Reading Promotion : a Must for All
It is said that Chris Rock, a Black comedian, once joked that Blacks don't read. And somebody is once quoted as having said that "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book." Much as it hurts it is true that a good percentage of Malawi’s indigenous populace don’t enjoy reading. There is therefore a practical need to reverse this trend and make reading fashionable and joyous in this beautiful country.
Malawi is still at a point where access to up-to-date newspapers is still limited to urban areas. For most of rural Malawi where the majority of Malawi’s populace lives, one has to wait for days on end to have a peep at a newspaper. In most cases, such a paper would get to somebody as a donation. Even in urban Malawi, it is only a small fraction of people who have access to a paper. Frankly speaking, the will to buy a newspaper is quite minimal. Most of us would rather have a look at our friend’s newspaper than buy one for ourselves. One therefore can’t help wondering on the origins of this unwillingness to buy a paper. Sadly this is the case with almost all printed materials in Malawi. In fact publishing in Malawi is one of the most risky ventures. It is not natural for most Malawians to buy a book more especially a novel. Not so many Malawians would actually plan to go to a bookshop and buy some book for their child or friend. Even the people who can afford to buy would rather go and scramble with other readers for a single copy of a particular title available in their local library. This practice is in sharp contrast to what happens in virtually all industrialised countries or countries that seem to be doing very well. Take for example, Taiwan, USA, Britain and South Africa; one can’t help noticing that there is an inferno of literature of all sorts in these countries. This inferno is matched by an equally big appetite to read by the local populace. Reading is a favourite pastime in these parts of the world. The public frenzy as a book is being launched in these countries is felt even in countries as far away as Malawi. And yet our friends have an array of distractions.
This difference is to a great extent because nurturing the reading skill has from time immemorial taken a centre stage in all these great nations. Before 1871, Sweden had the greatest population where most grown ups could read. This didn’t just happen; the Lutheran church went as far as refusing the adults to marry until they could read.
Things are different when you take look at Malawi’s music industry and the public response. A good percentage of Malawians is willing to buy a musical recording regardless of their location and status. Chances are that a Malawian home that doesn’t have any reading material would have at least a single copy of some musical recording. I would dare say that a very high percentage of Malawians is so familiar with their favourite musical artists and their works. Coupled with this, many are willing to spend a dime to get a new album from their favourite artists. To the contrary, many are not aware of the many Jack Mapanje’s Malawi has produced. Does this tell of how much Malawi is entrenched in the oral culture as opposed to the reading culture? Should we leave things as they are or should we do something about Malawi’s reading culture? Many would agree that the status quo has to change. Who is to bring this change? I guess we all have to do it.
At present Malawi has so many organisations and individuals that have intensified the battle to improve the literate environment but I think the promotion of the reading skill has been left to a few. The battle has to involve all. The attack has to be concerted and regular. Reading promotion has to be a buzz word until Malawi becomes a natural reading nation. There is so much to be gained from promoting reading than not.
The point is that whilst we continue flooding Malawi with various reading and information materials on various issues, it is imperative that we consider reading promotion as an integral part of any information dissemination. Reading is a fundamental skill that every Malawian must have. The skill must be promoted at all levels and in all sectors. If well developed, the reading skill would have an invaluable social and economic impact on Malawi. The book would no longer be used to hide things from Malawians. As we provide books, magazines, newspapers and manuals, the hope is that people will read. It is therefore good politics to invest in the development of the reading skill. The fact of the matter is that all subject areas benefit from this skill.
Like Premier League teams in the UK and Toyota in the USA let us all engage in reading promotion.
It is said that Chris Rock, a Black comedian, once joked that Blacks don't read. And somebody is once quoted as having said that "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book." Much as it hurts it is true that a good percentage of Malawi’s indigenous populace don’t enjoy reading. There is therefore a practical need to reverse this trend and make reading fashionable and joyous in this beautiful country.
Malawi is still at a point where access to up-to-date newspapers is still limited to urban areas. For most of rural Malawi where the majority of Malawi’s populace lives, one has to wait for days on end to have a peep at a newspaper. In most cases, such a paper would get to somebody as a donation. Even in urban Malawi, it is only a small fraction of people who have access to a paper. Frankly speaking, the will to buy a newspaper is quite minimal. Most of us would rather have a look at our friend’s newspaper than buy one for ourselves. One therefore can’t help wondering on the origins of this unwillingness to buy a paper. Sadly this is the case with almost all printed materials in Malawi. In fact publishing in Malawi is one of the most risky ventures. It is not natural for most Malawians to buy a book more especially a novel. Not so many Malawians would actually plan to go to a bookshop and buy some book for their child or friend. Even the people who can afford to buy would rather go and scramble with other readers for a single copy of a particular title available in their local library. This practice is in sharp contrast to what happens in virtually all industrialised countries or countries that seem to be doing very well. Take for example, Taiwan, USA, Britain and South Africa; one can’t help noticing that there is an inferno of literature of all sorts in these countries. This inferno is matched by an equally big appetite to read by the local populace. Reading is a favourite pastime in these parts of the world. The public frenzy as a book is being launched in these countries is felt even in countries as far away as Malawi. And yet our friends have an array of distractions.
This difference is to a great extent because nurturing the reading skill has from time immemorial taken a centre stage in all these great nations. Before 1871, Sweden had the greatest population where most grown ups could read. This didn’t just happen; the Lutheran church went as far as refusing the adults to marry until they could read.
Things are different when you take look at Malawi’s music industry and the public response. A good percentage of Malawians is willing to buy a musical recording regardless of their location and status. Chances are that a Malawian home that doesn’t have any reading material would have at least a single copy of some musical recording. I would dare say that a very high percentage of Malawians is so familiar with their favourite musical artists and their works. Coupled with this, many are willing to spend a dime to get a new album from their favourite artists. To the contrary, many are not aware of the many Jack Mapanje’s Malawi has produced. Does this tell of how much Malawi is entrenched in the oral culture as opposed to the reading culture? Should we leave things as they are or should we do something about Malawi’s reading culture? Many would agree that the status quo has to change. Who is to bring this change? I guess we all have to do it.
At present Malawi has so many organisations and individuals that have intensified the battle to improve the literate environment but I think the promotion of the reading skill has been left to a few. The battle has to involve all. The attack has to be concerted and regular. Reading promotion has to be a buzz word until Malawi becomes a natural reading nation. There is so much to be gained from promoting reading than not.
The point is that whilst we continue flooding Malawi with various reading and information materials on various issues, it is imperative that we consider reading promotion as an integral part of any information dissemination. Reading is a fundamental skill that every Malawian must have. The skill must be promoted at all levels and in all sectors. If well developed, the reading skill would have an invaluable social and economic impact on Malawi. The book would no longer be used to hide things from Malawians. As we provide books, magazines, newspapers and manuals, the hope is that people will read. It is therefore good politics to invest in the development of the reading skill. The fact of the matter is that all subject areas benefit from this skill.
Like Premier League teams in the UK and Toyota in the USA let us all engage in reading promotion.
