conference Regional Representative Southern Africa covering South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Nkala and other women were featured in Doris Dube's Silent Labourers..
Works Fiction
Qilindini (Cheat! Ndebele, novel 1974, Longman Zimbabwe) Umendo ( Marriage is a gamble. Ndebele, novel, 1977, Mambo Press) Umhlaba lo! (What a world!; Ndebele, 1977, Mambo Press) Impilo yinkinga (Life is a Mystery, Ndebele novel, 1984, Mambo Press) The Underdog and Other Stories, Mambo Press, 1984 () Calfy Says (Children's stories, 1991, Longman Zimbabwe) Eva's Song, Harper Collins, 1996 () Beasty Bones and other Baddies (Children's instructions on Health story, 1991, Longman Zimbabwe) Ujojojo KaMaNtombi (Ndebele Children's story, 1991, Longman Zimbabwe) Woza Lazo (co-authored, Ndebele infant Rhymes 1991, Longman Zimbabwe) Primary Ndebele Texts for schools Grade 6 and 7. Longman Zimbabwe Various English and Ndebele poems and short stories (Zimbabwe Women Writers Anthology, 1994) Vus' Inkophe/Masimba, 1997 The Book Fair Book, 1993 Giya Giya (Poetry, 1990)
As editor or publisher
Celebrating the Vision: A Century of Sowing and Reaping, Baptist Publishing House, 1998 Rainbow After a Storm: Stories of Loss, Grief & Healing, Radiant, 2008 Thaph' uluju: iqoqo lezindatshana, ilifa lakho, 2010 Sithini IsiNdebele? by Issac N Mpofu, 2011 Izinyawo Zayizolo by Tsitsi Nomsa Ngwenya, 2016 Umkhosi Wenhliziyo by Olivia M. Sibanda, 2020 Uhambo Lwempilo by Lindani Phiri, 2020
Other books
Inkondlo (Selection of Poems by Zimbabwe Women Writers) Golide: Gogo Khokho, lived, loved and left a legacy, Radiant, 2011 Growing and Branching out: Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe and southern Africa, Radiant, 2014 Umusa Wansuku zonke: Ugwalo 2, Radiant 2006 Preface to Isichazamazwi SesiNdebele (Ndebele Dictionary) 2001 by African Languages Research Institute, UZ Harare
Achievements and awards PHd from NUST 40 National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) Legends Award
References
External links
Barbara C. Nkala website