Mulalo Nenungwi is no novice in the field of literature. The 41-year-old poet and author from Tshitavha Tsha Sambandou, popularly known as Mulalo The Poet, started honing his skills from an early age, and years later, he still finds solace in writing poems.
The Gauteng-based security officer said that during his primary school years, he would write poetry for fun. This passion grew as the years went by, but his work remained unpublished. In 2021, his wife, Ndivhuho Ramapi Nenungwi, realised that he had a very special talent, and she encouraged him to compile his poems into a book. That same year, his first book, "Munna Ndi Nnyi," which is a collection of his previous poems, was published. The book won the 2021 Book of the Year award at the African Authors and Print Awards. This motivated him to continue writing, and that same year he went on to write a biography about his father, Mr Mmbulungeni Power Nenungwi. The book depicts the history and is a celebration of his father's life.
Nenungwi has just completed working on a new set of poems, which will be released at the start of August this year. The album, titled "Shango lo Dzhenwa Ngani," consists of 15 poems that are both recited and sung.
During this project, Nenungwi worked with Mr Tiggyman Lawrence Rikhotso of the Loudly Comix Studio in Tembisa, Gauteng. Some of the outstanding tracks on the album include the title track, "Shango ḽo Dzhenwa Ngani," "Our Struggle Icons," and "Vha Tou Kundwa Maanḓa." The album will be available on all digital platforms, and those who still prefer CDs will be catered for.
Nenungwi said that continued pressure from his fans had finally made him do the album. He said he wanted something that they could play in their cars and at home. "Some of my fans like it when I do live reciting, some like reading my poems from a book, while others like listening to it from their music stations. I am trying to cater for all those categories and hope to reach a wider audience," he said.
For CD orders and bookings, contact Nenungwi on 071 617 7247.