Dambudzo Marechera
Born in 1952
marecheracelebration.org
Dambudzo Marechera was a Zimbabwean writer known for his experimental and avant-garde style.
Born in 1952 in colonial Rhodesia, he experienced poverty and violence firsthand.
Despite his brilliance, he was expelled from universities in Rhodesia and Oxford.
Marechera's debut novella, The House of Hunger, won the Guardian First Book Award in 1979.
He was hailed as a literary genius but struggled with mental health issues and lived as a homeless writer in London.
Marechera's work continues to influence African literature, particularly in Zimbabwe, where he is celebrated for his prescient political vision and unconventional approach to writing.
He died in 1987 at the age of 35.
